Skip to main content
Join DonateSubscribe
Home2024 Dismantling Inequities Sessions

DISMANTLING INEQUITIES IN VOLUNTEERISM

CONFERENCE: THE EMPATHY EFFECT

Transforming Volunteerism

DECEMBER 5-6, 2024


Breakout Session Descriptions

(subject to change)

Ableism is Everywhere: What Disabled People Wish Able Bodied People Knew About Disability in Volunteerism

Ashley Daniels, M. Ed

Disability is not a one-dimensional, one size fits all experience and is much more common than the general population thinks. Currently, close to 30% of Americans have a disability, and is the only marginalized community that anyone, at any point in their life, can join regardless of someone’s intersectional identities.


This workshop will address how to create equitable and safe spaces for invisible identities of volunteers. We will review how ableism can present in volunteer engagement, then hear from the lived experiences and perspectives of people who have multiple intersectional identities in addition to their disabilities: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, women, LGBTQIA+, and voices across religious practices. This workshop will include opportunities to hear and understand first-hand what disabled people would like volunteer organizations to know, and to reflect on how organizations have accommodated volunteers successfully - and unsuccessfully - in the past.


During this workshop, we’ll practice how to apply the process of personalizing accommodations utilizing the perspectives of each individual who shared their personal account. By modeling how to create individualized accommodation plans, participants will learn how to better accommodate disabled volunteers, create equitable and safe spaces for invisible identities within volunteerism, and champion inclusion in their organization.



Breaking the Cycle Of White Supremacy
Donte Curtis

This interactive workshop invites attendees to explore the ways that white supremacy culture is harming us and the work that we do. During our time together, we will reflect on how the dominant culture shows up in us (White Folks and People of Color) and will be given tools and strategies to break the cycle. We will explore what creating a culture of empathy looks like in action to serve the people we work with and the volunteers we manage. 


By and for Us: Helping Neurodivergent People Make Friends
Mitchell Schaps

Overall, it has been estimated that 15-20% of the overall world population is neurodivergent. However, Neurodivergent people are also an invisible minority. You can’t look at a person and see Neurodivergence. For this reason, they are also a group that can be easy to overlook, which is making it increasingly important for members of this hidden minority to advocate for themselves and help solve issues in their own community. In 2022, that is what MNeurodivergent formed to do: To help reduce the rate of loneliness that many people in the neurodivergent population of Minnesota feel. We have done this by creating a non-profit run for neurodivergent people, by neurodivergent people. In this session, attendees will learn why it is important to have neurodivergent leadership in nonprofits, and what nonprofits can do to be more friendly to neurodivergent people. 


Cultivating Inclusivity: Transforming Volunteer Experiences Through Micro-Affirmations

Charlotte Jones

In a world where diverse voices are increasingly vital to community progress, understanding the nuances of microaggressions and the power of micro-affirmations is crucial for volunteer leaders. Equipped with tools and perspectives, this vital session enables leaders to cultivate environments where all volunteers feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute meaningfully.


By mastering these concepts, volunteer leaders will not only enhance their own personal growth but will also elevate the experiences of the volunteers they guide. Fostering inclusive and supportive volunteer environments leads to stronger community impact. Engage in interactive discussions, analyze real-world scenarios, and participate in reflective exercises designed to deepen your understanding of microaggressions and micro-affirmations and plan how to integrate these concepts into your volunteer programs. 

How to be an Ally in Three Steps

Heather Stanley

Volunteerism is a proactive form of allyship. Using the three-step method of Learn, Adapt, and Teach, volunteers can become culturally competent with many groups of people, as well as increase allyship efforts within their volunteer organization.


Identity - Understanding Yourself to Understand Others
Kristie Lazenberry

Through discussion and breakouts, we will examine our identity, the connection between our identity and our life experiences, and the importance of understanding other's stories/experiences in that context. We will investigate how our perceptions play into this and what we can do about it. Participants will leave the session with an understanding that we cannot make assumptions about people (and consequently act on those assumptions) without understanding that everyone has a life story that shapes who they become, what they believe and why they are in the circumstances they are in.


Insidious Niceness: Understanding and Responding to the Intersections of Whiteness, Femininity, and Power in Helping Professions
Johnanna Ganz
In mission-driven professions, we have replaced authentic, growth-oriented relationships with colleagues, volunteers, and clients with “being nice.” We cannot move forward in meaningful solidarity and community until we address “being nice” as a tool of racialized and gendered violence in our work. The cumulative effects of using the tools of insidious niceness and operating in environments built on insidious niceness hurts everyone and prevents diversity, equity, and inclusion from flourishing in our programs. This foundational session first explores the history and typical ways insidious niceness shows up within the helping professions. Then we review core transformative conflict tools that support us in moving beyond insidious niceness towards authentic connection that challenges and changes us for the better. While anyone can benefit from this session, those who identify as white or as women are especially encouraged to attend.

Leveraging Emotional Intelligence to Foster a More Human Centered Leadership

Luis Moreno

Learn more about Emotional Intelligence and how it can be leveraged in the workplace to improve relationship building, communication, trust, and results by fostering leaders and teams that are more human, equitable and inclusive. Using interactive discussions we will learn how to apply Emotional Intelligence in everyday situations in the workplace to enhance your leadership and improve organizational results.

Navigating Microaggressions: Building Inclusive Volunteer Spaces
Dr. Luiza Dreasher

In this interactive session, you will explore how subtle yet impactful microaggressions can affect volunteer environments. You will gain tools to recognize and address these behaviors, helping you foster a more inclusive and welcoming space for all volunteers. Through personal reflection, group discussions, and practical scenarios, you will leave with actionable strategies to intervene as an ally, increase empathy, and ensure every volunteer feels valued. This session is essential for anyone seeking to enhance their leadership and create supportive, diverse volunteer communities.


Real Belonging vs Rainbow Washing: Engaging LGBTQIA+ Communities as Volunteers
Dana Litwin

We’re here, we’re queer, we want to volunteer! It is more urgent than ever with the rise of targeted hate and legislation removing civil rights from LGBTQIA+ people for organizations to understand the value of working with LGBTQIA+ communities and intentionally welcoming them as volunteers, donors, and advocates. Too often nonprofits offer only surface “rainbow washing” that is not a sincere invitation into a safe, supportive workspace. Join Dana Litwin, CVA, for a lively learning session with discussion, exercises, and ideas to action for deep engagement and real relationship building beyond the typical “Pride outreach” events. At the end of this session, participants will be able to recognize “rainbow washing” and apply proven data-driven methods to shift their organizational culture and practices to be more accessible and inclusive for diverse LGBTQIA+ communities. People want to be themselves and see themselves to create trust in any team, especially for volunteers!


Recognizing and Responding to Bias

Dr. Abdul Omari

Recognizing & Responding to Bias is a targeted workshop for participants to explore, understand, and acknowledge their biases. The goal is not to rid ourselves of biases but rather, to neutralize, pivot, and own (NPO) our biases to shift our responses in situations where biases exist.


In this workshop, participants will be exposed to common language and common forms of bias so that they can have ways to talk about the topics discussed. Ten common types of bias will be explored:

• Selective attention

• Diagnosis bias

• Pattern recognition

• Value attribution

• Confirmation bias

• Status quo bias

• Commitment confirmation (confidence bias)

• Stereotype threat

• Affiliation bias

• Group think


Reimagining Nonprofit Boards for Equity & Inclusion
Mary Uran

The default nonprofit board model is broken. Board members have limited insight into the daily operations and challenges faced by the nonprofit they support, complicating the traditional notion that boards should handle nearly all governance responsibilities. In reality, the legal requirements for boards are relatively light, and many governance practices and structures are self-imposed.

This session will examine challenges in current governance practices and explore a more holistic approach to governance—one in which power is shared and organizations are aligned and nimble. In a series of interactive exercises, attendees will engage in small-group work and large-group discussion to explore creative governance structures. Participants will walk away with tangible next steps to explore what’s possible within their organizations.

Revitalizing Volunteerism: Co-Creating Solutions for BIPOC Engagement in a Post-COVID World

Dr. Amanda Bolton and Lorita Sajous

This crucial session offers an interactive approach to addressing the decline in volunteerism among BIPOC communities since COVID-19. Participants will explore data, identify problems, and design solutions, actively contributing to the discussion. The topic is highly relevant, addressing the growing detachment due to remote work and offering strategies to rebuild community connections. During this session, attendees will participate in a virtual data walk, small group discussions, and design thinking exercises to brainstorm solutions for increasing volunteerism. Participants will gain insights into volunteerism trends, develop creative solutions for engaging diverse groups post-COVID, and formulate actionable steps for their organizations. The session emphasizes co-creation and innovative volunteering methods, providing participants with a renewed perspective, practical engagement tools, and a personal call-to-action to drive change in their communities and workplaces.



Storytelling without Exploitation
Jessica Pang-Parks

Do you lead volunteers at an organization where people with lived experience (e.g. former service users, caregivers, alumni) are encouraged to “give back” through volunteering? Does this volunteer work involve telling their stories to raise awareness or money? Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable about how these volunteer storytellers are positioned to “tug at heartstrings”?

People with lived experience deserve to be engaged ethically as volunteer storytellers. Join this session to:

  • Discuss strengths-based volunteer recruitment messaging that targets people with lived experience 

  • Learn how to create ethics-focused story request processes for internal use

  • Explore meaningful outreach and stewardship tactics for volunteers who share their lived experiences

The Empathy Exams Are Not Graded On A Curve: Maintaining Engagement and Compassion in Service

Jeremy Norton

Gain insight and perspective from Jeremy Norton! His two-plus decades responding to a vast range of crises and emergencies has given her a nuanced and broad perspective on human behavior, and the conditions and factors that shape people's lives and choices.


Takeaway a better understanding of the complexities of the service population, deeper appreciation of resiliency and coping, sharper empathy and imagination to transcend the various differences between volunteer and our service population.

Understanding and Navigating Islamophobia

Jaylani Hussein and Suleiman Adan 

Minnesota has become a critical battleground in the fight against Islamophobia, leading the nation with 35 mosque attacks in the last three years, including 9 in the past two months. This session will focus on understanding and combating Islamophobia, particularly as it affects marginalized communities such as women and immigrants.


Participants will delve into the history of Islamophobia and explore its real-life impacts on the Muslim American community. We will examine case studies supported by CAIR Minnesota, showcasing tangible and devastating effects of Islamophobia on local mosques and individuals. Through interactive discussions and reflection, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how Islamophobia is not just a distant concept but a pressing issue in our own backyard.


Participants will leave with a comprehensive understanding of Islamophobia's historical and current manifestations, practical strategies for combating it, and a call to action to volunteer and join efforts to fight Islamophobia in Minnesota. 




Uniting Generations: 5 Ways to Overcome Communication Barriers and Resolve Conflicts
Coleen Gose

In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, we are witnessing a unique and dynamic environment shaped by the presence of five distinct generations—each with its own set of experiences, values, and communication styles. This diverse workforce is both a strength and a challenge. As different generations work side by side, the potential for miscommunication and conflict increases, highlighting the need for effective strategies that foster understanding and collaboration.

The key takeaways from this session are:

  1. Address ways to manage conflict effectively: Learn practical approaches to handling conflicts that arise in a multi-generational workplace, ensuring that differences become opportunities for growth rather than points of tension.

  2. Uncover the key characteristics and communication styles of 5 different generations: We will discuss Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z—giving you insights into how each generation perceives work and how to bridge gaps in communication.


What's in your bag? How unhealed wounds impact those you intend to help

Jaralyn Roberts

We all have challenges, trauma, and experiences that we carry with us everyday but what happens when unhealed wounds are exposed unexpectedly? How does all we carry impact the way we show up and interact with others- especially those we intend to help? 

What is in your bag? 

This session is intended to be an interactive opportunity for self-reflection, connection, and growth. In this session, you will:

  • Identify the effects of unexpectedly exposed trauma on personal behavior and relationships.

  • Foster greater self-awareness about personal challenges and their potential influence on decision-making and behavior.

  • Learn strategies to manage the emotional impact of trauma when interacting with those you serve.

  • Identify techniques to begin addressing unhealed wounds and create a path toward healing in order to show up more effectively for others.

This session invites you to explore internal work so that collectively we can have an even greater impact.


Facilitator Bios
Conference Schedule
Main Conference Page