our global garden of joy Hi 👋 I’m Jasmine, founder of The Bloom. We have a phenomenal selection of social impact resources this week for you to bloom & forward to your friends!
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Welcome bloomers, Here is your summary of the newsletter this week: 🌱Interview with USA gender equality leader 🌱Group coaching for social impact leaders 🌱July reciprocity opportunities with bloomers with love & light, Jasmine 💌 Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up to get your own copy of The Bloom to your inbox with top social impact jobs, uplifting stories, and global resources. 💚 Partner with us! We're looking forimpactful organizations to partner with The Bloom to bring connections, resources, and opportunities to our global community.
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fresh soil
How did you get to where you are today in gender equality?
In college and grad school, my academic focus evolved from gender in politics to gender and human rights, as I learned more about human rights violations globally, especially those targeting women, girls, and LGBTQI+ people. My feminism evolved, as well, as I personally experienced and navigated the reproductive reproductive health system within the United States, and as I got involved both personally and professionally in intersectional movements around gender, race, health, rights, and economic justice.
In terms of the detailed stepping stones of my career, after college, I began working in local government in New York for an HIV+, LGBTQI+ council member who advocated fiercely for access to reproductive health. This experience gave me an understanding of the inner workings of city government, as well as the community organizing that keeps it in check. From there, I worked in journalism and think tanks, where I started to refine my gender and human rights focus as I built out my writing and research portfolio, exploring sustainable development, gender-based violence, and reproductive rights.
What were the main challenges in your journey and what practical steps did you take to overcome them? The largest challenge I have faced working in gender, especially in non-profits, is burnout — due to both a lack of organizational resources and personal weight of the work. I served in an SRHRJ leadership role during the pandemic and the Trump administration, and after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, I had to take a career break and shift to freelancing to reset and take care of my emotional and mental health.
This was a difficult situation to navigate financially, but I think taking time to really think about how I was going to approach my career in this space in a way that didn’t leave me so depleted was critically important and set me on a more holistically sustainable path moving forward.
Ultimately, during that time, I began my newsletter, The Pluralia, which provided me with a much-needed creative outlet. The Pluralia is about reclaiming a multifaceted sense of self. It’s a newsletter of musings on the parts that make us whole — art, music, politics, culture, love, connection… All in recognition that every single one of us is so much more than one thing. It was through this lens that when I returned to full-time work (to my current job), I broadened my work focus from SRHRJ to a more intersectional gender focus; and made sure to prioritize what I have come to think of as free time with myself — whether it’s writing, gardening in my community, or resting — and knowing that all of this not only sustains my gender career, but most importantly, makes me feel whole.
And an achievement that confirmed your belonging in a career in gender equality?
Last year, along with colleagues of mine from the reproductive health, rights, and justice space, I was invited to present at the American Public Health Association annual conference on research that I had led over a multi-year project on abortion access on in Mexico and the United States, and connections between anti-SRHRJ attacks in both countries. This was a highly collaborative, intensive project that I had worked on for so long — it felt incredibly affirming to be able to present it to and discuss it with other gender and health professionals (whose work I so admire). I have long maintained that my favorite part of working in non-profit and movement spaces are the people, and to be able to contribute a body of work that I was proud of to this community I am grateful to be a part of made me feel really proud.
Our community includes some of the most incredible leaders in social impact across the globe 🌍 Here are the latest activities happening this week in The Bloom:
🐝 For meaningful connections with social impact leaders
New opportunities for reciprocity with the wonderful social impact leaders in The Bloom! Head over to the "Reciprocity Hub" dreamed up by our phenomenal teammate Leticia 🇧🇷
📆For social impact coaching
Come join our first (of many🤍) group coaching sessions in The Bloom. We're actively co-creating coaching in our platform to help facilitate safe spaces for learning, listening, and growth. This week led by our coach-in residence: Julia Firestone 🌿
Why did you decide to join The Bloom as a coach?
Fun fact: I was in attendance at the first ever in-person event for The Bloom in 2022! I’ve been a great admirer of the intentionality, activism, and community care here ever since. It’s a huge honor to contribute to the community to help changemakers feel more connected to one another and navigate career journeys with greater ease.
How would you describe your unique approach to coaching?
My practice originates in transformational coaching with elements of somatic practices (aka the body), play, innovation, and mindfulness. I describe my style as a bit cheeky (in the most supportive way!) and you can expect a lot of warmth, humor, and welcoming of your whole self when we work together in coaching. I also bring a systems level lens to coaching work, recognizing that our identities and lived experiences are connected to systemic power structures and issues. In a highly individualistic context (particularly the U.S.), it’s important to understand impact through a collective view to help us make more progress while also alleviating some of the tremendous pressure changemakers often feel with the aim of preventing burnout and sustaining our long-term contributions to positive impact.
Who are you specifically looking to support through your coaching in The Bloom?
In my own practice, I often serve mid-career and mid-senior level folks, but I also understand from personal experience how hard it is to get started in an impact career early on. I co-founded a startup to support early career changemakers which I’ve since left so I’m delighted to work with early career folks in the Bloom with a particular focus on intentional relationship building, sustaining motivation, boosting confidence, and actualizing big dreams. To register for for group coaching on July 18, and learn more about our Reciprocity Hub directly in our membership platform for social impact careers 🌍
I had just completed a PhD in English literature with an animal studies/ecocriticism focus. However, I felt like the knowledge I was gaining and producing was not having a tangible impact in the world. When I saw the communications role advertised at SEI York I was delighted: an opportunity to take my skills and interests and put them to use in an organisation which works to provide evidence to make positive change in the world. Working for an organisation that is constantly producing evidence for policymakers and decision-makers – an organisation which puts people and local contexts at the centre of its research – is very gratifying.
And what do you wish more people knew about SEI?
SEI is good on the inside too! Our recent global staff survey showed that, in all our centres, we’re a pretty happy organisation and people genuinely enjoy working here. SEI’s hybrid practices are also very well-honed by now, and there is a strong culture of trust and understanding: this flexibility is invaluable to so many people who work here, whether in research or in other roles. We work really hard at creating opportunities for global collaboration between centres as well, so you really can engage with and be part of an international community.
Hand-picked job opportunities we love around the world, selected from a diverse team of social impact leaders who are excited for you to grow new roots in your career. Reach out to team@readtobloom.com to amplify your roles 💌
🇮🇪 Sustainability Consultant – RPS Group Domestic, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence Coordinator – AkiDwA 🇬🇧 Research Associate – SEI Senior Research Fellow – SEI Engagement Advisor, Refugee Employability – Palladium Program Officer, Routine Immunization Strengthening Program (LTE) – Gates Foundation GLOBAL REMOTE Digital Democracy Initiative, Programme Assistant – CIVICUS Multiple internship roles – Women Win Young Experts Program – WIPO Multiple Roles – Millar Cameron Finance Compliance Consultant – Peace Brigades International Multiple Roles – Human Rights Watch
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