Shelley comes to RAI with a background in animal welfare, mental health fundraising and a wide range volunteer work from around the world. With more than a decade of nonprofit experience, she wears many hats for us including communications, fundraising, special events and more. Working together to effect change is the cornerstone of her career. She is dedicated to serving great causes and making a difference.
What do you love about working at RAI?
As soon as you walk into our space, you see that it's vibrant, that there are people there from all over the world, that it’s a community. There’s always someone to offer a cup of tea or invite you to sit down around the table for a meal. There’s really positive energy in the space. People here are kind, caring, curious and just a joy to be around.
Everyone at RAI has their own vision of success and their own path to follow. We do our best to meet people where they are on their journey and we learn from—and celebrate—our differences.
What excites you about RAI’s new Maker Space + Cultural Center?
Our new Maker Space + Cultural Center is going to be opening this Spring and it’s going to be fantastic. The newly renovated space will have more than 7,000 square feet of usable space, so it’s going feel much bigger and allow us to do lots of great things that we couldn’t take on before. And it’s going to have climate control, better lighting, a more functional front door and other important basics that were deficient in the old space.
The new space will also allow us to better serve both the women of RAI and the larger community. There will be classrooms and meeting spaces and other opportunities for people to visit, buy some artisan products or take a workshop. It’s going to be amazing to be a community hub where people can gather and learn, whether it’s about upcycling, traditional crafts or some of our other programs.
The Maker Space + Cultural Center was designed with feedback from staff and artisans and reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting and investing in immigrant and refugee women.
Why is economic independence so critical for immigrant and refugee women?
Learning and earning can make such a difference in the lives of immigrant and refugee women. We know that when women earn their children are better off, their families are better off and ultimately their communities are better off. We see artisans building up their confidence, speaking up in class more and realizing that the skills they have are valuable in the workplace. It can help break a cycle of social isolation and dramatically change how women view their lives and what’s possible for them.
As a communications professional, can you talk more about why it’s important to tell RAI’s story ?
When we tell our story and the stories of RAI artisans, we always want to do that in a way that’s safe and protects the privacy of our people. Not everyone wants to tell their story or is ready to share. But sharing one’s story can also be very empowering. So we look to create a positive platform for immigrant and refugee women and their voices, since there aren’t a lot of those in our world, especially right now.
We never forget that we exist and operate because of a community of support, people who care about our mission and want to help us make a difference. The more we can tell our story and share the joy and inspiration of RAI, the more people will want to come along with us.
What are your hopes for the future of RAI?
I’m really excited for RAI’s next chapter. Having a new space that’s comfortable, flexible and welcoming will make a difference in so many different ways.
I know it’s a really challenging and unsettling time for many immigrants and refugees, so having something positive that creates economic opportunity and empowerment for women in these communities is essential. I hope RAI can continue to grow, develop our programs and support and serve more women in ways that make a real difference in their lives.
