Emily Simpson-Keyes, Member Assistance Funds Manager
Your Role: In your own words, how would you describe the work you do at the CEF and why is it important?
While providing direct financial assistance is not CEF’s primary mission, we do have a pool of resources dedicated to supporting Members as they work towards their goals. This pool is growing to include a homebuyers savings program and eviction debt assistance fund. As the Member Assistance Funds Manager, I will be responsible for developing an equitable and transparent process for distributing these funds as well as working with Members and Advocates to ensure that they know these resources are available.
Your Background: What experiences, strengths and skills do you bring to this work at CEF?
As a social worker, I have been trained to approach my work through a lens of systems thinking, and I feel I naturally bring a level of empathy and vulnerability to this role. However, I am most grateful for my previous experience as an Advocate. The role required me to “take off my professional hat,” decenter myself, and learn from the wisdom and experience of Members. I plan to approach my Staff role in much the same way. I’m excited to continue building on the relationships that I established as an Advocate!
Connecting to CEF: What led you to working with CEF generally, and also to this particular role?
I’ve spent the past several years working in social impact consulting and nonprofit operations. While I enjoyed the complex problem solving that came with those roles, I found myself questioning my complicity in philanthrocapitalism and craving community. This is what first led me to begin volunteering as an Advocate in the fall of 2020. It was the height of the pandemic, and though I was grateful for the security of a remote job, I was disconnected from my neighbors and feeling too comfortable. When so much of the world is broken, community care built on authentic person-centered relationships in the way CEF strives for is radical. I’ve wanted to join the CEF team for quite some time and the Member Assistance Funds Manager role, which requires both my operational and interpersonal skill sets, was worth the wait.
Energy: When you think about your work in this role at CEF (and/or in general at CEF) where do you find energy and renewal?
I’ve always felt a deep responsibility to use my one wild and precious life to repair harm and further social justice so I find a great deal of purpose and energy in the work itself. It’s a privilege to be trusted by Members and to share in the moments of pain, frustration, hope, and joy experienced in the office. I also rely on the support of my loving partner, trusted therapist, and snuggly dog.
Challenge: When you think about your work in this role at CEF (and/or in general at CEF) where do you find challenges and how do you seek to find the best way forward?
While financial literacy and asset-building tools are most certainly impactful and necessary for changing individual circumstances, the racial wealth gap is a systemic issue, rather than an individual one. These tools are a part of a broader economic system designed to systematically disenfranchise people of the global majority. This reality can be overwhelming but I think it’s one we must acknowledge in this work. I remind myself that there are opportunities to share power and disrupt oppressive systems at every level, so how we are engaging with Members and moving as an organization is just as important as the number of goals achieved or financial coaching sessions completed.
Meet Ishaan! Member Resource Specialist in Chapel Hill
Ishaan Kumar, Member Resource Specialist CEF’s Chapel Hill Office
Your Role: In your own words, how would you describe the work you do at CEF and why is it important?
I am the Member Resource Specialist for the Chapel Hill Office. The bulk of my work is focused on identifying and building out resources for the community to expand the way that CEF can support Members. My long-term project is focused on a Homebuyers Program, where we are trying to work with other local housing organizations to expand access to home ownership!
Your Background: What experiences, strengths, and skills do you bring to this work at CEF?
I worked as an Advocate for multiple years in the Durham office, so that introduced me to CEF’s work. I think in particular, I learnt to slow down and hold space for Members, peers, and myself. This is a skill I hope to continue to develop through the next few years. In addition, I think that I can be extremely reliable, and hope to bring this constancy to my work at CEF.
Connecting to CEF: What led you to working with CEF generally, and also to this particular role?
In particular, CEF’s model of Member-centered advocacy really spoke to me. In some other spaces, it was unclear to me if what we were doing was really in the interest of the people we were working for. I believe wholeheartedly in the power and necessity of social work to reflect the needs of Members and for everyone to be engaged in collaborative decision-making.
Energy: When you think about your work in this role at CEF (and/or in general at CEF) where do you find energy and renewal?
Primarily, I find energy in people; my partner, my family, and my roommate are all places to go to recharge. When I’m alone, I often find myself tinkering in the kitchen, trying to remake childhood memories into new creations.
Challenge: When you think about your work in this role at CEF (and/or in general at CEF) where do you find challenges and how do you seek to find the best way forward?
Many challenges are unknown right now, as this is a new position to CEF! In addition, being a recent college grad means that I’m looking forward to challenges I can’t even begin to imagine. I hope to approach all these future challenges with an empathetic and critical eye. I hope to approach these problems through creative collaborations and new solutions. Everyone has creativity and capacity – I hope to tap into our collective power!
Meet Jada! Advocate Program Coordinator at CEF’s Durham Office
Jada McLeod, Advocate Program Coordinator CEF’s Durham Office
Your Role: In your own words, how would you describe the work you do at the CEF and why is it important?
I am the Advocate Program Coordinator for the Durham Office. My role revolves around Advocate recruitment, selection, training, and support. Advocates are essential to the work we do at CEF given that they handle much of the day-to-day work of supporting members in reaching their goals. Our cohort of Advocates must be committed to learning and growth and well equipped to work with members in order to serve the community well.
Your Background: What experiences, strengths, and skills do you bring to this work at CEF?
I was an Advocate at the Chapel Hill office for a few years before joining the Durham office staff, so I know what it’s like to be in their shoes. I can easily empathize with Advocates’ experiences which makes me well suited to support people in navigating this role. Another major strength of mine is my curiosity. I am eager to learn about other people’s experiences, identities, and approaches to how they show up in this space. I’m committed to breaking down my own biases and harmful ways of thinking. I’m always looking for ways to expand my understanding of the world around me.
Connecting to CEF: What led you to working with CEF generally, and also to this particular role?
CEF’s focus on relationship-building is what initially attracted me to the organization. I’ve worked with several nonprofits and CEF is so unique in its emphasis on authentically building supportive communities. It was important to me to continue being a part of that. Being an Advocate at CEF was such a transformative experience for me. As an Advocate, I went through so much learning and growth that significantly shaped my worldview, especially concerning racial equity and other social justice issues. I am excited to help guide other people through that process in my new role.
Energy: When you think about your work in this role at CEF (and/or in general at CEF) where do you find energy and renewal?
I find energy by remembering to make room for joy and excitement in my work. Doing direct service with people who are experiencing the violence of systemic oppression can quickly become a heavy burden to bear. My passion for this work is renewed when I expand my perspective and hold space to celebrate everyday victories. Whether it’s a member finding housing, getting a new job, or just feeling extra supported by Advocates and staff, those moments keep me grounded and give me a renewed sense of purpose. I love all the light-hearted moments that happen in the office where we get to laugh and joke with one another. These moments remind me that although our work can be challenging, it doesn’t always have to be oriented around struggle and suffering.
Challenge: When you think about your work in this role at CEF (and/or in general at CEF) where do you find challenges and how do you seek to find the best way forward?
I think the biggest challenge is coming to terms with the realization that regardless of how supportive of a space we try to create for Members, once they walk out the door they’re still dealing with systemic racism and other forms of trauma, oppression, and violence. It’s tough knowing that there are some barriers that we just can’t solve. I think this challenge is further escalated when you consider the sense of urgency that we experience as many Members come to us in crises. To move forward, I’ve had to learn that the work we do is about so much more than the tangible steps we take toward supporting Members in reaching their goals. There is real power in making someone feel heard and validated in their experience. We can’t solve every problem, but at the very least, we can show people that they have a community that loves and supports them in their corner. Having a supportive community that sticks with you long-term makes all the difference in someone feeling empowered to move forward and keep fighting for their needs despite the barriers they face.
CEF would like to formally introduce Joe Katusich, CEF’s new Member Services and Programs Manager!
Joe comes to CEF with a deep background in program management and experience in the nonprofit sector. We are very excited to have Joe on the team and excited for you to get to know him a bit better.
Read the interview below to learn more about Joe’s role and philosophy.
Joe Katusich, Member Services and Programs Manger
Describe the work you hope to accomplish in your role at CEF.
As the Member Services and Programs Manager, I hope to help foster a work environment that promotes our guiding principles and that reaches above and beyond in an effort to elevate the impact of the services the incredible CEF team provides for its members. I hope to contribute to maintaining trauma-informed, healing-centered, relationship-based, and racially equitable practices in all of CEF’s programs, and I hope to facilitate the growth of our reach to Members and Advocates in the Durham and Chapel Hill communities. I will aim to accomplish all of these things with a strong sense of purpose and pride as we usher in the next chapter for CEF.
What experiences, strengths, and skills do you bring to this work at CEF?
I have a deep-rooted passion for serving my community. It all started when I joined the Key Club in high school where we raised money to put together events designed to support families and individuals within our community that were experiencing homelessness, financial insecurity, food insecurity, etc. I have held jobs in just about every industry you can imagine: education, sales, software development, customer service, and the food industry. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Psychology, I served 2 years in AmeriCorps as a Tutor, Mentor, and Role Model in Boston Public Schools with City Year Boston. That experience solidified my passion for social justice and civic engagement work, carrying me to a career working with nonprofits. In Boston, I spent time developing programming and building a volunteer network for the Martin Richard Foundation and continued my work in education as a Program Manager with Playworks New England. My life experiences have lent themselves to a successful and fulfilling career thus far, and I’m just getting started.
What led you to work with CEF generally, and also to this particular role?
I have found great purpose and pride in the contributions I’ve been a part of during my nonprofit career. When I lost my jobs in Boston due to COVID, I felt a little lost and decided to pack up my car and find a new community to serve that I had never been to before. After driving around the country for the better part of a year, I landed in Durham with the intention to find a way to continue working within my passion of building beloved communities where all can prosper. The Member Services and Programs Manager role felt like a perfect fit where I would be able to apply my talents for project management and relationship building to an opportunity where my knowledge for community assistance programs can grow and thrive.
Where do you find energy and renewal?
I have always found that as long as I am passionate about the work I am doing and can continue to find purpose while doing it, my energy to continue the work is endless. I am and will remain passionate about contributing to real, positive change in my community, and that will allow me to find energy in this role. Outside of my work, spending time exploring the great outdoors or with good people and good food always grounds me and renews my energy.
What challenges do you anticipate in your role at CEF and how will you seek your best path forward to overcome those challenges?
I anticipate there will be many challenges that I have not faced thus far in my career. However, I will attend to them as I have attended to all other challenges I’ve had to navigate. I will approach each challenge with an open heart and an open mind. I will meet others where they are at and seek to understand to the best of my ability. I will make intentional, informed decisions, and consistently seek opportunities to grow both professionally and with my level of content knowledge. I will trust the members of my team and ask for help when appropriate, and do everything in my power to find the best possible solution.
CEF would like to formally introduce Debbie Long and Tawana Brown, both have come on board over the last few months. Debbie is the Member Services Coordinator for the Durham office and Tawana is the Growing Household Income Fellow in Chapel Hill. Read the interviews below to get to know them better!
Debbie Long, Durham’s Member Services Coordinator
Tawana Brown, Growing Household Income Fellow
What has your work looked like during the time you’ve been at CEF?
A process of discovery I would say. I started during a pandemic. Folks need unprecedented support during this challenging time. I’m seeing members getting hit at multiple intersections of hardship just trying to meet their basic needs. Right now, folks want and need secure housing that’s truly affordable and does not exceed the threshold of their budgets. They need jobs that provide living wages and healthcare, and aside from that, folks need general support navigating the gamut of issues that arise in a pandemic. The bulk of my work with CEF has been exploring the world of possibilities with a team of folks who are committed to the well-being of its members. I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed working alongside members to meet their personal goals around housing, education, and food security. The current landscape has called for strong collective efforts in finding robust and innovative approaches to serving our members.
While at CEF, I have had the pleasure of assisting members with emergency assistance applications to Orange County, which includes follow-ups, document submissions, and advocating for Members. I also assist with governing CEF’s Workforce Income Taskforce. The Taskforce works closely with Members interested in learning more about fair chance hiring, living wages, job search skills, interview skills, and interview preparation.
What experiences, strengths and skills do you bring to this work at CEF?
Always keeping in mind that the personal is political, I come to CEF as a Black queer feminist who works to create a revolutionary society where the people who have been impacted by intersecting systems of oppression can really thrive. I have a deep history of cultural organizing. Linking people to resources is what I do. I don’t ever think it’s enough to say, you know, “I want to help people.” To me, that’s the baseline. You gotta actually engage the people and communities you seek to support. Nothing beats showing up for folks and showing up for ourselves. I know how to show up. My offerings of support at this time come in the form of harm reduction, trauma-informed care-giving, and a transformative-justice oriented posture. Additionally, I’m an artist and abolitionist. I’m always seeking creative ways to dismantle systems and policies that disproportionately impact our people.
I have two master’s degrees, one in Nonprofit Management and one in Leadership and Human Services; a graduate certificate in Conflict Management and Negotiation; and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. I have five-years’ experience working in nonprofits–holding positions in intake, case management, accounting, consumer coordination, executive assistantships, and fundraising and development. I also bring general business knowledge from my Business Administration degree.
What led you to work with CEF generally, and also to this particular role?
I was led to apply for the position because there was a need and I felt like the best person to honor that need. I arrived at CEF with a vision: To prioritize how members have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and attempt to understand what that means for their economic recovery. My vision is informed by my lived experience of having witnessed firsthand the stigmatization and criminalization that impoverished communities endure. The Member Service Coordinator plays a vital role in stewarding CEF’s Member Services. As a people person, I love working with and for the people. More than anything, I want to support people on their journey for a better quality of life. I know what it is like to be housing and financially insecure and from this vantage point, I find myself in a unique position to support the overarching goals of the organization and in my current role.
CEF’s mission and vision to assist and cultivate opportunities, assets, and communities that sustain transitions out of homelessness and poverty was key to my working with the organization. They care about CEF Members and offer many resources to assist each Member in reaching self-sufficiency goals. As a Growing Household Income Fellow, my job is to build CEF’s capacity to support low-income community members in increasing financial stability, engaging in community life, and supporting the economy.
How do you find energy and renewal?
For energy, quite literally, I like to eat healthy fruits and vegetables, and I limit my sugar intake. Introspection helps a lot too. Like the saying goes, “You gotta know when to hold and when to fold.” I do my best to pay attention to when I have limited capacity so as not to exhaust my energy reserve. And I am an artist and musician. Playing music and getting creative fills my cup! To renew my body, I detox and try to tap into what my body wants and needs–whether that’s a nap, a long walk, or a glass of water. Listening to my body plays a large part in how I find the tenacity to endeavor forward.
I find energy in knowing that each day a new scenario will come making the job new to me. I get energy knowing that I am going to do good for a Member and in negotiating services for the Member. I find renewal in knowing that a resolution can be found and Member needs can be met through networks.
When you think about your work in this role at CEF, where do you find challenges and how do you seek to find the best way forward?
The reality is that I don’t have all the answers. I don’t even have most of the answers. But I do have some of them, and I do know how to locate and connect with someone who might have the answers I seek. I also realize not every question has a precise, clearly defined response to it. I am not a native of Durham. Understanding the housing situation in Durham has been a real process that I have to work at daily. My best way forward is to think outside of the box, to use my creativity to fuel my motivation, to listen to my gut and trust my instincts, and ultimately, to practice the art of living free from fear.
I find challenges in not being able to find shelter for all Members who are homeless. I would like to see Members in stable shelter situations, where they have a roof over their head, food, heating in the winter, cooling in the summer, and nice hot showers daily–to name just a few basic rights Members deserve access to. I seek to find the best way to move forward by collaborating with other organizations and working with them in coordinating plans.
CEF is so appreciative of the work of Zach Meredith and Kyle Compton, who both started in August 2019. Originally from Durham, Zach joined CEF as the Employment Access AmeriCorps VISTA after graduating from William and Mary College. Kyle, who grew up in Palatine, IL and who is currently pursuing his law degree and Master of Social Work (MSW) at UNC, has been CEF’s MSW Intern for the 2019-2020 academic year. Read the interviews below to get to know them better!
Zach Meredith, Employment Access AmeriCorps VISTA
Kyle Compton, Master of Social Work Intern
What has your work looked like during the time you’ve been at CEF?
As the Employment Access AmeriCorps VISTA, I coordinate efforts to rework CEF’s services related to job-searching and workforce development, particularly for Members who face systemic barriers to employment. When I first came to CEF, there were efforts to design a fairly intensive job training program within CEF’s Member Services program; however, I (along with the rest of our team) began to question if this would really be the most effective way to increase Members’ access to employment opportunities. I’ve worked to shift our energy into the stewardship and expansion of CEF’s partnerships with local organizations that already offer robust workforce development programs. Additionally, I have led efforts to retool our internal systems in order to more effectively align CEF’s operations with the employment-related services offered by external partners.
I have been the Master of Social Work intern this year at CEF. Until recently, I have been performing Coordinated Entry intakes for community members experiencing housing instability. For the second half of the year I have supported our Legal Referrals team and facilitated the group’s meetings. Recently, I have been supporting the Resource Stewards group to curate and update a database of resources for Orange County residents during COVID-19.
What experiences, strengths and skills do you bring to this work at CEF?
I love learning about local history, particularly through the lens of architecture and urban planning. Thinking about how the physical environment of Chapel Hill/Carrboro has been shaped by different political, social, and economic forces over time is a helpful way for me to situate the different inequities and barriers that CEF Members and Advocates run up against. Additionally, a historical perspective further energizes me to get involved with advocacy efforts based at CEF in order to challenge the political and economic status quos that necessitate the direct service work that CEF provides.
I have worked in the education field for several years and at related small nonprofits. My strengths include having patience and empathy for anyone I encounter and working hard to view issues from multiple perspectives.
What led you to working with CEF generally, and also to this particular role?
As someone who is passionate about advancing social justice at the local level, I was especially drawn to CEF’s organizational dynamism and community-based mission.
I am in my first year of the MSW program at UNC and I have completed two years of law school here as well. I came to CEF through an internship program for my MSW. I have learned so much from CEF Members, Staff, Advocates, community members, and community partners this year. I know that I will draw on my experiences this year for the rest of my life.
Where do you find energy and renewal?
I’m an extrovert so I always feel energized when I’m around other people. I love being in the office because I not only get to be around other people, but around a community. There is a baseline level of kindness and support that everybody in the office upholds, ranging from simple chit-chat to volunteering to help resolve technology issues or taking the responsibility to start up the coffee machine.
Working in direct service organizations can be exhausting in every way, and burnout is something to take very seriously at CEF and actively work to prevent. I find energy and renewal through eating when I need to, taking breaks throughout the day, working out when I can, and breathing. Music and movies are also sources of renewal.
When you think about your work in this role at CEF, where do you find challenges and how do you seek to find the best way forward?
As an AmeriCorps VISTA, my fellowship is a year-long position. This means it is imperative that I work intentionally and collaboratively with Members, Advocates, and partners to develop resources and partnerships that will be able to continue sustainably beyond my fellowship.
There are challenges in every role and during every day at CEF. The best way forward I have found in my time here is to always ask questions and seek support from other Staff, Advocates, and Members.
Kristina joined CEF’s Chapel Hill team in June of 2019 as Advocate Program Coordinator. We are so grateful for the talents and gifts she brings! Read more about Kristina below.
In your own words, how would you describe the work you do at CEF?
I am the Advocate Program Coordinator in Chapel Hill, so I oversee 80 to 90 active Advocates in the Chapel Hill office. I’m in charge of recruiting and selecting new Advocates, training them to make sure they understand the foundation and the values of an Advocate, and ensuring that they feel entirely prepared and supported during Member meetings. I also work on making sure that the Advocate program is evolving alongside CEF, particularly in terms of our racial justice work.
What led you to work with CEF generally, and also in this particular role?
I knew a few friends who worked and volunteered with CEF, and they spoke so highly of it. I also knew that I wanted a job that was more direct-service focused, because I had done internships in the past that felt very removed from the communities their work impacted. I really believe, first and firmly, in person-to-person connection and relationship-building, which is why I was so drawn to the role.
What experiences, strengths and skills do you bring to your work at CEF?
I hope I bring a lot of empathy to the role. I care a lot about people’s identities, where they come from, and what experiences they’ve had that shaped them as people, because I think that we are often a product of our experiences and where we come from. Long before me, there’s been discussion of the racial wealth gap and racial justice at CEF. But I believe that before you can begin those conversations, you really have to know who you are and how you show up in the world. So it’s been an exciting thing to bring some tools that I’ve used in trainings or retreats in the past to this role.
I also bring a lot of enthusiasm and joy. I hope that when things are difficult and frustrating, I’m able to bring a little bit of light and positivity to that. For Advocates who are on the front lines, who are interacting with folks who are constantly going up against really difficult barriers in the systems that they’re operating in, I think it’s really important to have someone who can remind them that there’s so much good in the work they’re doing despite a lot of the bad.
When you think about your work at CEF, where do you find energy and renewal?
For me, it comes back to the people. It has been both really exciting and also, at times, really shocking to see just how strong and resilient people are. Coming into the role, I think I possessed some naiveté about how a person can handle stress, crisis, and trauma. I thought that those experiences would consume one’s whole person, because they are so heavy. And to see that people are just so multifaceted and hold so much joy and love and show up and be present on top of everything going on in their lives is really, really energizing and motivating for me. I just continually feel compelled to be in the same space as these people.
I like working in the office. Most of the time if I’m doing work, even if it doesn’t involve anyone immediately in the office, I would rather be in the office doing it. I’ve found the ability to laugh, cry, and hug someone there. It’s a space that holds all of these really complex relationships that are built on community and family, in a way that I didn’t understand could be so comforting.
Kristina and PeeWee at CEF’s 2019 Holiday Party
When you think about your work at CEF, where do you find challenges and how do you seek to find the best way forward?
The things that have been most difficult for me to process have been when it doesn’t feel as if there are solutions or options for folks, when you’re sitting with someone and it feels like you’ve done everything that you can. It has been a challenge for me to understand that sitting with someone and being frustrated with them or sad or just present with them, also has a lot of meaning. I’m a doer, I like to do something and complete it, so it’s been really challenging to learn that there are things that I can’t do and systems that I can’t just fix, and then figuring out how to move forward with that. I’m trying to internalize that it can mean just as much for someone to act as an emotional support, as it can to support someone in filling out a housing application. I overcome that challenge by constantly leaning on those around me. Other Staff and Members have been a really incredible source of perspective, learning, supervision, and mentorship in this challenge.
What has your work looked like for the 9 months you’ve been at CEF?
I was working with Jess McDonald, who was previously the Advocate Program Coordinator in the Durham office, to reshape and revamp the Advocate training curriculum. We were trying to make it a bit more foundational, speaking more to the core of CEF. For us, that meant ensuring that the curriculum around the racial wealth gap, trauma-informed care, and the coach approach was really robust, because we view those things as the three central pillars within the Advocate program. Jess and I really tried to ensure that Advocates know how to show up as people, to see Members as creative, resourceful, and whole human beings, and of course, be cognizant of their identities showing up into this space. The harder skills will follow, because those things come with time and we can never teach someone how to do everything in a 12-hour curriculum. But what we can allow people to do is take a moment to reflect on themselves, on who they’re going to show up as in the space, who Members are going to see them as, and try to make sure they can do that in a way that actually empowers folks.
Other than that, my work has been a lot of figuring out the needs of different Advocates, because they’re all unique people who have whole lives outside of our organization. I’ve reflected a lot about making sure that we aren’t asking too much of them, which is why in Chapel Hill, we’ve moved to having two Advocates in all Member meetings. I think this really gets back to the core of support: here are these two Advocates who don’t know everything about the systems that they’re working within, and a Member who has a great deal of lived experience. And so let’s put two Advocates in the meeting so they can be learning and listening at the same time. Having two people in a meeting doesn’t hinder the relationship that is built, and it allows for a bit more support.
In your opinion, what makes CEF’s Advocate Program special?
There are so many things that go into the magic of what CEF creates, and the Advocate program is a large part of that. I’ve met so many incredible Advocate volunteers who are so entirely dedicated to this organization. I think that it’s actually this pandemic that has fully solidified that for me: there are 40-plus people who have volunteered to make Community Care Calls to Members during this time.
When you become an Advocate, you become entirely dedicated to this community. They’re really on the front lines of ensuring that Members are seen as creative and resourceful and whole. A lot goes into ensuring that they actually do this every day, and I think that we do a really good job of making sure that they do.
CEF is deeply proud and excited to share that Donna Carrington, a skilled and passionate CEF Staff member, has been promoted to the position of Executive Director! Over the past year, CEF has worked to restructure organizational leadership to better fit the growth and change we’ve experienced through a decade of work. Donna’s appointment as Executive Director marks the beginning of this new structure, and we are excited for Donna’s strategy and vision as we move into the next decade.
Message from CEF’s Board of Directors:
“The Community Empowerment Fund Board of Directors and Staff have been deeply and intentionally working together to envision the evolution of CEF over the last four months. The Governance Committee is thrilled to welcome Donna Carrington as CEF’s new Executive Director! The Board has worked closely with Donna during this transition and we are deeply confident in her ability to lead us into the future. Over the last 5 years, Donna has worked in multiple roles at CEF, most recently as Co-Director and Member Services Coordinator, providing leadership in the Durham office and community. Along with her leadership gifts, she brings the expertise of lived experience to her work. She knows CEF like the back of her hand and she lives our values every day. We are excited for our community to embrace her in this new role and we look forward to working with her!”
A Bit About Donna
Originally from West Virginia, Donna’s family moved to Durham when she was a child. She attended public schools in Durham and eventually enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied Spanish Language & Literature with minors in English and Psychology. Donna joined CEF five years ago and has been leading our Durham team as Co-Director since September 2019. Donna currently resides in Chapel Hill with her partner and four children.
Read more about Donna’s life story, the gifts and talents she continues to bring to her work, and her dreams and visions for CEF’s future in the following interview. *Please note that the interview was conducted in January 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic affected the United States.*
CEF’s 2016 Holiday Party in Durham
Q: How did you first get involved with CEF?
Donna: After graduating from UNC, I moved back to Durham, got married, and had my first three children. Then I ended up homeless in Durham for the first time. We were at the Durham Rescue Mission. The experience taught me a lot. I don’t think it ever occurred to me what could happen without skills, without knowledge.It was a shock to our system in a lot of ways.
I originally came to CEF as a Member. I was in HomeStart, which is a local family and women’s shelter in Chapel Hill. And CEF used to do the Opportunity Class on Sundays over there. I’d be apprehensive, but I would go, and when I would get there, I would be so happy because I was learning things that I didn’t have any idea how to do. I think it was just realizing that it could be better and could be different. And I just needed help to figure that out.
By the time that I took the Savings Specialist position at CEF, I had moved out of the shelter, I had gotten my own place, and had gone through a process of seeing how hard it was in Chapel Hill to find a place to live. That really taught me some lessons about my own resilience, and that I needed to be resilient for other people.
Q: Can you tell us about all the different roles you’ve had at CEF since you first got involved?
Donna: The Savings Specialist position was my first position at CEF. Next, I offered services as a Housing Specialist. Housing was one of those places where I knew that I had a story, and I knew I had some experiences that I could share with people, but I also understood how hard it is to navigate all these systems. I really loved doing the Housing Specialist position because it made me the front line of people feeling comfortable at CEF.
Donna speaks at the 2018 Mayor’s Landlords Roundtable in Durham
Q: In your most recent role as Member Service Coordinator, you’ve been providing service delivery to Members in CEF’s Durham office. This job entails ensuring Members are receiving the services and resources they seek while working with Advocates, assisting Members in reaching their goals, and identifying strategies for building Member-Advocate relationships. Can you tell us about the “why” behind your work in this role?
Donna: From being CEF’s Housing Specialist, I became the Member Services Coordinator in Durham. Before that, there wasn’t anyone with lived experience at the table and I knew that was important. That was probably the hardest position for me, because I think it was the first time that I realized how different it is to be at a table saying you’ve been a person of lived experience and how other people interact with you. Also, I think it was a place for me to say to other providers, ‘There needs to be more people like me and you need to invite them. And they need to feel like what they say and who they are is equally valuable as you are’. So that’s been sort of the role that I’ve been in for the last year. I’ve seen it come to its fruition.
Q: How did you begin your current role at CEF as Executive Director?
Donna: I always fully invested in every position I was in. CEF was doing work to make sure that we were being intentional about our values, which meant that we needed to diversify our staff. We really wanted to make sure that our leadership reflected our Member base, because it’s important for people to know that leadership looks just like that. I also wanted to be able to talk about my story, where a person who has struggled with mental illness, had children struggling with mental illness, has gone through a divorce, has gone through abuse, trauma, all of these different things—how that person is now at the level of where I am, at these tables, having these conversations, and to just have a different view that I can bring to these conversations that other providers can’t.
Q: So you’ve talked about the “what” and the “how” and the “who” regarding your time at CEF. Can you talk a little bit about the “why”?
Donna: My 16 year old daughter has always seen me fight for our family. She’s always seen me fight for other people. And I think that’s why I do it. I know if I can make one person feel like they’ve accomplished something, if I can be alongside one person to get housing or figure out how to do this one thing, I think that’s what I’ve been set here to do. I think the other “why” is, I want to be what didn’t happen for me, which was to have someone further along than I was on this path. I think if there had been that, maybe I wouldn’t have gone through some of the pitfalls that I went through, cause I would have seen, oh, there is a possibility.
CEF Spring Graduation 2017
Q: What do you see as being really special about CEF? What do you consider to be a part of the “special sauce”?
Donna: The way we do this work is because we want to know people, and we want to be with people, and we want to be on their journeys, and we want to learn, and we want other people to learn. And that has been the single place that I’m always solidly in value. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t times when things are hard or when we don’t have answers. And that’s usually the hardest time for me. I want to have an answer for somebody.
But to have a person own their own path is important to me. I’ve learned that I might have a plan and think that I might know something, and someone will show me something different. And that something different is usually so beautiful, and never a place that I would’ve gotten to. I really, really like it when people surprise me and do something different and really are part of their own process. I know that a lot of times, to have been in that battle with them or on that path with them is just as important. And I think that’s where that special sauce is. Like, at CEF, this person knows me. Even if I mess up something, they’re like, okay, let’s figure out how to do it, let’s figure out how to fix it.
Q: When you think about your work in this new role as ED of CEF, where do you find challenges and how do you seek to find the best ways forward?
Donna: I think the biggest challenge I’m seeing is having lots of conversations about what CEF is at our core, what we do, and how we do it. That’s where I see things going in the future: making those assessments in conversation, and really being solid about what our boundaries are and what we do. Why are we in this work? What makes us unique? I think what makes us unique is the fact that we want to make relationships with people and that we want to fight alongside people.
Donna, Janet, and Maggie attending a conference on behalf of CEF in 2017
Q: What do you see for CEF’s future? What things might remain the same? In what ways might we grow?
Donna: I love the model of engaging college students. I don’t think it should be the only way we get volunteers, but I think there’s something about having conversations with students who might be coming in without lived experience, and asking questions, and wanting to think more critically. I want them to work alongside other people in our community who have had different lived experiences.
I see CEF going more into advocacy and I think about what that will look like. That could be a place where our values can operate in a better way. Maybe we delve into advocacy more because that is a place where we can come as a collective with not only people from college institutions, but with people who have lived experience saying, ‘Hey, actually this matters to us.’
I want CEF to be a place where people stay for a long time. It’s important that we’re really thinking about what it means for us to do direct service that fulfills that relationship but also doesn’t put us in those places where we’re doing too much.
Q: Thank you, Donna! Is there anything else you want to add or share?
Donna: I always want to build a community where there’s people that I can be me with. And I’ve been very intentional about building a non-biological family, having my coworkers and people that I get to know being part of that family. I think that’s the way you have to operate in the world in order to get through things. You have to be able to love the people around you, to care about the people around you, to be a support to them, to get support from them.
I think a lot about having been at CEF for five years—that’s a long time. One of the things I always tell people is I tend to be a “lifer” at things. It just never occurs to me that I wouldn’t be here every day.
On top of stepping into this position and really growing into things, there’s also that sadness that I’m trying to wade through, of students and Staff leaving over the years. I’m being very, very intentional about moments, conversations, things like that, because that’s all I’ll have. They tell histories.
Maggie joined us last May on staff after working as an Advocate for years! She has a heart of gold and a gift for making people feel wholly heard and cared for!
Maggie has been an incredible support to our Chapel Hill community, working one-on-one with Members and as an in-office support for Advocates and Members during our regular office hours.
In your own words, how would you describe the work you do at the CEF?
The work I do with CEF centers in encouraging and supporting CEF members to become all they would like to be. I have the opportunity each day to offer positive, practical help in the hope of assisting people to reach their goals in life.
What strengths, skills, and experience do you bring to this work at CEF?
I sincerely love people, I am a mom, and I believe I can influence changing the world. These three powerful realities impact how I approach each day. I hope to be intentionally present and attentive to people and their current life situations.
What led you to work with CEF generally, and also to this particular role?
I began serving as an Advocate several years ago after meeting CEF people through the Durham office. I was looking for a place to practically help people struggling with life circumstances impacted by poverty. When I met CEF I said to myself, “I want to be like THEM!”
Where do you find energy and renewal?
I regularly enjoy taking naps and I am inclined to pray often. These two practices consistently renew me for the work I do. I also have a beautiful family. They bring me a lot of joy. The perspective I have for the work I do is shaped largely by a rhythm of rest, spiritual practices and quality time with my family.
What challenges you, and how do you seek to find the best way forward?
The most challenging thing for me about the work of CEF is the constant potential for being overwhelmed by the immediate needs of people. There is no magic wand to wave to make life struggles transform in an instant. I find being present to people and offering my best self in the immediate moment makes all the difference. Ms. Yvette’s desk has a tiny rock painted with the words, “Keep Showing Up”. I expect being consistently mindful of wisdom like this will influence my work of caring for people through CEF now and in the future.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I am extremely grateful to be part of this beautiful community of people. To me it just feels “right” to be part of all that happens in this place. With CEF, is where I want to be.
Rosa joins CEF's Staff in Durham in a new position as the Office Services Coordinator in Durham!
What led you to this work at CEF?
—Being a Member of CEF and seeing how they directly impacted my life in dealing with stuff with my credit. When I found out there was a position open, I was passionate about working here. This is a job I will have that feels meaningful, and I will go home knowing I made a difference.
Where do you find energy for your work at CEF and where do you expect to find challenges?
I try to handle each situation as if I was the Member. I will try to handle each situation the way I would want someone to handle my situation, if that makes sense. I think it’ll be challenging to keep that work-home balance. It will be challenging because I am both a Member and an employee of CEF. It will be challenging to turn on and turn off that work feeling!
What strengths and perspectives do you bring to CEF?
The strength I bring is that I can directly relate to the Members of CEF because I myself am currently dealing with homelessness. I feel like I bring a perspective of hope, because I mean we don’t expect an employee of CEF to be dealing with homelessness themselves. Hopefully I can inspire someone else to think, “This too shall pass.”
