Meet Facilitator & Founder Rie Algeo Gilsdorf
Photo credit @Stagetime
What’s a nice [White] girl like you doing in a job like this?
Often when I meet other White people and tell them that I’m a racial equity facilitator and coach, I get a response like, “Wow, thank you. I’m so glad someone is doing this.”
Or even “Bless your heart!” The implication of these is:
That must be so hard, way too hard for me to do. Thank goodness someone else is handling this.
On the other side of the coin is, “But you’re White,” as in,
Don’t you know you’re playing for the wrong team?
I’ve also had friends of color ask me, “But why do you do this, Rie?” The subtext of this:
I have to do this, you don’t. Can I trust that you’re really committed to it?
Well, here’s my Why:
At the age of 13, I was told that I am a translator, a person who can see the big picture and help others find what they’re missing. Over the course of my life this has proven to be true - I find myself bridging divides, carrying information back and forth to restore wholeness.
Drawing upon skills honed over many years spent teaching everything from math to modern dance, I can break down the difficult truths of our common history so they are not overwhelming, and can be solidified and built upon.
And I have been working in the realm of race for enough years that I’m able to anticipate pitfalls and obstacles, and help people avoid getting stuck on them. I’ve grown from fearing those pitfalls to guiding others along the journey, step by step, including dusting off when the inevitable roots trip us up.
Sometimes this work is hard, and I have to use all my tools.
But, here’s the point: I have the tools.
I know how to lean into what’s being communicated while checking in with my internal responses; I know when to take a break and when I do, I’m committed to coming back. Not just because it’s my job, but because that’s who I am.
I’m dedicated to restoring wholeness to our common culture that heals and upholds us all - me, my Indigenous, Black and racialized colleagues, students and friends, my White community members, and even people who think I’m “playing for the wrong team.”