WRITTEN & DESIGNED BY Melanie Walby
ILLUSTRATION BY Meg Murphy | Brenda Tran | Andrés Pérez
PORTRAIT BY Ryan Stopera
At Pollen, people trust us with their stories.
Our work is a front-row seat to the hope in our community but it can be a close hard look at the harm, too. As I’ve been reflecting on the collective trauma we’ve experienced in recent years, I can’t stop thinking about how long we’ve been in the anger stage of grief. Deep grief and exhaustion makes it hard to be creative. That means my job has to be different right now. So does yours.
I recently heard Brittany Packnett Cunningham say, “Stop talking about bad apples and uproot the tree.” For too long, we’ve been living in the shadow of that tree praying and marching for the sun. Every once in a while the wind blows the leaves just enough for sunlight to reach our skin. But as the wind dies down, the leaves and branches keep growing and the shadow returns.
TThis is a big grief.
It requires extra care.
It’s hard to know how to care for ourselves when everyone’s stressed, everyone’s traumatized, everyone’s tired and everyone’s still working in a pandemic. As I decipher how to do what we gotta do to pay our bills, I’ve been thinking about how to work in a way that acknowledges the extra space we all need to give ourselves and each other right now. Work Redux, as Pollen would call it. And in times like these, getting right may mean saying no to work that feels wrong.
I know these conversations are triggering for freelancers because saying no can cost you income, but imagining a new way starts with grace for yourself. In a world plagued by extrajudicial killings of Black people, white supremacist terrorist attacks and unrelenting disappointments from people in power who could prevent the next murder, it’s common that everyone wants a BIPOC artist to create racial justice design — as soon as possible. I’m ready to start asking: Does it count as racial justice work if we have a terrible time creating it? We are underpaid, rushed, and pressured to make unreasonable timelines for companies who often don’t care about how we feel. They just want to be able to say they were in proximity to us to look relevant for the day.
I know your inbox and DMs are full because so are mine, the demands are never-ending. If you don’t feel like being creative right now I understand because neither do I. If the pressure to keep producing feels wrong in your body, it’s because it is. Business as usual when the world is anything but. The norms we know aren’t how it has to be and we seem to keep getting further away from progress with each passing day.
There’s always this, “But the work is really good” line people say to justify what we go through to do it. But no project is worth forgetting your own humanity, or submerging your feelings and trauma. How we feel is part of the work. How we’re treated is part of the work. What we’re paid is part of the work. How we talk to and about each other is the work. Whether or not we’re comfortable with our name and image being attached to something is part of the work.
For me, deciding what to take on and what to turn down usually starts with asking questions. If people respect you and want to honor your needs as a human, they’ll be flexible with their due dates, budget, and workflow. If they don’t, they won’t.
You must be extremely valuable or your inbox wouldn’t be full of inquiries. Use that demand to your advantage by setting terms that prioritize your well-being.
How long does it really take you to price your work? Make a contract? How much time do you want just for sketches and ideation? When is content due? How many changes do they get and when do they have to pay more for more? How can people consolidate feedback in a way that saves you time? What do you need to be paid? How do you want to be credited? What are your boundaries around texting vs emailing? What meetings aren’t necessary? Can people license existing work so you don’t have to make something new when you’re already inundated?
These questions help with evaluating opportunities, and prioritizing rest if the answers aren’t to your liking. It’s about listening to yourself, your body, your values, and knowing how to say no when things don’t add up.
I’m saying this as an artist talking to other artists.
A designer who has had to navigate a decade of balancing what I care about with what I cannot take on. I’m not sharing this as an expert. I’m just repeating what’s helped me want more for myself so you can believe it’s possible for you too. It’s taken me years to unlearn false truths ingrained in me about my production, productivity and my worth. I think often of the day I interviewed at Pollen back in 2017. When Meghan and Jamie told me, “We’re trying to change the way people work.” I believed them and I wanted to help.
We’re still trying, no matter the external pressures fighting against us. We have not arrived, but we are trying for ourselves and for you. You can always tell us, “I need more time.” You can always tell us, “I need to be paid more.” We actually do want to be the best place for freelancers to work and hope that in doing so, we model what that looks like for other organizations and companies working with artists, especially BIPOC. When we spread Pollen, things grow. When we set and stick to our professional boundaries, we can grow into more healed and liberated people for ourselves and each other.
It all has us exhausted and held captive in the anger stage of grief. I don’t believe we have to force or push or produce our way through it. It’s on us to ask for what we need and refuse what we don’t. How to do that in a world that rewards productivity and production remains to be a question. But I believe in us to figure it out together.
Black Visions is seeking a Communications Director who would be responsible for having a strategic “40,000-foot view” of substantive, outward-facing organizational activities, needs, and desires. While leading the communications team to engineer the development, implementation, and evaluation of our strategic communications initiatives, they will hold at the center of their work the goal of serving Black Visions’ members and movement family. The Communications Director will work closely with the Co-Director, cross-team leadership, and communications staff to develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive communications strategy for the organization.
The Communications Director will be key to our strategic planning process by directly managing and implementing Black Vision’s long-term communication and narrative strategies. This role will work to drive critical conversations about the authentic transformation of American democracy and ensure policies reflect and prioritize the needs of Black people.
The ideal candidate has 5+ years of experience managing a communications team and developing and implementing communications strategy and campaigns with an analysis of race, class, gender, and ability. They are self-organized, detail-oriented, flexible, and accountable to deadlines. They can work creatively, independently, and collaboratively. They know how to engage Black people and other key audiences authentically and are willing to be innovative and strategic. They have previous management experience and are comfortable juggling multiple tasks and timelines. Most critical, this candidate must be excited, able, and willing to work within the nuances of a new and emerging Black organization in Minnesota.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Pod Management and Leadership
Lead and manage overall communications and narrative strategy alongside Co-Executive Directors.
Providing thought partnership, strategic guidance, and professional development to our communications pod.
Manage the communications budget.
Support communications staff in developing campaign materials, resources, and online presence to create compelling campaign-specific messaging and branding.
Manage relationships and projects with communications vendors, consultants, and contractors.
Directly manage and implement strategies/tactics in service to Black Visions’ strategic plan.
Strategic Communications
Develop, implement, and evaluate a generative communications strategy that is reflective of the organization’s overall goals, as well as campaign goals, activities, opinions, beliefs, values, and aspirations
Lead communications rapid response efforts and interventions alongside Co-Director
Creating and intervening when appropriate in opportunities for visibility for members, partner organizations, individuals, and allies within our ecosystem
Work with Communications Strategist to manage media relations, develop strong relationships with media representatives, and identify and maximize media opportunities;
Manage the editorial direction, development, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic collateral including, but not limited to, toolkits, reports, resources, briefs, emails, videos, direct mail campaigns including adherence to branding and messaging guides;
Working with Black pollsters, social scientists, dial testers, etc. to deepen our understanding of people’s perception of our movement, Abolition, and #DefundPolice
Narrative Development
Manage the creation of creative content to advance Black Visions’ campaign messages and uplift the voices of affected communities, partners, and allies, including graphics, photographs, and videos
Partner with senior staff to create and maintain an overarching organizational narrative, ensuring there is a unified articulation of Black Visions’ work
Participate in organizational planning and coordinate communications efforts to support organizational objectives
Develop, implement, and evaluate training modules for communications-related tools for staff and membership, including spokesperson and narrative power trainings
Developing and expanding on communications-related opportunities with allies, strategic partners, entertainment partnerships, etc.
Act as a spokesperson on behalf of the organization when appropriate
Be accountable for all communications-related activities spearheaded through the organization, including approving all external communications and resources
Manage the coordination of Black Visions communications and digital tactics, including media materials, text campaigns, email blasts, and more
Support Black Visions’ fundraising team in developing compelling narratives for fundraising events and donor appeals
DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
5-7 years of experience developing and implementing communications strategy and content
Direct experience managing a communication team/other staff
Experience living, organizing, and working within Black communities
Ability to work well in a team and collective settings
Strong writing and verbal communication skills
Ability to multitask and prioritize competing tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Proficiency in Microsoft applications such as Excel, PowerPoint, and MSWord
Strong attention to detail.
Ability to organize and prioritize work and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Common sense, flexibility, and teamwork skills with the ability to exercise independent judgment.
Proclivity toward curiosity
A steadfast commitment to collective liberation and ability to speak and unite those behind Black Vision’s mission and vision
Excellent time and project management skills; ability to pivot to meet current events and organizational needs
Must be willing and able to:
Communicate needs and boundaries as they arise
Delegate tasks to focus on their primary role
Speak in front of small and large groups (translation provided as necessary)
Speak to what Abolition is and why it is essential to Black liberation
Access to reliable transportation
TO APPLY:
Applications will only be accepted electronically. Please email a resume, cover letter, and two diverse work samples to [email protected] with the subject line “COMMS DIRECTOR — Your Full Name”. Please also share contact information for two references. We are seeking to fill this position as soon as possible, and are accepting applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
In your cover letter, please address the following (one page):
Do you seek to be/do you identify as a communicator in service to all Black lives? Why or why not?
What part of communications work is meaningful to you?
What else qualifies you for this role?
Seward Community Co-op Job Description
Communications and Marketing Manager
Purpose
The Seward Co-op Communications and Marketing Manager leads the Marketing department and is responsible for all systems that empower Seward Co-op’s management and staff to effectively share the Seward Co-op story in alignment with the Ends. The Communications and Marketing Manager will serve the co-op by planning, organizing and evaluating Marketing Department operations, managing Marketing Department staff, and vendor relationships.
Primary Responsibilities
Marketing and Communications
Department Management and Employee Relations
Ownership Services
Other Tasks as Assigned by General Manager
Qualifications
Essential
Functional
Preferred
POSITION DESCRIPTION & OVERVIEW
Title: Street Outreach Worker II
Reports To: Street Outreach Program Manager
Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9:00am to 5:00 pm
Compensation: $20.02-$21.02/Hour
Job Classification: Hourly, Non-exempt, 40 Hours/Week
Union Representation: This position is represented by the AFSCME Local 999
The Outreach and Shelter Department serves single adults through our emergency response programs. Our programs include Shelter, Street Outreach and the Welcome Center. Through these programs, we often encounter individuals along the broad spectrum of homelessness from recently homeless to chronically homeless individuals. The objective for each program is to build rapport and assist and support individual’s connection to stable housing and achieving their goals.
The Street Outreach Program is an innovative and nationally recognized street outreach model that serves people throughout Hennepin County who are unsheltered, living on the streets or in other places not meant for human habitation. The Street Outreach Worker is tasked with engaging these individuals to meet them where they are holistically. Often this means going to campsites and other places where individuals might stay while experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Primary tasks in this role are completing housing assessments and other referrals, providing basic needs, and supporting participants in connecting with housing opportunities.
Street Outreach Workers work closely with other members of their team, the Welcome Center staff and with a variety of community partners including other outreach teams, housing providers and other health and human service providers. All street outreach is done in pairs with either another team member or another service partner. Street Outreach team members participate in coordinated outreach initiatives in partnership with, or informed by, law enforcement, the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District, the Minneapolis Downtown Council, the City of Minneapolis, and Hennepin County.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND EXPECTATIONS
Performs all other duties, as assigned.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS POSITION
Medium work – Standing most of the time. Occasionally exerting up to 50 pounds of force, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
In addition, successful applicants will embrace the following perspective, skills and abilities:
Experience that gives applicants the required skills, abilities, and perspectives listed above are commonly gained through one or more of the following:
We encourage applicants with lived experience to apply. However, if you have received services from Agate Housing and Services within the last two years this will make you ineligible for employment.
This position requires use of your own personal vehicle for Agency business and will be required to maintain liability insurance coverage. In addition to criminal background studies, applicants must have a valid Driver’s License and pass a driving record background check.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
AGENCY COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS
Agate Housing and Services maintains a COVID-19 preparedness plan that mitigates the transmission and spread of COVID-19. Programs also maintain practices to ensure the safety of staff, clients, residents, and community members.
With that, Agate Housing and Services is requiring all new employees, volunteers, interns to show proof of full vaccination upon onboarding. Further questions regarding our COVID-19 policy can be directed to Human Resources at [email protected]
REFERRAL BONUS PROGRAM
Do you know someone who you think would be a good fit for a position at our organization? Please refer them! Agate Housing and Services offers a $250 bonus to employees who refer qualified candidates for current openings.
To be eligible for rewards, candidates must be hired as permanent full or part-time employees (this excludes on-call, employees, temporary employees, interns or contract workers).
When applying for the position, candidates must clearly state the name of the current employee that referred them. The referral bonus will be paid out within one month of the candidate’s six (6) month anniversary. There is no cap on the number of referral bonuses an employee can receive!
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION
Visit agatemn.isolvedhire.com and select the opening for which you wish to apply. Submit your information under “Apply Now” and you will be directed to the full application, where you can upload your resume and cover letter. If you have previously created an account to apply for a position at Agate Housing and Services, log in to your account before attempting to apply for another position.
Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Qualified applicants will be selected for interviews as applications are received. No phone calls please.
Agate Housing and Services is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and strives to promote an environment that is diverse and inclusive where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Employees actively participate in various committees that give voice to staff to create active participation and involvement in shaping the future of our agency.
Agate Housing and Services is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people of color, indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Do you want to make a difference in the North Minneapolis community by supporting full-day, year-round therapeutic education and care for children ages six weeks through kindergarten? The Family Partnership is seeking a full-time Family Worker that serves as an advocate and provides resources for assessment, therapy, and training for families participating in our preschool.
The hours for this position will vary from 7:00am to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday, and will be on-site in our Children’s First Early Learning Center. The ideal candidate will have a deep commitment to and understanding of working with families experiencing crisis, have the ability to be teacher qualified to be able to sub in classrooms as needed, and is comfortable wearing a mask.
BENEFITS:
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Education and Experience:
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Licenses and Certifications:
The Family Partnership has a mandated vaccination policy implemented for all employees, subject to reasonable accommodation required by law.
ORGANIZATION SUMMARY:
For more than 140 years, The Family Partnership has built strong families, vital communities, and better futures for children. We fulfill our mission through counseling, education, and advocacy, primarily in the greater Minneapolis and St. Paul area.
We Believe: Families, no matter what their form, are the foundation of strong communities.
Our Purpose Is To: Clear the path for family success.
We Pursue This By:
Diversity and open expression are fundamental to the work of The Family Partnership. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment where everyone can belong. Every member of our team enriches our work by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions.
We welcome everyone to apply, especially those individuals who are underrepresented in our sector: individuals who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQI+ and gender fluid or gender nonconforming, individuals with disabilities (both seen and unseen), veterans, people of any age or family status.
We encourage you to apply even if you feel like you don’t fit 100% of the technical requirements.
Equal Opportunity Employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, disability, marital status, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, genetic information or a protected veteran’s status.
Our organization has a partnership with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) to provide administrative services including management of the recruiting process. If you apply for this position, you may see references to MACC in some online materials.
The Family Partnership participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. See E-Verify’s official poster here.
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Pollen Midwest Terms of Service
Last Updated: June 1, 2015
Thanks for visiting www.pollenmidwest.org (the “Site”), which is owned and operated by Pollen Midwest. These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of the Site. Please read them carefully.
1. Accepting Our Terms. By using the Site, you agree to be bound by all of the terms below. If you don’t agree to all of the terms below, please discontinue use immediately. If a term is unclear, please let us know by e-mailing us at: [email protected]
2. Terms of Service Updates. Pollen may modify these Terms of Service at any time by posting updates here. Your continued use of the Site after any modification constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. Please check back often.
3. Third-Party Sites and Services. The Site may contain links to third party websites or resources. Such links do not constitute any endorsement of information, products or services that may be found there. We are not responsible for the content or performance of any third party site. Use of third party sites and resources is at your own risk and subject to the terms of service of those sites and services.
4. Appropriate Use. In exchange for the right to access and use the Site, you agree to the following:
A. Not to use the Site in any illegal manner or for any illegal purpose or in any manner that could damage, disable or impair the Site;
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5. Ownership of Pollen Materials. The names Pollen and Pollen Midwest, our logos, designs, text, graphics, pictures and all other content on the site (collectively “Content”) is the property of Pollen Midwest or the individuals who created it. It is protected under U.S. and international copyright and trademark law. We grant you the right, subject to these Terms of Service, to view, use, share and link to Content. Please do not alter, print or sell Content without or express written permission. If you do, we may pursue legal action against you.
6. Disclaimer or Warranties. Pollen makes no representation or warranty about the completeness, accuracy, or adequacy of any information, facts, opinions, statements or recommendations contained on the Site.
The Site may be unavailable from time to time due to maintenance or malfunction of computer equipment or for various other reasons. We assume no responsibility or liability for malfunctions or other problems with any hosting services, computer systems, servers or providers, equipment or software used in connection with the Site.
Pollen cannot guarantee that any content, including user submitted content, will be maintained on the site or in any archive. You agree that Pollen has no responsibility or liability for the deletion of, or the failure to store, any submitted content. We retain the right to create limits on use and storage at our sole discretion, at any time, with or without notice.
Pollen is not responsible for any damage resulting from any such security breach, or from any virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, computer line failure or any other technical or other malfunction. Users should also be aware that transmissions via wireless connections, networks, or the Internet may not be secure, and you should consider this before submitting any information to anyone using such systems.
YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT:
YOUR USE OF THE SITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE SITE IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS. POLLEN EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.
7. Governing Law. The Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota and the United States of America.
8. Termination. If you violate any of the Terms of Service, we have the right to suspend or disable your access to or use of Pollen.
9. Entire Agreement. These Terms of Service constitute the entire agreement between you and Pollen Midwest, Inc. regarding the use of the Site and supersede any prior agreements.
10. Contact Us. If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, you may contact us at: [email protected]
Pollen Midwest Privacy Policy
Last Updated: June 1, 2015
Pollen Midwest (“Pollen,” “we,” or “us”) is committed to delivering interesting and relevant content while protecting the privacy of our users and contributors. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) identifies what information we collect, how we collect it, and how it is used (collectively, the “Services”). Please read the entire Policy before using the Services. By using the Services, you consent to all terms of this Policy.
1. Information We Collect. Pollen users are not required to provide any information when they visit the Services. However, we may ask for some or all of the following information when users join or register with the Services, submit content, register for events, or directly contact us:
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C. Correspondence and other information that you send to us; and
D. Additional information described to you at the point of collection and subject to your consent.
We may also collect the following information automatically when you visit the Services:
A. Your browser type and operating system;
B. Your Internet Protocol (IP) address.
2. Use of Information. We may use information that we collect through the Services for the following purposes:
A. To conduct demographic analysis on our users;
B. To provide information you request and respond to correspondence that we receive from you;
C. To customize and personalize your use of the Services;
D. Contact you with surveys, legal notices, and other information that may be relevant to your use of the Services;
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3. Sharing of Information. It is our policy not to share your information with third parties. We do reserve the right to share your information with third parties in the following limited circumstances:
A. In order to protect the legal rights, safety, and security of Pollen Midwest;
B. To enforce our Terms of Use;
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We may also disclose certain aggregate website usage and demographic information that does not describe or identify individual users.
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You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password. Please notify us immediately if you discover any unauthorized use of your password or account or any other breach of security.
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