A bit about me...
Hi, I'm Victoria! I'm a native New Yorker, so you can usually find me walking and talking just a little too fast, with a cup of coffee in hand! I currently live just outside New York City, near the beach. I'm a Mom to two (mostly) sweet little boys. I have spent the better part of my career trying to understand what it means to be a good ally. I’ve asked my friends and colleagues of color about issues that I didn’t fully understand and sought their insights into what I could do about it. Luckily, pretty early on I had a colleague who called me in. She challenged me to use my voice in meaningful ways, to speak up as soon as I noticed racist dynamics instead of telling her about it after the fact. This feedback was a game changer for me! Now let me be clear, I am still learning, but I am deeply committed to my own growth and supporting others to engage as allies and accomplices.
Can you relate to hearing yourself say something like, “if I only knew what to do, I’d do it!”? I know I've heard myself say it tons of times! That’s why I committed to identifying what we White people can do. I focused my doctoral research on understanding, from the perspectives of folks of color, what White people can do to disrupt and dismantle systemic racism. What is an ally?! Through my research and 12+ years working as a higher education professional, I have developed a framework for effective allyship. This is an action-based framework that outlines a guide for disrupting racism on individual, group, and organization levels.
That's what has prompted me to launch my own consulting business, where I serve as a coach, trainer, and speaker focused on social justice education. My goal is to provide tangible tools that empower others to identify racism and disrupt it effectively. I work with both individuals and teams, with the goal of helping people to expand their capacity as change agents. I'm a big believer that White people (like me!) we have been trained to operate in the World without recognizing everyday racism. I also believe that we can't change what we can't recognize. Based on my research I know that the first step towards allyship is engaging in self-work and learning. Are you ready to make the commitment? If so, I'd love to hear more about your first steps -- comment below!