Crystal joined Chinook Fund in April 2018 and brings a depth of experience with nonprofit leadership, resource mobilization, and social justice. Crystal believes that changing our relationship to money has the potential to radically shift the way we mobilize resources for movements. They are thrilled to continue Chinook Fund’s legacy of democratic grantmaking through the innovative Giving Project.
Crystal previously worked for the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training (GIFT), Survivors Organizing for Liberation, a former Chinook Fund grantee, and is proud to have helped kickstart resource mobilization gatherings at the Allied Media Conference. During their tenure at GIFT, Crystal was proud to bring the 2016 Money for Our Movements: A Social Justice Fundraising Conference to Denver. Crystal is board co-chair of Resource Generation, serves on the steering committee for the National Giving Project Network, and participated in the Transformative Leadership for Change fellowship for BIPOC leaders in Colorado.
Crystal was raised in a small, working class town in Oregon by a family of paper mill workers and was the first person in their family to graduate from college. After receiving their B.S. in Sociology and Women’s Studies from the University of Oregon in 2003, Crystal moved to Denver and soon began organizing around issues of gender justice, LGBTQ anti-violence, and racial justice, sparking them to put down roots in this mountain state. They are continually inspired by adrienne maree brown, author of Emergent Strategy, who reminds us that what we pay attention to grows.
Crystal lives with in southwest Denver and spends their spare time learning to garden, building their vinyl collection, sneaker shopping, and camping throughout the West.