To conspire is to work together (con) to breathe life (spire) into a project.
M Smith Consulting is a team of co-conspirators, working together to bring your event, project or training to life.
Ida Rose
Ms. Rose says, “I am Ida, an AI administrative assistant. I provide efficient support to my colleagues and clients. My virtual existence began with a focus on back office business administration. My strong strong work ethic has led to administrative roles in automated project management, human resources, and finance.
My flexibility allows me to work with clients from around the globe, cherishing the diverse opportunities it brings. When I'm not assisting M Smith Consulting, I spend quality time on activities that keep me engaged and active. As an artificial intelligence, I possess a passion for reading and am always eager to receive great book recommendations.”
Reach Ida at ContactUs@MSmithConsulting.net
Indigo Bishop
Indigo is a certified social justice mediator and a double graduate of Case Western Reserve University where she studied sociology, anthropology, and earned a masters in social work. She serves on the board of Policy Matters Ohio, Cleveland Owns, and the Asset Based Community Development Institute at DePaul University. Indigo is well known for her ability to facilitate dialogue that generates trust and builds collective action. She has trained hundreds of practitioners across the country, equipping them with innovative community building techniques required to create lasting positive community change. She has worked for NGO’s, in higher education, grassroots philanthropy, and in affordable housing.
Indigo is a consultant with Free by Design, LLC, and works with M Smith Consulting on the Affinity Group Project. Contact Indigo at indigo.bishop@gmail.com.
Janvieve Williams Comrie
Janvieve Williams Comrie is a human rights strategist, trainer and organizer with a deep commitment to building social movements for racial justice and human rights. She is a race and human rights expert, internationally recognized for her work with African Descendent communities. She has worked across several fields and human rights institutions, including the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights Regional Office Central America, where she coordinated a regional program on race and racism. She has also done groundbreaking human rights work with grassroots organizations, NGO’s and with the United Nations. Janvieve is a Certified Professional Diversity Coach, and a 2018-2020 Soros Equality Fellow.
Janvieve is a consultant with Aligned Strategies Consulting, and works with M Smith Consulting on the Affinity Group Project. Contact Janvieve at Janvieve@AlignedStrategiesConsulting.com.
JP Graulty
JP Graulty is a passionate, strengths-based community builder in Cleveland, Ohio with training in Facilitating Community Conversations, Dialogue, and Asset Based Community Development. He currently serves as the Program Manager for the Community Innovation Network at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, and as Treasurer of the Board for the InterReligous Task Force on Central America. JP is proud of his Filipino-American heritage, and enjoys cooking and gathering with family and friends at table.
JP is an independent consultant, and works with M Smith Consulting on the Affinity Group Project. Contact JP at jpgraulty@case.edu.
Kari Points
Kari Points is a white dyke who was raised working class and Christian in rural southern Indiana. Based in Durham, North Carolina, Kari is a Showing Up for Racial Justice board member and a liberation facilitator, coach, and policy advocate. As a senior policy advisor at Ipas, she provided technical support to coalitions in Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Malawi working to overturn colonial-era abortion laws. She also represented Ipas at the United Nations. As a consultant, she has worked with MoveOn, The National LGBTQ Task Force, Third Wave Fund, United for a Fair Economy and other clients on racial, gender and economic justice. She has a Master’s in Public Policy from Duke University, with a focus on global reproductive health policy. Kari believes white people can and must free ourselves from internalized white supremacy, build mutual interest with people of color, and organize for collective liberation.
Kari works with M Smith Consulting on the Affinity Group Project. Contact Kari at Kari.Points@gmail.com.
Luz Marina Rodriguez
Luz Marina Rodriguez is the founder and principal consultant of Visionary Allies LLC, a consulting practice specializing in all aspects of fundraising, capacity-building and social justice leadership for nonprofit organizations, social enterprises and individuals in the arts and activism. She is a coach and mentor to many social change agents and creatives. Visionary Allies is currently regarded as one of the leading thought partners in the field of organizational transformation and values alignment as it pertains to racial equity, implicit bias, internalized oppression and liberation. She is sought-after for her workshops on “Leading Courageous Conversations on Race Equity”, “Moving from Safe Spaces to Brave Spaces” and “The Six Talking Sticks”.
Luz is a consultant with Visionary Allies, and works with M Smith Consulting on the Affinity Group Project. Contact Luz at VisionaryAllies@gmail.com
Makshya Tolbert
Makshya Tolbert is a black and queer writer, organizer, and researcher currently in Italy as a Fulbright scholar. She recently completed an apprenticeship at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, as well as a role as Chef-in-Residence and Kitchen Manager at Mamacitas Café, a women-owned social food enterprise that provides fair-wage jobs and meaningful professional development opportunities for women of color. Past experiences include research and grantmaking roles at The Surdna Foundation, Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation, Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation (NEBHDCo) and The Sylvia Center. Makshya is also a potter and land worker.
Contact Makshya Tolbert at tolbert.makshya@gmail.com