Gwendolyn VanSant
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Gwendolyn VanSant is a trainer & facilitator in diversity leadership, cultural competence and coalition building for justice and equity. She is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founding Director of Multicultural BRIDGE and contributes to several teams across the region to promote safety, equity and trust in communities and workplaces. Gwendolyn has worked with corporations, schools, colleges and universities, law enforcement, hospitals, teaching and leadership institutes, and more. In addition to designing cultural competence trainings, Gwendolyn is a frequent speaker and long-time activist deeply rooted in racial justice, gender equity and positive psychology.
Most recently her work in honoring Dr. W.E. B. Du Bois has taken centerfold as co-curator and co-designer of the Du Bois 150th birthday festival commissioned by the Town of Great Barrington. In spring 2017, Gwendolyn spearheaded the county-wide campaign and coalition "Not in the Berkshires" and, in partnership, stewarded the crafting and passing of her town’s Trust Policy, a step towards a statewide Safe Community Act. In 2016, Gwendolyn served as the Founding Director of Equity and Inclusion at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, her alma mater. In 2015/2016 she was recognized as a “Berkshire Trendsetter” finalist and was named one of her county’s most dedicated and creative social entrepreneurs by Berkshire Magazine. In 2018 she is recognized as an Unsung Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. in 2020, Gwendolyn received an award on behalf of BRIDGE from MCLA winning the Presidents Medallion and in 2019 she was recognized as the Woman of Year in Achievement by Berkshire Business and Professional Women. She also is a reactivation and annual member of the Berkshire County Branch of the NAACP. and has served on the African American Heritage Trail. |
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JV Hampton-VanSant (they/she pronouns) has worked with BRIDGE in many capacities since 2008. Originally, they would help at events during summer breaks from college. Since her college internship days, JV stayed very connected to their hometown. They have helped design, coordinate and run the BRIDGE Summer Educational Programs at Hevreh since 2011 . On her own high school and college campus, JV was a youth organizer and leader for LGBTQ education and events. Since graduating from Lesley University in 2012 with a B.A. in Holistic Psychology and minor in Expressive Arts Therapy, she ha worked as a part of the administrative team as well as the primary youth leadership trainer and IT coordinator. JV received their diversity training certification from the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) in the summer of 2012 and BEST Youth Worker in 2016. JV is also an actor and voice actor, writer and children’s book author working to encourage kids to actively engage with the world around them and make positive choice around diversity, environmentalism, and leadership. JV has co-designed the positive education program, Happiness Toolbox, that BRIDGE hosts as a summer program and in and out of school time activities. JV is the primary architect behind our online programing in 2020 of New Pathways and Happiness Toolbox as well as our training program pivot.
JV was the President of Berkshire Stonewall Community Coalition in 2023, and is the first Black Transwoman to be President of a Non-profit in Berkshire County. |
JV Hampton-VanSant
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Silvia SoriaWomen To Women Facilitator
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"I am an Ecuadorian woman, who is pasionete and eager to provide exceptional service to multicultural people; since being of Hispanic background and first generation immigrant, I know from experience the strengths and struggles that minorities can face in their daily life in the United States. Each year I have improved my speaking and writing skills in both Spanish and English to further advance as a professional and to better serve my community that welcomed me with open arms.
For many years, I have been working in the financial services sector as a customer service representative. Worked at Elizabeth Freeman Center as an Advocate and Counselor and now I’m Coordinator of W2W at Multicultural BRIDGE. This is the job that changed my life in many ways as an individual and professiional. “ Working in different environments and with people of different walks of life, allows me to stay calm under pressure and be able to focus on their goals that made changes in their lives" " |
Lijuan TomaBRIDGE Business Manager
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Selin BeyazcaAccounting Associate
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Emiren Lyka Dela CruzExecutive Assistant
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Volunteers
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Tracy Johnson is the internal office support volunteer to the Engagement Team and CEO. Tracy enjoys helping behind the scenes, learning about and supporting BRIDGE's racial justice work in her community. Her family enjoys traveling internationally with their extended family, a total of 12 people. [email protected]
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Tracy JohnsonVolunteer: Office and Program Support and Member of Accountability Coordinating Team
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Lily Swartz EllisVolunteer Development Co-coordinator and Member of Accountability Team
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Lily Swartz Ellis is a Volunteer Development Co-Coordinator at BRIDGE. She is also a member of Accountability and helps to facilitate the TRJ White Caucus. Lily first became involved with BRIDGE in 2016 through the Towards Racial Justice and Equity and the Berkshires meetings and the Great Barrington Trust Policy campaign. In her professional life, Lily works as a digital communications strategist for nonprofits, and is honored and excited to share and grow her skills with BRIDGE. [email protected]
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BRIDGE has a core team (above) and several additional staff that join as facilitators, trainers, educators and language access staff in interpretation, translation and bilingual support. BRIDGE is rooted in community engagement and has been inspired by the many volunteers that share their time and talent with us on special projects and daily office support. Get to know some who are listed here and know there are many more who contribute on a regular basis. We consider ourselves a BRIDGE family and invite you to join us.
Sign up for our newsletter as we begin to highlight the many hands that keep the important work led by the protected classes of "minority" and women moving ahead with fervor.
Sign up for our newsletter as we begin to highlight the many hands that keep the important work led by the protected classes of "minority" and women moving ahead with fervor.