who we are
RRI Consulting supports organizations in their diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural consciousness journey, meeting them where they are and moving towards transforming systems and outcomes. We work with government agencies, nonprofits corporations, foundations, universities, and other institutions to assess their current systems, and shepherd them through a learning journey to understand how individual and systemic racism shows up in the workplace and in industry more broadly. We work collaboratively with our clients to create equity goals and and implementation plans that best serve their employees and customers.
RRI Consulting supports leaders and staff in making meaningful, authentic commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and then works alongside them to make those commitment a reality
Our approach
RRI Consulting supports leaders and staff in making meaningful, authentic commitments diversity, equity, and inclusion, and then works alongside them to make those commitment a reality. We help organizations build a culture of openness, curiosity, vulnerability, empathy, and boldness so everyone within the organization can take the actions needed to create equitable outcomes.
The practices we use are grounded in creating space for honest, open, and productive conversation. We help leaders and staff make meaningful, authentic commitment to transforming systems, and then work alongside them every step of the way to make that commitment a reality.
We understand that transforming our systems starts with individuals — there must be buy-in, shared understanding, and shared commitment across the staff to lead a transformative effort. As we partner with you, we will build that culture of openness, curiosity, vulnerability, empathy, and boldness so everyone within the organization can take the actions needed to create equitable outcomes.
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Our process for working with organizations to embed a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity, and cultural consciousness generally follows a three step process:
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1
Take stock of internal equity infrastructure
We conduct equity audits to assess how policies and procedures are serving organizations' equity goals.
2
Hold space for learning, reflection, and culture building
Healing involves building space for reconciling from past experiences, and building deeper, more trusting relationships. We help staff adopt shared understanding, language, and deeper trust to bring employees closer together.
3
Lead with passion and purpose
​We work with teams across each organization to establish shared goals and strategies around equity, and build processes for ensuring that there is a equity lens brought to day-to-day operations. This step is about moving from talking about racial equity to making clear investments and establishing systems for accountability and sustainability of efforts.
Our team
RRI offers a team of consultants and facilitators with deep subject matter expertise in nonprofit management, organizational culture, and equity and social justice.
Hasira “Soul” Ashemu
Founder and Chief Visionary Officer
Hasira was born and raised in Northeast Denver, CO an East Angel graduate, attended Howard University “The Mecca” and later traveled the world spending a decade living in Africa raising his family in Ghana. Hasira is a prolific writer, speaker, facilitator, communications professional who has been using his talents, experience and skills to create and support institutional and community initiatives that usher in social change. In addition to Hasira’s extensive resume in community organizing and initiatives for social justice movement building, Hasira has led contracts with Denver Public Schools to train teachers to properly identify and work with students of color who were gifted and talented, and has delivered Breaking Bias trainings with a wide range of agencies and institutions, including the United Unitarian Church, National Education Association and Colorado Education Association, among others.
Allison Brown
Chief of Transformation
Allison is the Chief of Transformation with RRI consulting, and works closely with consulting clients to design and implement customized services to meet their DEI strategy and facilitation needs. Allison has over 15 years of experience working as a strategy consultant, primarily supporting Social Justice movement building, education justice, and health equity organizations.
She brings a range of experience with strategic planning, launching new programs, organizational development, board management, fundraising, and strategic communications, all with a deep equity lens. She manages the day-to-day support to RRI's major consulting partners, and is a leader and co-facilitator for RRI's flagship training programs, Truth to Transformation and Sankofa Shadow Werk Training.
As a co-owner and founder of RRI Consulting, she also supports organizational strategic visioning, community-based partnerships and programming, and development of various products and services to fulfill the mission of RRI.
Sarah Rimmel
Facilitator
Sarah Rimmel (she | they) is the founder of Slow Integration Coaching and is committed to cultivating ease and advocating for self and others. Sarah coaches’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practitioners and organizations committed to shifting culture and implementing DEI strategy.
In addition to being a certified ICF Coach, Somatic Coach, and facilitator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), Sarah holds a MS in Business Management and a BS in Community Health. Sarah’s background includes over 15 years in higher education and nonprofits leading individuals and teams through change management, social justice, and advocacy efforts.
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Sarah is a daughter, dreamer, and biracial queer woman living and working in Colorado on Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho traditional, ancestral, and stolen lands. She has served on the board for Boulder Valley Women’s Health, the Women & Girls of Color Fund Advisory Council for Women’s Foundation, and as a fellow with New Leaders Council. Read more about her philosophy on the context of trauma, health equity, and oppression.
Sena Harjo
Facilitator
Sena Harjo is a member of the Seminole, Choctaw and Creek tribes of Oklahoma. She has spent her life invested in her tribal community in Colorado, back home in Oklahoma, and all over the US.
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As a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts, Haskell Indian Nations University, and the University of Denver, Harjo is pursuing a doctorate in Educational Research and Human Development with a concentration in Urban Ecologies from the University of Colorado Denver. She has spent the past 20+ years supporting and encouraging minority students and their families in educational systems that were not built for positive outcomes for non-dominant communities. Working with the full range of birth through higher education, Harjo is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work, culturally resilient pedagogy, early childhood education, and system access.
AMANDA ROY
Facilitator
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Amanda has been facilitating groups for over 10 years in subjects of DEI, JEDI, and IDEA as well as youth and adult leadership, nutrition. Amanda has adopted agile methodologies through work, trainings, and Scrum methodology to facilitate groups. While guiding complex projects and plans using empiricism and lean thinking strategy, Amanda encourages the individuals a part of projects/organizations to enter as authentic whole humans with unbelievable potential to be successful. She facilitates self managing teams towards productivity while building rapport through transformational communication, and optimizing
time and resources.
Amanda is also an Artist using the medium of clay, a mom to a 6 year old named Rae, an ever growing and learning entrepreneur.
Jasmine Elizabeth
Facilitator
Jasmine is an experienced JEDI facilitator that is part of the Truth to Transformation facilitation team. She consistently receives positive feedback around her ability to connect with people across race and class, and authentically engages and supports the growth of participants wherever they are in their journey with JEDI work.
Teniqua Pope
Facilitator
Teniqua is a Life Coach, Writer and Facilitator and specializes in coach Black women on their paths to spiritual and emotional freedom. She is trained in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and combines behavioral science and Geechee-inspired storytelling to upgrade your inner dialogue, break the strongholds of intergenerational trauma and positively influence the trajectory of your life and legacy. Though Teniqua’s approach as a facilitator, you will be emboldened, inspired and equipped to rewrite your narrative and align with your soul's desires.
maddison abboud
Program Manager
Maddison Abboud is a program manager on the RRI Consulting team who is responsible for building client partnerships and programs. Maddison strives to create economic opportunity and drive social impact through her work.
Maddison is the founder of Sora Strategies, working with organizations to capture new market opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. She supports clients with a variety of projects including project management, market research, stakeholder mapping, partnership development, and strategic plan formation.Maddison’s experience ranges from issues like global development, to healthcare and education.
Maddison previously worked at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce where she led advocacy and policy initiatives focused on promoting economic development through private sector investment. She worked closely with U.S. Chamber member companies, business coalitions, and government leaders to promote stronger trade and investment globally.
merriam abboud
Content Producer
At RRI Consulting, Merriam works as a podcast producer. She currently lives in Washington D.C., where she works as a freelance graphic designer and artist. Find her portfolio here. Before RRI, Merriam worked with various non-profits as a creative consultant.
She holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia in Economics and History. At UVA she was a part of Virginia Mock Trial and a Teacher’s Assistant in Aesthetic Philosophical Engagement. She wrote her thesis on women in China during the Cultural Revolution with a focus on modern economics.
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