Network Growth: Staff Restructuring 2022

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Hello Community,

We want to share with you some amazing shifts that are happening so that we can better serve the network. Since the Design Justice Network’s Mission, Vision, and Intentions (M/V/I) launch in the fall of 2021, we have had a lot on our plate. Coming into the New Year, our main priority was to support the on-boarding of our new Steering Committee (SC) members. We are still excited about how this expansion will create capacity for both SC and Staff. While moving through the process of on-boarding, we started to examine our relationship with the SC and in turn, our staff roles. 

We are grateful for the space given to us to address our concerns and hopes for staff positions. With the SC doing a similar reflection, these conversations folded into our spring retreat. We got to lay out both our needs as staff members and the needs we have gathered (both formally and in passing) from member feedback. On-boarding is still in progress as we move towards more sustainable ways of organizing and designing the futures we all need, and the network needs to flourish. Outside of on-boarding, envisioning, and the retreat, we have continued to serve the network in many other ways. 


Since the M/V/I launch we have:

  • Continued to organize Member Story Sessions and interviews

  • Created & Shared our Monthly Newsletters

  • Activated our Resource Page with a new design and activities

  • Supported the On-boarding of New Nodes & Working Groups

  • Managed the Communications of Working Group Member Stories & Events

  • Managed DJN Social Media (Designs, Schedule, Copy Writing, and Engagement)

  • Fulfilled Speaking Engagement Requests & Connected Members with Opportunities

  • Supported Membership questions and manually updated Membership changes or updates, including our signatory list

  • Supported SC & Emergent needs (Administrative)

  • Supported and created processed for the translation of the DJN principles

  • Continued hosting Welcome to DJN network sessions to support our new members, nodes and working groups, and new people interested in the network

  • Supported volunteers in various roles, for example with translations of the Principles 

Staff Restructuring:

A formal restructuring of staff positions began shortly before our retreat. We created a staff proposal and this proposal was supported and taken through rounds of refinement with Victoria and the SC. Here are some of the things that the proposal aimed to do:

  • Capture a true scope of our work through formatting: How do emergent needs impact our weekly goals, work expectations, and our ability to work to sustain systems of support for the network?

  • Address our lack of capacity to go in-depth with initiatives that support nodes, working groups, and members. How does the generalization of our roles impact our ability to engage?

  • Create a clearer understanding of staff in relation to Steering Committee Support.

The proposal was approved on June 16th, 2022. We’ve now established roles and responsibilities we hope to better meet the needs of the network, and our own individual skill sets and passions. To that end, we would like to share with you our new roles and responsibilities:

Victoria Barnett,
Nodes & Working Groups (WG) Manager

The Nodes & WG Manager is our network's caregiver and guide. They foster relationships with nodes and working groups; helping to keep staff, steering committee members, and members up to date. They help node and working group facilitators through the application processes, develop systems of support, and distribute resources.

Guides: I teach, counsel, and advise, using my gifts of well-earned discernment and wisdom.

Caregivers: I nurture and nourish the people around me by creating and sustaining a community of care, joy, and connection.

(To develop our role descriptions we used the Social Change Ecosystem Map published as a guide by building Movement) Iyer, D. (2022, April 13). Social Change Ecosystem Map. Building Movement. Retrieved July 19, 2022, from https://buildingmovement.org/our-work/movement-building/social-change-ecosystem-map/ 

Some of my main roles, responsibilities and goals will include:

Node and Working Group (WG) Coordination Support 

  • Varying In-Person Node and Working Group (WG) Connects

  • Node and Working Group onboarding + Application Process

  • Responding to inquiries/interest by email, slack & other communication platforms

  • One on One meetings and check-ins with Node and WG facilitators/coordinators

  • Support and provide guidance for new Node or WG initiatives

  • Reinitiate the Accessibility Working Group

Develop and Update Resources 

  • Create processes and Guidelines for Node & WGs

  • Node & Working Group Funding process and maintenance 

  • Keep resources and DJN website up to date with Node and WG information and contact + Facilitator/Coordinator Directory

Node and WG Administration: 

  • Create and maintain a process for Quarterly (or timed) Updates/ Requirements for Nodes and Working Groups

  • Attend or Facilitate (1-2) Design Justice Events a month (for information + potential support role)

My new staff email address will be: djninaction@gmail.com

This can now be used for all Nodes and Working Groups to contact, and our forms and information online will slowly change once our process’ have been created and redirected!

A lot of our current processes’ will be changing (for the better) in the coming months- and I will be looking at members and volunteers for ideas and support. I am really happy and excited to be working with you all in this new capacity! 

Taylor Simone,
Special Projects Manager

The Special Projects Coordinator is our network builder and weaver. They help develop ideas, events, and projects that support the network's growth and members' experience.



“Weavers: I see the through-lines of connectivity between people, places, organizations, ideas, and movements.”

“Builders: I develop, organize, and implement ideas, practices, people, and resources in service of a collective vision.” 

(To develop our role descriptions we used the Social Change Ecosystem Map published as a guide by building Movement) Iyer, D. (2022, April 13). Social Change Ecosystem Map. Building Movement. Retrieved July 19, 2022, from https://buildingmovement.org/our-work/movement-building/social-change-ecosystem-map/

Some of my main roles, responsibilities and goals will include:

Member Benefits

  • Conduct Research and Gather resources needed to maintain and create new member benefits

  • Help Facilitate processes of decision making and implementation by coordinating: Special committees, project-based wg, democratic decision opportunities and volunteers as needed, Feedback Rounds, Meetings, and Project Timelines, Benefit Launch & Demo’s when applicable

Network Campaigns and/or Events 

  • Develop Programming Plans & Timelines with SC members

  • Develop and maintain seasonal Project Proposal Calls (Grants) for Collaborative Proposals

    • Develop and Communicate timelines to other staff members and SC

    • Create Proposal Templates & informative videos in relation to proposal calls

    • Facilitate Proposal Process

  • Support Onboarding Processes

  • Help Staff with Seasonal Calendar Planning 

  • Develop and Maintain Sustainable System for Annual Member Report

Staff & SC Support

  • Updates to SC

  • Special Project and Member Collaborations 

  • Facilitate and/or note-take at Coordination Meetings

  • Network Administration and Emergent Needs

My new staff email address will be: djnspecialprojects@gmail.com. Stay Tuned for more updates and ways to get involved in network projects and programming.