About
MaeBright was founded in 2014 by Missy Sturtevant. At the time Missy was working at a non-profit, going to other non-profits, and doing a one-hour, LGBTQ+ 101 training. She would return the next year to the same non-profit and do the same one-hour LGBTQ+ training. She realized that this “check the box” version of equity work did not make meaningful change for people with marginalized identities working or receiving services at the non-profits where she was training. Missy founded MaeBright to make a real difference in the lives of people experiencing marginalization.
Whether you’re a non-profit, a business, or a government agency, we can help you evaluate and improve the services and climate you provide to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) people. We accomplish this through policy work, trainings on LGBTQ+ cultural competency, and other proven interventions. MaeBright specializes in LGBTQ+ people, identities, and communities, and also offers trainings on racial justice, white supremacy culture, trauma inclusion, and other DEIJ (diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice) topics. MaeBright is proud to be trans-owned.
We provide both in-person and virtual trainings. We have local trainers in the Boston metro and in Denver, Colorado. Located somewhere else, but still want to work with us? Let us know!
Team
Ev Evnen
Director
Ev Evnen (they/them) is a white, Jewish, trans person, originally from Lincoln, NE, with a decade stop in Boston. Ev is an experienced facilitator on topics including racial justice, LGBTQ+ identities, trauma, and how we have difficult conversations across differences. They believe that honest conversations about how we are both different and similar can lead to deep and needed healing. Ev thinks that our differences are our superpowers and dreams of a world where difference is celebrated and not subjugated. By offering a non-judgemental training space where participants can unlearn the hurtful myths about marginalized people and communities, Ev works to plant seeds of a better world.
Ev is also a data nerd and is passionate about finding the stories that numbers tell to help leaders make smarter strategic choices about DEIJ work.
Ev holds an MPP and MBA from the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis and a BA from Wesleyan University. They are a cantorial student at the Aleph Ordination Program and also work in Jewish Youth Education. Ev lives in Denver with their two scruffy dogs, Max and Ziggy, and their partner, Lee.
Bianca Phoenix
collaborator
Bianca Phoenix – is a passionate advocate, facilitator, and consultant with over 10 years of experience using an intersectionality framework to train organizations on Cultural Competency, Implicit Bias, Disability and LBGQT Equity.
They are passionate about bringing to the table the interests of the most marginalized in all communities, particularly Black and LGBQT folks. Their drive for this work comes from their own experience with systems of power that place non-hegemonic identities at the margin.
Within the past five years their work has shifted from academic and community initiatives to supporting corporations and nonprofits to reach their varying Equity and Inclusion goals through organizational assessments, strategic planning and training for service providers and corporate professionals. They bring openness, vulnerability and strength to have frank conversation on challenging topics.
Bianca is always looking for ways to connect their knowledge and resources to support the needs of various communities.
Trainings
Trainings capped at 35 people. All single trainings come with one hour of technical assistance.
intro to LGBTQ+ competency (4 hours)
Icebreaker Activity on
LGBTQ+ experiencesCard Game Activity – Knowledge Assessment and Statistics Update
Concepts in Intersectionality
Sexual Orientation vs Assigned Sex at Birth vs Gender Identity vs Gender Expression
Transgender and Non-Binary Identities and Transition
Best Practices
Anonymous Questions
expanded intro to LGBTQ+ competency (5 hours)
Everything from the 4 hour training, plus one of the following:
Speaker Panel
Understanding Systemic Oppression
Advanced and Interactive Best Practices
Trauma Inclusion 101
Window of Tolerance
Understanding symptoms of trauma
Trauma first aid
Trauma inclusion vs healing centered practices
full intro to LGBTQ+ competency (6 hours)
Everything from the 4 hour training, plus two of the
following:
Speaker Panel
Understanding and Breaking Down Systemic Oppression
Advanced and Interactive Best Practices
Moving toward racial equity
History of race, racism, and white supremacy in the United States
Intersectionality and social location
Cultural Humility
Introduction to White Supremacy Culture
Anti-Blackness and Its Children
Action steps in the workplace
advanced LGBTQ+ Topics
Discussions with expert trainers focusing on topics like:
Trans and Racial Microaggressions
Understanding Transgender and Non-binary Identities
Shifting Families Towards Acceptance
Trauma and the Trans Community
Protect Trans Kids!
How to Make Change Within State Agencies
Many others!
Maebright theory of change
Change is a process. Many of our client relationships last years as we continually work towards cultural competency. While training is a crucial part of our process, we encourage our clients to think about ways to imbue LGBTQ+ competency and social justice in every part of their organizational DNA and process. We'll work with you to break down the process, map out a plan, and to support you at every step.
Clients
GOVERNMENT Agencies
We work with government agencies to evaluate and update services for LGBTQ+ clients. Many agencies are doing amazing work to help their clients and we want to support agencies and providers in feeling confident in the services they provide to all clients.
Businesses
We support businesses that have LGBTQ+ employees or clients to evaluate and improve your workplace and services for those clients. We specialize in supporting businesses that have an employee or new hire that is coming out as transgender or gender non-conforming. Many businesses are proactively looking to make sure they have a welcoming work environment for people of all genders, even if there are no staff who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming yet.
Non-profits
Non-profits often feel an additional pressure to be culturally competent. We are excited to support our non-profits clients create policies and practices that imbue social justice in the DNA of the organization. We also offer non-judgemental trainings to help all employees gain skills around providing LGBTQ+ culturally competent services to clients.
Schools
We connect Massachusetts public schools to training and technical assistance services that may be free or low cost. We also support schools to evaluate their diversity, anti-bullying and harassment policies. We also work with schools that are private, outside of Massachusetts, as well as colleges and universities. K-12 publicly funded schools in Massachusetts are able to receive free training and technical assistance from the Safe Schools program.
Press
MA Commission on LGBTQ Youth Research
Damián Lima was the lead researcher and author of the “Improving Health” section of the MA Commission on LGBTQ Youth Report and Recommendations for 2022. You can read the report here https://www.mass.gov/doc/mclgbtqy-annual-recommendations-fy-2022/download
Together, We Can Make Workplaces More LGBTQ-Inclusive
By Emily McNeiece
Ev Evnen talks about how to make work spaces more LGBTQ+ inclusive
Damián sits on a panel at Fenway Health about providing care for LGBTQ immigrants
Ev Evnen quoted in the New York Times about non-binary gender marker options
Survivor Centered Spaces for LGBTQ++ People of Color
Video
Damián Lima presents about Building Survivor Centered Spaces for LGBTQ++ People of Color
Progressive Pioneers, Boston Spirit Magazine
January/February 2017 by Scott Kearnan
Ev Evnen, Director/Senior Data Nerd and Partner, is featured as an under-30 activist in New England who uses data and spreadsheets to improve services for LGBTQ people.
Missy Sturtevant, Founder, is featured as a woman of influence in Boston, along with many other amazing women in the past and present. See #92!
Missy Sturtevant, Founder, speaks on what LGBTQ inclusive sexuality education looks like.
Why Inclusion is Not Enough
(video) Ev Evnen
Ev Evnen, Director/Senior Data Nerd and Partner, speaks at the Building Inclusive Communities From Neighborhoods to Nations Global Conference 2015 at the School of Global Inclusion and Social Development at UMass Boston.
Unjust: How the Broken Juvenile and Criminal Justice Systems Fail LGBTQ Youth
Center for American Progress, Movement Advancement Project, August 2016
Missy Sturtevant, Founder, and MaeBright's work with the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services are mentioned in a Spotlight as an example of training making a shift in climate to support LGBTQ youth.
Missy Sturtevant, Founder, and Ev Evnen, Director/Senior Data Nerd and Partner, are quoted about MaeBright's work with the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services' work on behalf of LGBTQ youth.
Businesses Should Treat Transgender Policies as Good Business in 2015
Time.com on January 14, 2015 by Darlena Cunha
Missy Sturtevant, Founder, shares best practices in business.
More workplaces and organizations are adopting the practice of sharing pronouns. Just as you share your name when introducing yourself, sharing your pronouns is a helpful way to communicate how you want to be addressed.