Lisa Weiner-Mahfuz has worked as a capacity builder and organizer across multiple movements for social and economic justice for almost three decades. She has dedicated much of her organizing life to challenging oppression at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. As a queer multi-racial Arab/Jew, she has focused her work on issues of light skinned privilege, anti-semitism, anti-zionism, queer and trans liberation, multi-faith alliances and and bridge building across communities of color.
Principal, BQN Consulting—1997-Present: We serve a broad range of progressive non-profit organizations. Areas of expertise include: strategic planning, organizational development, leadership development, movement building, coaching, board development and anti-oppression training. Other responsibilities include:
Executive Director, RoadMap Consulting—2019-Present: A collective of 100 capacity building consultants dedicated to providing holistic capacity building support to movement organizations and leaders across the sector
Co-Executive Director, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice—2013-2019: A national faith-based organization committed to reproductive health, rights and justice
Coordinator, ROOTS Coalition—2011-2013: A national queer and trans people of color coalition that included fourteen of some of the most established queer and transgender people of color led organizations in the United States. ROOTS is a project of the Astraea Foundation for Justice. Our mission is to give visibility to a progressive, multi-issue, racial justice frame within the LGBT movement through organizing, training and publications. Responsibilities include:
Director of Capacity Building
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Washington DC — 2006-2010
Senior Field Organizer
The National Organization for Women (NOW), Washington DC — 2004-2006
Pension Plan Organizer
The National Organizers Alliance (NOA), Washington DC — 2002-2004
Central Field Manager
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), Washington DC 2000-2002
RESUME
Wheaton College, Norton, MA — May 1994
B.A. in Women’s Studies (self-designed) & American Politics; Minor: Anthropology
Awards: Magna Cum Laude, Departmental Honors, and the Landmark Leadership Award for demonstrating a commitment to issues of gender, leadership and community.
Honors Thesis: A cross-generational study of women leaders spanning three decades.
ANTHOLOGIES & JOURNALS
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Organizing 101: A Mixed-Race Feminist in Movements for Social Justice”. Colonize This! Young Feminist of Color on Today’s Feminism. Edited By: Hernandez, D & Rehman, B. (Seal Press 2002)
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Organizing 101: A Mixed-Race Feminist in Movements for Social Justice” Fireweed Magazine-Mixed Race Issue. Published: 2002
ESSAYS & PUBLISHED WORKS
Weiner-Mahfuz, L & Farrow, K. “Movement Building: Past and Present Strategies”. Resisting the Rainbow Report. Political Research Associates. Published: June 2012
Weiner-Mahfuz, “Reflections on the Palestinian Hunger Strike”. Feminist Wire. Published: May 15, 2012
Weiner-Mahfuz, L & Moore, D. “Our Eyes Witnessed: On People of Color in the United States and The Palestinian BDS Movement”. NewBlackMan. Published: January 26, 2012
Weiner-Mahfuz, L & Moore, D. “Forum on Palestine”. Feminist Wire. Published: January 26, 2012
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Queering Up the Family Vacation”. Bilerico Project. Published: June 15, 2011
Weiner-Mahfuz, L “Hotel Silver Spring: Always a Repeat Performance.” Bilerico Project. Published: May 27, 2011
Weiner-Mahfuz, L & Vazquez, C. “Our Queer Intergenerational Life”. Bilerico Project. Published: March 21, 2011
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “The Fierce Urgency of This Movement Moment”. Bilerico Project. Published: March 11, 2011.
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Hello! Can I Get A Movement Please”. Bilerico Project. Published: January 31, 2011
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Debunking the White Liberal Dog and Pony Show”. Bilerico Project. Published: December 10, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Building Our Movement with Heart and Chutzpah”. Bilerico Project. Published: November 17, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Numbers Alone Don’t Move A Movement”. Bilerico Project. Published: October 31, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “The Playground is Often Anything But Playful”. Bilerico Project. Published: October 12, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Queers and Global (In) Justice. Bilerico Project. Published: September 21, 2010.
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “The Fierce Urgency of Now: Queers Must Challenge Islamaphobia”. Bilerico Project. Published: September 1, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Yearning For a Just Democracy: From Prop 8 to the 14th Amendment”. Bilerico Project. Published: August 9, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “21st Century Leadership: Queers and Interdependence”. Bilerico Project. Published: July 18, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Cuz We Gotta Have Faith”. Bilerico Project. Published: June 29, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Two Worlds: The Israeli/Palestinian Conflict”. Bilerico Project. Published: June 10, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Queers Without Borders”. Bilerico Project. Published: June 7, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “My Queer Agenda: Puerto Rico, Palestine and Indigenous Sovereignty”. Bilerico Project. Published: May 18, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “A Call to Action: Immigration is a Queer Issue”. Bilerico Project. Published: April 21, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “We’re Here! We’re Queer! Jews of Color, Justice and Passover”. Bilerico Project. Published: March 24, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Spill-Over Love: Building a Just and Multi-Racial LGBT Movement”. Bilerico Project. Published: March 5, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L. “Organizing From Margin to Center”. Bilerico Project. Published: March 30, 2010
Weiner-Mahfuz, L & Lara, Ana M “Bustingbinaries” website and zine. Published: 2000-2010
Education, Publications & Honors
KEYNOTE ADDRESSES & PANELS
“Our Eyes Witnessed: People of Color in the United States and the Palestinian BDS Movement”. Keynote with Darnell Moore. Rutgers University (2012)
“Living, Loving and Defending Desire at the Intersections”. Keynote speaker with Carmen Vazquez for the Unity and Diversity Summit, Albany NY (2011)
“Sovereignty, Community and Liberation”. Keynote speaker with Coya Artichoker and Susan Raffo at the Minnesota OUT! Campus Conference at Augsburg College (2010)
“Liberation is Only Possible: A Chorus In Three Voices”. Keynote speaker with Coya Artichoker and Susan Raffo at the Arcus Social Justice Center (2010)
“Liberation is Only Possible: A Chorus in Three Voices”. Keynote speaker with Coya Artichoker and Susan Raffo at the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals Convening (2010)
INTERVIEWS
“Our Eyes Witnessed: People of Color in the United States and the Palestinian BDS Movement”. Interview with Darnell Moore for Radio Against Apartheid (February 13, 2012)
“Act Queer: Movement Building and Queer Organizing”. Interview with Coya Artichoker, Patty Berne, Paulina Hernandez and Suzanne Pharr. Queers for Economic Justice (March 24, 2011)
“Moving our Movement with Heart and Chutzpah”. Trans FM (March 6, 2011)
“Tabouli and the Christmas Tree”. A Promise and A Way of Life by Becky Thompson (Minnesota Press, 2001)
CONFERENCES ORGANIZED
Program Director. A Queer and Trans People of Color Gathering To Build Our Liberation and Self-Determination (BOLD Gathering). Sponsors: Astraea Foundation for Justice and PFund Foundation. December 2011
Program Director. Practice Spirit, Do Justice. Sponsor: The Institute for Welcoming Resources. February 2011
Program Director in partnership with Sue Hyde. The National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change. Sponsor: The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. 2006-2010
HONORS, BOARDS & AFFILIATIONS
Invited Delegate, US Delegation (on LGBTQ issues) to Palestine (January 2012)
Member, The Alliance for Non-Profit Management (2007-2009)
Member, The Alliance for Non-Profit Management Capacity Builders of Color Collective (2007-2009)
Board Member, Families United Against Hate (2002-2010)
Board Member, Gedakina, Inc. (2003-2005)