“Love is an action, a participatory emotion.”
“For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.
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[image description: a photo of tash shatz, a balding white person with tattoos, a beard, and glasses. they are smiling while standing in a park on a river, tash is wearing a floral short sleeved button up over a plain gray shirt.] photo credit LW 2024
who I am: a lineage of social justice work
Growing up in a rural, fundamentalist environment and understanding my Jewish lineage first called me to the struggles of social justice.
Coming out as queer and transgender at an early age taught me about discrimination.
Being a survivor of childhood sexual violence showed me how systems meant to help can hurt.
Living with visible and invisible disabilities as an adult reminds me how the world was not built equitably for everyone.
Mentorship from Roslyn Farrington introduced me to bell hooks and Audre Lorde, driving me to act against racism as a white person.
Believing in “tikkun olam,” the idea that humans have the potential to repair the world, is what keeps me going.
Today, I strive to balance mainstream models of leadership and facilitation with reverence for models developed in marginalized communities.
I am a movement worker. I believe that justice is a possibility and compassion is a necessity. As a trust builder, problem solver, and strategic thinker, I bring a gentle, focused approach to my work.