Fractured Atlas is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting artists, creatives, and makers with the things they need to succeed and thrive. About five years ago, the organization committed itself to a journey of becoming an anti-racist, anti-oppressive organization. In this episode, we chat with Courtney Harge and Nicola Carpenter, two people who have been deeply involved in that work. We’ll explore some frequently asked questions they receive about the work and journey. We'll also discuss how unlimited vacation days, shared leadership, and fully virtual organizations can further this work, while at the same time creating new and different challenges.
Lauren and Tim then reflect on how the ARAO work intersects with their three years together working as part of the organization's four-person, shared, non-hierarchical leadership team and the personal journey of their coworkers. Then, in a seemingly random yet related tangent, Lauren discusses why Celine Dion is the only brand to back.
01:07 Courtney Harge & Nicola Carpenter
47:34 Lauren Ruffin
COURTNEY HARGE is an arts administrator, director, and writer originally from Saginaw, MI who has been working in the service of artists for the last fifteen years. She is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of Colloquy Collective, an emerging theater company in Brooklyn, NY. Courtney is also a proud member of Women of Color in the Arts, and a 2016 alum of both APAP’s Emerging Leaders Institute and artEquity’s Facilitator Training. She holds a Masters of Professional Studies, with Distinction, in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute. You can find more information about her at www.courtneyharge.com and find her on Instagram and Twitter at @Arts_Courtney. Her credo (#HustlingKeepsYouSexy) is not merely a hashtag; it’s a way of life.
NICOLA CARPENTER works on the People team at Fractured Atlas, where she finds ways for tools and processes to better align with the organization’s purpose. She believes in tools so much that she sets personal OKRs every quarter. Prior to joining Fractured Atlas, Nicola worked for a variety of arts organizations including MoMA PS1, Walker Art Center, and Heidelberger Kunstverein, and she still has a particular love for museums. Originally from Minneapolis, she received a BFA in Art from the University of Minnesota and continues to stay creative through knitting and sewing clothes. She is currently in too many book clubs, but still somehow finds time to read books about organizational culture for fun. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter at @colacarp.
Interested in exploring the topic further? Check out Nicola’s collection of Resources for White People to Learn and Talk about Race and Racism.
