We welcomed two incredible additions to the Action Alliance staff in May–both Coaches for our new Underserved Populations Learning Collaborative (UPLC). They are Quan Williams and Katie Moffitt. Two weeks ago we wrote about Quan, and this week we focus on Katie; keep reading for a bit of insight into the social justice roots that inform her tattoos and her hopes for her new position with the Action Alliance.
KATIE, WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
I have an MSW and have been in the field for 8 years. I’ve worked as a clinician, adjunct professor, and as a preventionist at two local Sexual & Domestic Violence Agencies in Virginia. I love animals, baseball, playing trivia, cooking, gardening, cheese, collecting ice molds, making pun inspired Halloween costumes, and my friends and family.
WHAT IS AN UPLC COACH AND WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT BEING A COACH?
Being a UPLC Coach is more than a job to me; it’s a calling. Having worked in the field for quite some time I’ve had the good fortune to work with a diverse group of people and have learned that everyone has something new and wonderful to contribute. I’ve also been witness to just how very real historical and systemic oppression are in our culture and how they’ve contributed to the reinforcement of violence. The UPLC will allow us to work collectively to identify and address barriers while also enhancing the things we’re already doing well in order to better provide services to underserved populations.
IF YOU WERE AN ANIMAL/FOOD/TATTOO, WHAT KIND WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?
If I were a tattoo I would be the ones I have currently and the ones I have planned. Each tattoo represents something, some idea, or people of importance to me. I have ants because I’m a dedicated Aunt to four awesome kiddos, the socioecological model (SEM) because of my time spent as a preventionist going upstream to figure out how to effect change on all levels of the SEM, dandelions for all of the survivors I’ve worked with and known over the years as a representation of the resiliency, potency, and beauty that they all possess, a fox for my godson and community in Winchester; and I’m working on a tattoo that will represent the importance of joy, silliness, brightness, and the simple pleasures in life as a reminder to balance self-care and service.
WHAT’S ONE GOAL YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT YEAR AS THE NEW UPLC COACH?
The UPLC provides a unique opportunity for us, not only to work with agencies from around the state, but to also bring everyone together to learn from each other. I’m excited to get to build relationships with everyone and enhance services for Virginia’s underserved populations. My main goal for the first year is to assist Sexual and Domestic Violence Agencies in the pursuit of creating a Virginia that is more inclusive, culturally responsive, and equitable to all of those in need of services.
To reach Katie, email her at kmoffitt@vsdvalliance.org. To learn about the UPLC project, visit our website here.
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