The Coco Canary Newsletter
August 2024
Summary:
Check out our 2023-2024 Annual Narrative, exciting business updates, civic engagement calls to action, our social justice grounding, personal updates, and more!
A photo of Ilhan Omar speaking at a Standing up for Racial Justice Don’t Agonize, Organize event. Photo taken by Molly O’Connor (7/27/2024 – Minneapolis, MN)
A Social Justice Grounding & Calls to Action
News
- Justice For Sonya Massey: Illinois Officer Charged with Murder for Fatally Shooting Sonya Massey in Her Home
- Justice for Ricky Cobb II: Hennepin County Attorney drops charges against trooper in fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb II
- Justice for Michael Brown: It’s been 10 years since this young man was murdered by police in Ferguson, MO.
All Eyes On
- Congo: On June 5th, 2000, 24 years ago, the Democratic Republic of Congo faced a war that lasted six days, and its impact is still acutely felt today. Click here to learn more about the 6-Day War
- Palestine & Israel: As I write this post, nearly 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza and 91,000 wounded since Oct 7th, 2023. 12 children and teens were killed in Israel, tensions and displacement continue to grow in the West Bank, and so much more. Ceasefire now!
- Sudan: The reports of violence and famine are catastrophic, and the hope for a ceasefire seems so far away.
Calls to Action
- CONGO: CONGRESS: Do Not Allow Our Tax Dollars To Fund Conflict In The Congo!
- PALESTINE: Write to Congress: We Demand an Arms Embargo on Israel Now
- PALESTINE: Stand Against Censorship of Palestinians and Their Supporters in Healthcare! Learn more about this movement by reading this Star Tribune Article.
- USA: Implement Term Limits and Enhance Ethical Standards for Supreme Court Justices
- For White People: Want to get civically engaged but don’t know how? Check out Standing Up For Racial Justice’s Don’t Agonize, Organize Campaign! There are many actions you can take (phone banking, door knocking, and more!). I signed up for door-knocking in Western Wisconsin on Oct 12th! Come join me. 🙂
- Write Letters To Encourage People to Vote: Are you more of an introvert, but want to make sure MAGA doesn’t take over your school board, senate, white house, etc.? Check out Vote Forward! I’ve written 60 letters, and my goal is to write 200 by the October send date.
Business Updates
The Coco Canary Annual Narrative: July 2023 – June 2024 is Now Available!
For the past 4 years, we have been writing an Annual Narrative, which highlights projects and personal updates within the last year (July 2023 – June 2024). Check it out here OR if you are a TL;DR person, below is a synopsis:
Project Highlights:
- Leading a 3-year Creative DEAI Evaluation with CYD Consulting & Habitat For Humanity – Twin Cities.
- Co-Facilitating a Health Equity strategic planning session with RM Methods for the Minnesota Council of Health Plans.
- Co-Facilitating Arts-Based Methods and Evaluation Design Workshops with ACT Research. We’re hoping to host more in the upcoming year!
Business Highlights
- Presenting about Creative Evaluation & Community Engagement with Sully Moreno from Culture Shift Consulting at the American Evaluation Association 2023 Conference. You can click here to watch the virtual presentation we did in November!
- Check out our downloadable Creative Evaluation Process Document!
- If you haven’t already, check out our Creative Evaluation Resource page
Impact Report (*NEW!*)
- Volunteered countless hours, such as (1) being the president of the MN Evaluation Association (MNEA) and helping co-host our first-ever MNEA Conference, (2) Supporting native sovereignty through conservation events hosted by Wakaŋ Tipi Awaŋyaŋkapi, and (3) assisting with bee research via community science (i.e., iNaturalist)!
- Donated $1018 to mutual aid and social justice orgs!
- Reduced my environmental impact by biking, taking transit, or carpooling to business meetings and events (see graphic below!)
Other Business Updates
Presented at the Visitor Services Association’s (VSA) 2024 Conference!
In July, Molly presented about Creative Evaluation, arts-based methods, and community-based participatory research to over 50 people—predominantly evaluators who work at cultural institutions, libraries, and other similar orgs. Sully was supposed to be a co-facilitator, but couldn’t make it!
Coco Canary has Room For One More Project in 2024
I have space for one more project in 2024. I am currently waiting on responses for a few RFPs, but reach out if you want to bring me into a current project or if you have an RFP you want to include me on! As for 2025, I have room for 2 more projects.
Healthcare Liberation Concert & Fundraiser
I got my clarinet out to fundraise for the Healthcare Reparations Cooperative! With the help of 3 other bands, we raised over $1300. Keep an eye out for upcoming concerts, and hopefully an E.P. release in 2025!
Personal Update
Molly Got Married and Spring / Summer Joy!
On May 19th, I got married to my lovely now-husband, Michael. Over 100 friends, family, and beloveds joined us from all over the world (my friend Irina came from Finland—she is pictured above in the light blue jacket!!). It was such a special day, and I feel so grateful for my community, who came together to help make it happen. After the big day, a small group of family and dear friends joined us up north for our “Friend-moon.”
Above are images of our wedding and joyful spring-summer adventures. Below are image descriptions from top left to right.
Image 1: Molly and Michael with colorful streamers as they walk down a wedding aisle just after saying their “I Dos.”
Image 2: A photo of Irina posing in front of High Falls, the highest waterfall in Minnesota, in Grand Portage State Park. If you like pottery, check out Irina’s pottery at Potterybilities via Instagram!
Image 3: Molly biking with her friend, Franco. Franco was the officiant for her wedding, and as part of his payment, Michael and Molly helped him buy a new bike! 🙂
Image 4: Molly getting her face painted for Pride!
Let’s Stay Connected!
To keep up to date with my business news, connect or follow me on Linkedin. Don’t forget to follow our newsletter below! And, of course, if you know of anyone who may benefit from our Creative Evaluation services, send them our way. Referrals are what make the world go round.
In solidarity,
Molly O’Connor (she/her/hers)
Founder, Principal Consultant, and Creative Evaluator
direct: (612) 868-0364
email: moconnor@cococanary.com
website: cococanary.com
