Nearly 25 years ago, I was a single mom with a young child, two decades of nonprofit experience, and a dream of making a living making a difference in communities. I left my job, earned a masters in public health at UC Berkeley, and launched Mayeno Consulting. The people who have put their trust in me since then have helped me fulfill my dream and given me countless opportunities to learn and grow. Through over two decades of coaching, consultation, and facilitation, I’ve connected with thousands of people doing critical work for the wellbeing of humanity and the environment.
Racial and gender justice are core to my work. Growing up mixed-race during the 1960s, I was deeply impacted by Civil Rights, Black Power, and other movements. My drive to understand my own mixed-race identity led me to participate in and facilitate spaces for multiracial people. Parenting a nonbinary, queer person has transformed my understanding of gender and awakened me to critical importance of gender justice.
I’m a lifelong learner and am constantly expanding my knowledge, skills and awareness. I integrate new learnings into my work and share them with my community through my blog, as well and other resources.
In addition to my “day job” I’m a community activist and children’s book author. I am co-founder of Somos Familia, which works towards a world where youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities are accepted and celebrated. My bilingual children’s book, One of a Kind, Like Me/Único como yo, is used widely to spark conversations and create gender-inclusion in families and schools. Visiting schools and talking with children about the book is one of my greatest joys.
