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If you think something could be better, you should jump in to help rather than sit back and complain. The moderator role has the potential to be the catalyst for modeling how others can exemplify balancing UU values and prototypical measures of success. In the increasingly complex spiritual landscape, Unitarian Universalism as a faith is facing modern challenges and needs to evolve strategy and approaches to meet this moment. I bring innovative thinking, useful structure, and rigor to decision making and approach. It is all the more important that we model radical transparency and leading from love, even as we navigate dichotomies of belief, identity, and path of evolution.
In the past three years, I have worked with BLUU as Developmental Board Chair, served on our congregation’s Search Committee, while navigating return-to-office post-COVID at a full-time job and parenting three high-needs children. Besides demonstrating that I can manage a heavily variable workload over time, I’ve learned how to navigate the complex intersection of achieving business objectives in a faith-based context. I excel at time management, prioritization, and influencing without authority (from my kids to fellow congregants to executives). I am experienced at navigating ambiguity and holding space for conflict with neutrality.
Natasha Walker
I was raised on the Navajo reservation as a Baháʼí. A deep awareness and conception for community, and the rights and responsibilities entailed, made a lasting impression. Navigating a culture, I was tangential to made me very open minded to the myriad ways that people can navigate the world, and I believe deeply that there is room for the many voices and perspectives that make UU communities robust.
I strive to leverage my gifts to make the world better. If every one of us tries to be better than we were yesterday, the world can’t help but to come along. I admire people like Anita Roddick (founder of The Body Shop) who see a way to fill a market niche while transforming the way work is done. I believe there are creative ways to hold many things and weave them together. There is beauty in nuance, and our path to collective liberation is not a simple toggle between two polar opposites.
I’d like to take on redesigning the role to account for the modern realities of our structure and better understand whether this role would benefit from a different approach. I am not seeking to be the star of the team and, frankly, don’t have any significant agenda I am espousing. Simply, I’d like us to get better, faster, and more effective as spiritual practice. Utilizing this role as a conductor for the symphony of the board, the president, the staff, and the wider community playing music together requires having a broad perspective and checking in frequently with the various parts to best arrange them to align the whole.
Please visit my website to find out more about my journey and motivation. I appreciate your support and look forward to all we can accomplish together.