Pittsfield, Mass. — The Berkshire Interfaith Organizing has appointed Dondei Dean as its director and lead organizer.

 

"I'm excited to develop the work that Wendy and BIO leaders have done to build a network of residents throughout the county who are eager to work together on real life issues faced by the most vulnerable among us," Dean said. "Particularly in the urgent areas of racial justice and immigrant justice. Together we've made progress on these fronts, but there's still so much more that we can and must do."

 

Dondei Dean has been a community organizer at Berkshire Interfaith Organizing (BIO), involved in all aspects of the group's work. She has been particularly focused on organizing residents harmed by issues of racial injustice and immigrant injustice. 

 

Her efforts helped lead to the recruitment and training of more than 70 volunteers who are now prepared to accompany local immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appointments and appearances in immigrant court and to better outreach from schools to families of the children hardest hit by the move to remote learning.

 

Dean is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where she majored in studio art and minored in government and Spanish, in which she is fluent.

 

She succeeds Wendy Krom, the group's founding lead organizer, who has gone on to serve as an independent trainer and consultant.

 

BIO is a coalition of 19 congregations, other groups, and individual members working to advance justice throughout the county.