Our Journey
Rising in Community emerged from nearly two decades of work in public health, equity, and systems change — and from a deep belief that true transformation happens in connection: through healing relationships and the collective work of reshaping systems with and for community.
Founded by public health leader and consultant Tatiana Maida, Rising in Community bridges the worlds of community and institutions — translating vision into strategies that honor lived experience, foster collaboration, and create shared ownership of solutions.
Tatiana’s work spans local and national partnerships — from grassroots collaborations to systems-level initiatives — and is recognized for centering community voice, building trust across cultures, and integrating cultural humility and trauma-responsive practices into meaningful, lasting change.
Rising in Community carries this commitment forward — helping leaders, organizations, and communities move from intention to transformation through healing-centered, community-rooted systems change.
Where My Story Meets My Purpose
I was born and raised in Bolivia, where I witnessed both privilege and inequity. I experienced how lighter-skinned mestizos like myself were most likely seen as “gente decente” — or decent people — while Indigenous communities were often dismissed or treated as less. Those early experiences opened my eyes to how racism and classism determine whose lives are seen, valued, and respected — and whose are not.
When I immigrated to the United States in 2002, I experienced the other side of that same system. Arriving without language or cultural knowledge, I had to learn how to navigate life as part of one of the many communities that have faced historic marginalization and discrimination.
These experiences shaped and confirmed my life’s purpose: to help mobilize change toward true equity, collective healing, and the creation of spaces where everyone is valued, everyone can thrive, and everyone belongs.
Over the years, I’ve dedicated all my efforts to elevating the voices of those who are too often left out of decision-making and to building bridges between communities that have been marginalized or siloed, and between those communities and the institutions that often struggle to see or engage them truly.
Through Rising in Community, I’ve found a space to live out that purpose — contributing to a world where we can all heal and thrive together.
Our Collaborators
Advancing transformation—both within and outward—requires many skills, talents, and lived experiences. Tatiana works alongside a trusted circle of collaborators who join projects based on alignment and the needs of each initiative. Together, we bring expertise in facilitation, community leadership, public health, healing-centered practice, and systems change. This collaborative model allows us to thoughtfully assemble teams—ensuring each project is guided by the right people with the right strengths.
F. Noor Jaward
I believe we are all connected and that when one of us heals, the entire community benefits. I see people of color, in particular, awakening, remembering where we came from, and reconnecting to the origins of our greatness. We are exploring new ways to honor our indigenous wisdom and promote collective well-being. I am called to share my knowledge and skills in promoting a healthy lifestyle and self-care practice with others who are ready to learn and interested in working together in healing community collaborations.
Jayne Ader
I wholeheartedly believe in and have dedicated my life to the healing and renewal of community vibrancy. My gifts are rooted in the ability to listen to and support the emergence of the healing wisdom that exists in us all.
I understand that, in raising up the whole community, we all have access to a much more vibrant world in which the solutions generated, work fulfilled and lives engaged, bring greater joy to us all.
Laura Medina
I deeply believe that communities know what they need. My work is to accompany the creation of spaces where we can care for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being without losing our sense of humanity.
I am an emotional health facilitator and a Yoga and Tai Chi instructor. I support people in reconnecting with their potential, rediscovering purpose, and becoming leaders in their own lives and in their communities.
Amy L. Korth
I bring over 15 years of experience in partnership building, facilitation, and systems-focused strategy, along with a deep belief that every person’s lived experience holds power and wisdom. I often bring a quiet, analytical perspective to complex issues, shaped by my ability to “read the room” and notice what is said and unsaid. I believe that everyone has something valuable to contribute, and this belief guides my commitment to supporting people, teams, and communities in meaningful and equitable ways.
Rosalia Gittens
I bring a commitment to relationship-building, teaching and learning, compassion, and empathy to every aspect of our community-rooted work. These strengths guide how I connect with people, honor diverse lived experiences, and create spaces where all voices are valued. This work matters to me because I believe communities hold the wisdom to shape meaningful, lasting change—and I’m dedicated to supporting that process with care and authenticity.
Lee Valentyn
I am an organizer at my core. My first response in light of an injustice or an inequity is to build a collective belief that something can be done to change current circumstances, and then work with other people to fight for the change. To this team, I bring a blend of practical and theoretical experience related to asset-based community development, collective impact/collective action, community building, systems thinking and systems change.
Our Philosophy
At Rising in Community, we believe that true equity and belonging emerge when healing and systems change rise together.
Transformation lives not just in policies or structures, but in how we relate to one another, in the trust, care, and the bridges we choose to build across our differences.
Our work supports the conditions for civic health, enabling communities and institutions to collaborate, repair, and co-create the future together. We ground our practice in approaches that challenge dominant narratives, center community wisdom, and nurture wellbeing for all involved.
When individuals, organizations, and communities align their inner and outer work, transformation becomes not just possible — but sustainable, collective, and deeply rooted in connection.
Our Principles
At the heart of our work are guiding principles that shape how we partner, facilitate, and lead change alongside communities.
Healing-Centered and Trauma-Responsive
We acknowledge the trauma carried by individuals and communities within inequitable systems. Our approach centers healing in relationship — rebuilding trust, strengthening wellbeing, and transforming harm into purpose.
Community-Rooted
We center grassroots wisdom and leadership, ensuring that transformation is guided by authentic community engagement, shared ownership, and trust-building.
Systems-Focused
We help organizations move beyond surface-level inclusion to reimagine structures, strategies, and policies that foster equity, belonging, and shared power.
Multicultural Bridging
We cultivate cross-cultural relationships grounded in humility, curiosity, and respect — bringing together diverse experiences and voices to build shared understanding and collective power.
Bringing It All Together
Rising in Community continues to grow through partnership — walking alongside leaders, organizations, and communities who are ready to align healing, equity, and systems change.
We invite you to learn more about how we bring this philosophy to life through our Services and the Impact of our collaborative work.