Demarra Gardner is president and founder of Change Agent Consulting which specializes in social justice. Her journey started while serving in the Americorps civilian program for a not for profit housing organization. Much of her work began in the field as a community organizer assisting residents with a plethora of neighborhood-based needs. During this time frame, Demarra gained valuable experience in leadership development, strategic planning, grant development and management, program development, and homebuyer and financial management. She also has hands on experience working with Neighborhood Preservation Programs (NPP), Individual Development Accounts (IDA) and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Family Self-Sufficiency program.

Demarra attended her first Healing Racism workshop several years ago which had a tremendous impact on her life. Since then she has received over 300 hours of training in diversity, multiculturalism, and anti-racism. In addition, she served at the National Resource Center for the Healing of Racism based in Battle Creek, MI. Through this experience, she realized that the majority of the workshops she attended either had a strong emphasis on historical events or on the lived experience of racism. What she discovered from her work at the center and through all her training, is that transformation comes when both the mind and heart are stimulated; which inspired her to create multicultural and social justice programs. The hallmark of all her work is a balance between historical events, the lived experience of racism and oppression, and storytelling.

Demarra co-founded the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School summer program in Kalamazoo, MI in 2007 where she serves as the Executive/Program Director. She has a BA in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University, has completed three years of course work in elementary education, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at Western Michigan University. Demarra is a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Kalamazoo program, and is a certified Family Life Educator, MSHDA Homeownership Counselor, and NeighborWorks America (NWA) Homebuyer Educator.

Demarra is also very active in her community where she serves on the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) Children of Color advisory committee, the Community Leadership Board for the WMU Race Exhibit, and the Battle Creek Freedom School advisory committee. She currently lives in the Kalamazoo area with her husband and daughter. What drives her passion to do this work is the quote by Mahatma Gandhi, “You must be the change you wish to see in this world”. Everyday, one person at a time, she is aspiring to live her life just in that manner.

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