Madeleine Oiseau, Basic Rights Oregon
We are delighted to honor Madeleine Oiseau as our Free Spirit for the third quarter of 2024! Madeleine is the Education and Community Organizer at Basic Rights Oregon (BRO), a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring equality for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, intersex, and asexual Oregonians. Through her work, Madeleine exemplifies the core values of BRO by building an inclusive, politically powerful movement, shifting public opinion, and achieving significant policy victories.
Madeleine oversees the Basic Rights Education Center (BREC) at BRO, where she conducts vital trainings on transgender inclusion for businesses, organizations, and government agencies. As a gifted trainer, she connects with every audience she addresses, opening hearts and minds to the trans community. Her dedication to this cause is not just professional but deeply personal, as she continually supports her community both formally and informally.
In her role, Madeleine addresses the profound biases that trans people still face. Her efforts in training employers across Oregon are making a significant impact, allowing more people to feel confident and competent in hiring trans individuals, thereby fostering a more inclusive and equitable workforce.
Beyond her professional commitments, Madeleine is a generous and passionate colleague, always ready to assist friends and coworkers in need. Her unwavering support and dedication to her community demonstrate her heart of gold.
Madeleine's journey is rooted in social services, with a history of working with organizations like Green Peace before joining BRO. She has a rich background in organizing labor and environmental campaigns and working with youth. After volunteering with BRO since 2017 and participating in the Catalyst leadership program, Madeleine recently transitioned to a staff role, bringing her passion for educating activists, organizations, and partners on trans accommodation, inclusion, and liberation.
Outside of her work, Madeleine loves to explore, appreciate, and conserve the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Her current passions reflect her commitment to both her community and the environment, making her an inspiring and multifaceted individual.
We admire Madeleine and Basic Rights Oregon’s work to create lasting and meaningful change for the LGBTQ2SIA+ community in Oregon. Join us in celebrating all that she does by raising a glass in her honor. Throughout this quarter, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of our Unicorn Gimlet Fresh Mixer Kit will benefit Basic Rights Oregon. Stay tuned for announcements on ways we will be celebrating our Free Spirit Madeleine, and supporting BRO!