Group photo of the OSW team. Provided by Grace of The Cupcake Girls. 

We are thrilled to recognize Brooke Golden as our Free Spirit for the fourth quarter of 2024! Brooke is the Co-Director of Survivor Services at YWCA of Greater Portland, where she dedicates her life’s work to supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence. With over 20 years in social work, she brings expertise and compassion to her role, advocating for survivors across Multnomah County.

Brooke began her journey with YWCA in 2018 as a Peer Support Advocate, drawn to the organization for its commitment to racial equity and anti-racist practices. She quickly proved herself a dedicated advocate, working closely with survivors from shelters to encampments. Today, Brooke leads YWCA’s Survivor Services program with a trauma-informed and person-centered approach, offering survivors a safe space to regain their voices and begin the healing process.

Under Brooke’s leadership, YWCA’s domestic violence housing program has grown to include the state’s only transitional housing program specifically for survivors of domestic violence and their children—a transformative resource she helped develop and ensure exceeded expectations in its first year. Her advocacy work also extends beyond YWCA: last year, she joined a team of advocates to successfully petition the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners to increase funding for domestic violence resources, demonstrating her commitment to securing the resources survivors need for safe, stable futures.

Brooke’s passion for this work is deeply personal. She combines her own lived experiences with formal training as a Certified Domestic Violence Advocate and Peer Wellness Specialist, creating a unique approach that empowers and supports every survivor she serves. Her coworkers speak highly of her ability to connect on a profound level with survivors, acknowledging that her leadership and empathy make her an irreplaceable force within the YWCA and the broader community.

Outside of work, Brooke continues her journey of growth and self-care, often with a book in hand. Inspired by authors like Ejeris Dixon and Tricia Hersey, she is passionate about challenging norms around rest, resilience, and healing. Originally from Boston and an alumna of Virginia Union University, Brooke shares her life with her husband and their two dogs, Kim Kardashian and Rose Royce.

Join us in honoring Brooke’s incredible contributions to her community. This quarter, a portion of the proceeds from our Persephone's Potion Mixer Kit will support YWCA’s essential services for survivors in Portland. We look forward to sharing more on Brooke’s impactful work throughout the season—raise a glass to this inspiring Free Spirit!

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! 

Meet our Spring 2024 Free Spirit, Heather Keisler Fornes, Executive Director of the Portland Fruit Tree Project! Heather's journey with PFTP began in April 2020, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a deep-seated passion for community engagement. With a background steeped in homesteading and a profound understanding of food waste streams, Heather has dedicated herself to transforming the landscape of food equity and sustainability in our community.

During her tenure at PFTP, Heather has been a driving force behind numerous initiatives aimed at fostering inclusivity and cultural relevance. She's not only diversified pantry and farming partnerships but has also spearheaded the creation of the PFTP tree care program. Heather's vision for PFTP extends beyond the orchards and into the heart of the community, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds with the skills to care for our urban canopy.

Heather's passion for her work is palpable and her dedication to fostering a more equitable and sustainable food system is nothing short of inspiring. As we celebrate Heather's contributions to the Portland Fruit Tree Project and our community as a whole, let us also take a moment to reflect on the profound impact of her work.

Join us in honoring Heather, a true Free Spirit whose passion and dedication are helping to cultivate a brighter, more fruitful tomorrow! Throughout the current quarter, a portion of the proceeds of the sales of our Spring Fever Fresh Mixer Kit will go toward advancing the Portland Fruit Tree Project’s mission of food equity and community resilience.

Meet our first Free Spirit of 2024 ⏤ Abby Guyer! Abby is the Executive Director of Xcelerate Women, a non-profit that provides services and programs to help women business owners to grow by building economic power. She is a creative strategist and brand builder with a passion for authentically creating social and cultural impacts in the community. Abby is an advocate for self-efficacy, who strives to impart on members of Xcelerate the confidence and skills to realize they are each in control of their own destiny.

Bringing her strong marketing background to a non-profit leadership role, Abby is looking to “change the face of success and business”; meaning that success doesn’t look the same for everyone. Xcelerate works with women to set their own benchmarks tailored to the type of business and lifestyle they aspire to. In 2023 alone, Xcelerate has worked closely with and impacted 181 women-and-gender expansive-owned businesses while collectively employing 537 Oregonians. Workshops and mentoring within the program are conducted by professionals in a variety of specialized fields including hospitality, tech, food & beverage, health & wellness, and more.

We admire Abby & Xcelerate’s work to create long lasting and sustainable growth for women in business in our community!  Raise a glass with us in celebration off all that they do to amplify these voices. Throughout the current quarter, a portion of the proceeds of the sales of our Passion Potion Fresh Mixer Kit will go to benefit Xcelerate. We will also be hosting an event in Abby’s honor at our tasting room in NW Portland, keep an eye out for the announcement!

Meet this quarter’s Free Spirit, Beach Pace.  Beach is the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia NW serving youth in the Portland/Vancouver metro area. Initially starting her service journey in the military and then spending the past 17 years in the social change sector specifically in service to youth, Beach has a deep belief in the power of mentorship.  

Since 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is incredible potential. As part of the national Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia NW makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and children ("Littles"), ages 6 through young adulthood. The goal is that every child graduates from high school with a plan for their future and a mentor whose impact lasts a lifetime.  

During her tasting at Freeland, Beach fell in love with the flavor and comfort of the cocktail featuring apples as it brought her back to her own youth and picking apples in the fall. Cheers to Beach for her dedication to service and commitment to youth mentorship. In celebration of her work, a portion of the proceeds from sales of our Free Fallin’ cocktail kits will go to support youth in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia NW (BBBS CNW) program. We will also be hosting an upcoming celebration in her honor and benefiting BBBS CNW so be on the lookout on social media and our newsletters. 

Meet this quarter’s Free Spirit, Stacy Sawin! Stacy is the CEO and co-founder of the non-profit FinAbility. With her background in volunteering at women service organizations and earning her MBA in business school, she has launched impactful resources to support folx in her community. On average it takes 7 attempts for a survivor to leave their harm-doer, most often because of financial insecurity. FinAbility financially empowers survivors of domestic abuse through programs designed to safely facilitate their independence. FinAbility launched their resources in Spring of 2022, and has since provided services to over 13,000 survivors and community members.

Cheers to Stacy for her passion to protect her community and help them thrive! In celebration of her dedication and outstanding leadership, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of our Born This Way fresh cocktail kits will go to support FinAbility. We will also be hosting an upcoming celebration in her honor and benefiting FinAbility, so keep an eye out on social media and our newsletters.

Congrats to Laura Kerr, this quarter's Free Spirit. Laura is partner in the environmental, natural resource and land use group at Stoel Rives LLP, and also spends her time as an advocate for reproductive rights.  

Laura has been a supporter of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette (PPCW) for years and believes it is more important than ever to defend and support the right to autonomy, equality and safe access to reproductive care, including abortion. 

PPCW is in the process of establishing a new health center in Ontario, Oregon near the Oregon/Idaho border, where the nearest health center providing comprehensive reproductive care is 250 miles away in either direction. PPCW believes that all people should have the right to control their own body, life, and future – no matter where they live – and is committed to ensuring people have access to the care they need. 

A percentage of proceeds from the Carousel cocktail kit, will support PPCW to provide more and better access to sexual and reproductive healthcare.

Kelly Saavedra is an advocate for foster youth. Since 2020, she has served as the Store Program Manager at Project Lemonade, an organization that inspires self-esteem in foster youth. With Kelly’s leadership, the Project Lemonade store has grown from a twice-per-year shopping event, to a year-round retail store open 5 days per week. Foster youth often leave their homes abruptly and with few belongings. The Project Lemonade store provides 20+ new clothing items free-of-charge to 2,500 foster youth annually. Project Lemonade Executive Director, Lindsay McDonnell shared, “Kelly was amazing during the pandemic… She really stepped up to make sure that foster youth and foster families had the support they needed.”

In addition to her work with foster youth, Kelly has dedicated 20+ years to social service including work in Victim Advocacy. Kelly is proud to support Project Lemonade and hopes you will check out The Forager to help inspire self-esteem in foster youth.