Monique Gilliam on Intention, Relatability, and Turning Action into Results
If you look up the word “driven” in the dictionary, odds are you’ll find a photo of Monique Gilliam next to it. The vision she has for her life is clear and focused, and her work ethic is something to be admired.
Since our last sit down with Monique back in 2019, she’s taken on new career and social ventures, including joining the Cohear team as a Community Organizer in March 2021. With less than a year under her belt, she was promoted to Director of Organizing and she’s relishing in this moment. At Cohear, Monique feels valued, supported, and seen. She couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the work they’re doing and she’s eager to see where this journey will take them next.
Interview by Kristyn Bridges. Photography by Chelsie Walter. Sponsored by Cohear.
This interview is a part of our series, “Cohear: Harnessing the Power of Everyday Experts.”
The following Q&A is based on the interviewee’s firsthand account of their experiences and opinions alone. Look for editor's notes with additional information in [bold brackets] throughout the article.
Tell us about your role with Cohear.
As of this week [March 1], I am now officially the Director of Organizing. My role is to build up our existing network of Bridgebuilders and provide support for our Community Organizers in Cincinnati as well as Columbus; we recently brought on someone in Columbus so I’ll be supporting them in their efforts.
We focus on inviting people to the conversations we organize. Our work revolves around connecting everyday experts with decision-makers. We believe these decision-makers can make better, more impactful, driven solutions within the organizations that affect consumers who utilize their services.
It's worth mentioning that my connection to Cohear came about because I connected with Nikita [Anderson, Director of Community] when I worked for F.I.I. [Family Independence Initiative; now UpTogether]. Nikita was in an F.I.I. group and I learned about her work with Cohear. I was invited to join some conversations and later asked to be a Bridgebuilder. I truly stand by the approach and the work, even before I was asked to join as a team member.
If you had to explain Cohear's work in a few sentences, how would you define it?
Simply put, we invite folks to have a seat at the table – to be part of a conversation with leaders and organizations they normally wouldn't have access to. With these conversations, they are able to share their experiences, insights, ideas, and suggestions that could make the organization better.
Why do you think harnessing the power of everyday experts is so important?
What we do that I am very proud of and stand firmly behind is give people the opportunity to amplify their voices. Throughout my journey, I have been able to amplify my own voice – and doing so bears so much fruit. It's really as simple as amplifying a person's voice. A lot of times, people don't realize how impactful their stories and their voices are. Everyone has a story; everyone has valuable insight and experiences, and people just really need to tap into that. So even if you're not someone who normally has an outlet to share your thoughts, we create the atmosphere for people to be able to do that.
What do you think we are missing out on as a society by focusing so much on degrees and certificates versus lived experience?
Oh my goodness, we are missing out on some quality people. I feel like an organization definitely needs to have folks who have degrees and certificates, of course. [But in some organizations, that can lead to having] absolutely no idea about the people you're trying to serve. You don't relate to them; unless you've lived it, you really can't advise from that lens because your lens is going to be limited. So it's necessary to combat that by including people who have that lived experience: those who've had years of experience working in a certain field where they may not have their degree. Give them an honorary degree for that experience. They've earned that. And especially when you have a person being sought after for their insight and their experiences, pay them. Give them their accolades.
I feel like I've been pretty invaluable to organizations I've been a part of. And those opportunities weren’t something I sought out – they came to me because of my experience – and that's dope. It's pretty awesome, and more people should have that opportunity. Everyday experts can really be invaluable to these organizations. People should utilize the assets people bring to the table.
What areas of expertise do you have? What kind of experience do you bring to the table?
In terms of my expertise, I think it's what makes me relatable. You name it, I've experienced it: homelessness, loss of employment, receiving food assistance, receiving childcare vouchers, receiving Medicaid, not receiving that subsidy for my housing but living amongst those who did receive Section 8, and things of that nature. I lost a child. With the current addiction conversation, I have family members experiencing addiction. I live in Over-The-Rhine in a drug-ridden area at times, in an atmosphere plagued with violence and gun violence. I think I am relatable in so many aspects – you lost someone to cancer, suicide, gun violence, AIDS? I can relate. I mean, it's endless. I feel like there isn't anyone I can't connect to on some level.
I recently began undergoing mental health training with 1N5. While 1N5 was founded by a lovely white woman, Nancy Miller, what we have in common is suicide. [Read Nancy’s interview with Women of Cincy here.] Her husband died from suicide; my brother did too, so there's always a commonality with me. I can go on and on and on. All of my life experiences have made me an expert and very relatable. It allows me to empathize, meet people where they are, and build meaningful connections. Those experiences, good or bad, have allowed me to be my best self and really exude goodness and genuineness.
And I feel all of the blessings, even circling back and having this second conversation with Women of Cincy, right? Full circle. These things aren't for nothing. And it all leads to me elevating to my next, best, and greater self. At the end of the day, that's what it's about. And that's what I hope for everybody: to elevate and be their best self. If nothing else, that's what I hope people get from me. Despite my moods, despite this or that, I know that Monique is resilient, and her drive is like no other. So if you want to emulate anything, emulate that.
What has your experience been like with Cohear?
Cohear has been phenomenal and has certainly exceeded my expectations. Cohear is amazing for many reasons. I really do love and value the people I work with. I appreciate being seen as an asset; I am seen as an expert, and my insight is valued and appreciated.
Dani [Isaacsohn, founder of Cohear] brings a lot of proposals to us so we all can share how we feel about those projects. There are certain things I am passionate about – one of them is homelessness, and one of them is bringing awareness to mental health. [Read Cohear's report: "The Stories of Cincinnati's Housing Crisis" here.] We talk about those kinds of things as a team and work on projects [related to our passions when possible]. There was one project with Collaborative for Change (C.4.C.) where we connected with young people ages 18 to 22 who were dealing with homelessness. We had the opportunity to connect those young folks with a judge to provide insight into their experience of battling homelessness, dealing with the police, going to court, and how they're treated within that system and how it can be better. That was one of the first things I facilitated. Not only did I organize it, but I got to sit, talk, and ask questions with that group. It was really dope to see that what I care about is being brought to light within the organization and that we all work on it as a team in different aspects. [Read Cohear's report: "Youth Homelessness and the Justice System" here.]
I love that every Thursday we have team lunch via Zoom. We all just sit on Zoom and have conversations; sometimes, it's pop culture related, and sometimes it can go deep. But essentially, it's a family – it's true comradery. I feel as though they believe in me – they believe I am capable of doing this director role, which is a huge confidence booster. I'm just really happy with where I am with the organization.
Can you share a project you worked on that you're most proud of?
There have been quite a few, and it's not just the projects themselves. What I'm moved by is the outcome of the work, specifically with Cincinnati Public Schools (C.P.S.). I am very impressed with all the obstacles C.P.S. has endured as an organization. I really do believe the success of their students drives them. They're just really solution-driven and trying to implement really dope initiatives and things that have been driven from our work.
One thing they do that has been phenomenal is Speak Up and Speak Out, these sessions they have with C.P.S. kids. Dani just shared a quote from a student – something along the lines of, “I'm really happy to have found this space and to be able to have a voice.” Hearing that it’s really resonating with the students is huge. One of the things that has come out of our work is introducing “Adulting 101” for C.P.S. students to talk about everyday life stuff: finances, budgeting, things you normally aren't taught in the classroom. They will also implement a Black history course because the students talked about wanting that, so they're going to deliver.
Having these meaningful conversations and actually seeing changes happen because of them is astounding. To see these organizations wanting to partner with us and want to make changes, we put these conversations together, give them the reports, give them the data, and then they actively make it happen and circle back and want to do more things… I mean, you can't get any better than that.
In what way are the everyday experts able to see these results come into play?
We give them updates. We share reports and things of that nature. And a lot of times, there's an opportunity for folks engaged in previous conversations to hear what happened as a result of that conversation. A lot of times, the folks who join our conversations, even if it's a one-off, become Cohear Bridgebuilders. Those are the folks who are well informed about the projects we're working on, come to the barbecues and social events, and see the updates when we share things on our Facebook Cohear Bridgebuilder page. So when it comes to those partners, we share information so those engaged in the network can get that information firsthand.
Are there any areas where you feel leaders, decision-makers, or organizations could make some improvements?
There's always room for improvement, but I wouldn't necessarily say that about any of the organizations or community leaders tied to Cohear. They're being intentional by being part of a solution rather than a problem. Personally, since I've been with the organization and even prior to me joining, I haven't seen a situation where someone hasn't followed through. I do know that guarantees aren't made. They don't make promises, but they do deliver results. That's what I can appreciate. They take the insight and try to figure out, “Okay, if we can't do this big ask, what can we do?”
What’s an issue you're fired up about and hope Cohear will help address in the near future? Or is there an organization you hope to work with?
There really isn't anything I'm driven about that isn't getting touched right now. Dani is pretty phenomenal about us being in the thick of it. There's always an opportunity to participate in conversations or work with certain organizations. We have the ability to utilize this platform; even if it's not partnering with an organization, we can vocalize our thoughts and insights as a collective.
I feel like I have my hand in so many pots. We're organizing a conversation with the Hamilton County Board of Health right now regarding addiction. We're organizing conversations with Children's Hospital about green space. We're also going to be having a conversation with service providers who can provide a space for people experiencing addiction and teens in Price Hill. I think what's really cohesive with my team is that we all have the same concern with housing. There are so many things we're addressing.
I feel fortunate because if there’s something very prevalent I'm passionate about and I speak on it, it’s pretty much like, “Yeah, let's try to figure out how we can make that happen.” We are pretty intentional with keeping the fire hot around meaningful and relevant topics. So even if that's not someone coming to us about a project, we would seek that project out if we thought it was meaningful and thought the work was necessary. I'm confident and comfortable that anything and everything is available for us to access. I just wait patiently for the time to come because I'm sure it will at some point. I don't want it to be, “This is what we don't want.” We can talk about what we don't want, but let's focus on what we do want.
What has been the most rewarding thing about working with Cohear?
There are many rewards. Recently being promoted to Director of Organizing is the greatest highlight thus far – to not even come up on the year mark yet, and to be looked at in that regard is pretty amazing.
We are rewarded for our time; we're rewarded for our work. Dani is big on shouting out and giving accolades, whether internally or even on social media. I really appreciate the employee spotlights where Dani gives us shout-outs as individuals. It's really nice to be recognized and appreciated, and I feel like the team as a whole is really great about that.
When you're dealing with personal things, they see you as a whole person. It's really dope to be part of an organization that values you as an entire being. Your good, your bad, and your ugly are all on the table, and it's all well received. I feel like I can be my true, authentic self there – and there are not many places where you can work and be your genuine self.
Tell us about an influential woman in your life.
There is one person who immediately comes to mind. Her name is Shannon Phoenix. This person has been in my life since I was 14 years old. She has been by my side through the loss of my mom, my brother, my firstborn child, and my grandmothers. She's been there guiding and advising me when I was homeless. She's always been my greatest supporter and my biggest cheerleader.
I really admire her because she is a mother of two, and in the midst of the pandemic, she started her own business. She's like the jack of all trades. She has her master’s degree in human resources, and she has a call center. With her call center, she’s giving people the opportunity to work from home for reputable organizations like Home Depot and Intuit Tax. What I really love about her work is that she acquired grant funding when she found that people wanted to work from home, especially during the pandemic, but didn't have the equipment to do so. So she acquired grant dollars to be able to get people new computers, eliminating a barrier. I've since connected her to organizations that I love, like MomsHope, so they can partner, and she can give single moms opportunities. She's just a really amazing person. She's my sister. Even though we're not sisters, I look at her as a sister. I honestly don't know where I would be without her support over all these years.
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