Molly O’Connor, M.S.
Consultant
I am a child of the marsh, born and raised on the stolen lands of the Dakota and Anishinaabe people. I am a queer cis-woman with white privilege who grew up with a curiosity for the natural world and a caring heart. I spent many of my young years learning how to connect to people and the world and how not just to love others, but to love myself—and let’s be honest, learning self-compassion is a lifelong journey.
I received my B.S. in biology, with minors in chemistry and film production, from the University of Oregon. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I worked as a freelance writer & editor, youth worker, outdoor educator, and independent living specialist. These years were highly formative, both professionally and personally, because I got more involved in social justice initiatives. First with the LGBTQIA+ movement (Vote No Campaign) and then with the Black Lives Matter movement (after the murder of Jamar Clark).
I completed my master’s in Natural Resources Science & Management from the University of Minnesota with a minor in Evaluation Studies. I went into my master’s seeking to learn how to build equity into informal education and left the program bright-eyed and bushy-tailed that I could make a difference. My first job out of grad school was to be an environmental educator and evaluator for a natural history museum. On paper, it was my “dream job.”
Unfortunately, as most of us have worked in white-dominated nonprofit and philanthropic institutions, I finally became aware of white-supremacy culture, not only from leadership but also within myself. I could see how I was perpetuating harm to the communities we served through my silence, teaching non-culturally responsive curriculums, and using extractive evaluation practices to get data to appease donors.
After a deep burnout and a COVID-19 layoff, I decided to go independent as an evaluator so I could:
Practice culturally responsive & equity approaches.
Build a social impact business that breathes joy rather than toxicity.
Take time to dismantle white supremacy within my professional practice and personally, with intention.