This week’s #WomanCrushWednesday goes out to Nancy Haque, social justice crusader and Executive Director of Basic Rights Oregon.
Nancy grew up in the Washington, DC area and became politically active at a very young age. While most fourth graders were memorizing multiplication tables and honing their reading skills, Nancy was attending her very first protest! She studied Political Economy and Social Change at The Evergreen State College. She went on to earn a master’s degree from the Center for Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Nancy worked at Jobs with Justice and the National AFL-CIO, focusing on economic justice issues.
Having worked at the Western States Center as the Building Political Power Director – her duties included managing leadership development programs and leading a voter organizing training and empowerment project. In 2007, she started volunteering at Basic Rights Oregon. A few years later, she joined the Board of Directors, and in 2015, she officially joined the staff as Co-Executive Director. Under her leadership, BRO launched Catalyst, a leadership development program for transgender and gender non-conforming Oregonians. Nancy was also a founding member of One Oregon – an immigrant, refugee and Muslim justice coalition.
Nancy’s parents were immigrants from Bangladesh. She’s the first member of her family born in the United States! She lives in southeast Portland with her young son. In her free time, Nancy enjoys baking and crafting.
