RAHHEL HAILE (SHE/HER)

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF!

I’m Rahhel, I use she/her pronouns, I’m first generation Eritrean-American. My organizing background is in youth and union organizing, and I love hanging out in bookstores, trying a new recipe every week and desperately want a dachshund—but I wasn’t home enough pre-COVID so I’m scared that I don’t have enough time lol.

I’m ambitious but I try to not let that drive me. It’s super important that when I’m feeling those feelings, I remember that they’re rooted in capitalism and individualism generally. I personally believe that when organizers are driven purely by ambition, they lose who they were when they first came into this work. I became an organizer because I deeply care about the wellbeing of my community, and I dealt with trauma in organizing job after organizing job—us folks that are in our late 20s+ really need to remember what we experienced and learn from it but not recreate it. 

Being a co-founder of MNYC is and was really hard for my self-esteem. I, like a lot of other BIPOC folks, wasn’t ready for the large jobs we’re sometimes thrust into, and because of that, made a lot of mistakes when I started at MNYC. I had good instincts, and I was always good at my previous jobs despite not being invested in, or despite the bad conditions of the work environment. I’m learning to be gentle with myself, and celebrate the fact that I built a lot of the programming for an organization that is so strong and is getting stronger by the day. The Minnesota Youth Collective is who it is because of the team we are, and I’m so proud of them first and foremost. 

WHAT ARE YOUR SUN, MOON, AND RISING SIGNS? WHICH ONE DO YOU RELATE TO THE MOST AND WHY?

Capricorn sun, Libra moon, and Cancer rising! I’m not sure which one I relate to most…I have Capricorn tendencies (ambition, dark humor, I can be argumentative lol) but have some of the indecisiveness and love for fashion that a Libra has, and have been known to cry a lot by myself lol.

CURATE YOUR PERFECT MUSIC FESTIVAL! WHO WOULD YOUR ARTISTS BE?

Oof, this is hard. Moses Sumney, SZA, James Blake, Harry Styles, Ari Lennox, and Travis Scott? I might regret this answer later.

WHAT ARE THE THREE THINGS THAT YOU ARE MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND WHY?

It’s hard to pick three tbh! But, abolition because we’re now in a world where it (abolition from the police) might happen in our lifetimes, and a year ago I would have laughed in your face. I also dream about what investment in our communities would look like if we weren’t spending so much money on police (and prisons, but that’s a whole other interview). Leadership development of young BIPOC, because I learned as I went, and it was harmful to me. Plus, there aren’t spaces where there is true leadership development, training and investment in folks in my opinion. Climate justice- I actually started out wanting to be a climate organizer, and folks told me that I “ belonged” in the social justice realm. This was obviously before being intersectional was the norm, and I had a really hard time speaking up to white folks then. Now I just follow along with the strategies that folks are using to get us out of this mess (if we can) but I’m still super passionate about it.

WHAT ARE THREE OF YOUR GO-TO STRATEGIES FOR SELF CARE/RELAXING?

I’m notoriously bad at self care, but I’m a big fan of going all out on my skin care routine. I love a good book, but I’ve started having a really short attention span during COVID so I can’t read as fast as I did pre-covid… And I love trying new recipes to add to my cooking rotation!

WHAT’S A HOBBY OUTSIDE OF WORK AND/OR SCHOOL THAT YOU LOVE OR WANT TO GET INTO?

So I played tennis from the age of 6-20, and haven’t really touched my racquet since. I would love to get back into it again and get back to my old skill level. If you play tennis, hit me up!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SONG TO RELAX TO?

I can’t pick one song but I listen to Moses Sumney, Bon Iver and Kasey Musgraves when I want to relax

IF YOU COULD ONLY FIT FIVE THINGS IN A BACKPACK, WHAT FIVE THINGS WOULD YOU TAKE?

I mean, where are we going? What are we doing? I’m guessing I’ll be by myself for a long time, so I’d bring my phone (and solar charger? Do those exist?), a survival book, a tent, a blanket, and rice. I know that’s six things but whatever.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM VACATION?

I dream of going to Greece, but also Turkey and going back home to Eritrea again would be great.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SNACK?

Everyone at MNYC knows I’m addicted to watermelon, and if I don’t have some in my house I get cranky lol.

WHAT IS YOUR LOVE LANGUAGE? HOW DO YOU GIVE LOVE, AND HOW DO YOU BEST RECEIVE IT?

This is a question I’ve been wrestling with recently. I best give love through physical touch (but not now ugh) quality time and acts of service. And like to receive love through words of affirmation and quality time!

WHAT’S A PIECE OF ADVICE YOU GIVE OR HAVE RECEIVED THAT HAS IMPACTED YOU/HAS UPLIFTED YOU?

To make every decision, every move from a centered place. To stand in my dignity, and to stop caring so much about what people think of me (s/o to BOLD- Black Organizers for Leadership and Dignity for giving me so much). We make a commitment to the work and to ourselves during that time at BOLD, and making my commitment was life changing.

I am a commitment to decolonizing my relationship with perfectionism. 

WHAT’S YOUR VENMO/CASH APP/PAYPAL?

Venmo: Rahhelhaile

Cash App: RahhelH

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In light of people wanting to support Black folks during the uprising, we wanted to highlight that Blackness is nuanced and encompasses a vast array of experiences. Blackness isn’t a monolith. We hope to honor the uniqueness of each Black staff member here at Minnesota Youth Collective through this series of portraits and interviews. We’re beyond grateful to experience the magic they bring to our organization.