About WWNW

We’re Gavin Leonard and Matt Ryan and we’re both from the Midwest, doing organizing in some way, shape, or form in our beloved Rustbelt. As we both began to listen to more podcasts, we wished there would be more out there for organizers and activists. Thinking about the conversations we’d had over the years, we decided to jump on the bandwagon and see if others might want to share in our back and forth.

When we’re not working is often when we have the best, most frank and honest conversations. So When We’re Not Working will try to be all that, as well as some web links, musical interludes, and maybe an idiosyncrasy or two. We’ll share what we’ve been reading and what we’ve been thinking about. And we’ll bring in guests via phone or in person to expand the dialogue.

Feel free to email us at whenwerenotworking@gmail.com. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated! We know we have a long way to go.

When We’re Not Working is made up of:

Gavin Leonard is the State Director for Ohio’s Center for Progressive Leadership, based in Cincinnati. He is a co-founder, and former Executive Director of Elementz – a local non-profit organization that runs a hip hop-based youth center, leadership development programming, and civic engagement projects – and has recently transitioned onto the board. Gavin worked for 5 years doing construction and project management for community development corporations focused on affordable housing, also in Cincinnati. Originally from Chicago, and raised in rural Northwest Ohio, Gavin attended New York University and served as the Vice President of Students for a Free Tibet before leaving school to pursue full-time social justice work. Gavin also canvassed for environmental organizations in Denver, Cleveland, and Columbus before settling in Cincinnati just prior to the riots that took place there in 2001. He serves on the boards of the League of Young Voters, Wiretap Magazine, and the All-Ages Movement Project.

AND

Matt Ryan is the Cincinnati City Director of the Service Employees International Union Local 3. After organizing with SEIU in Chicago and Pittsburgh, he lead a successful three-year Justice for Janitors campaign in Cincinnati. The organizing drive secured living wages and healthcare for the first time for over 1,500 office cleaners.  Matt grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from Grinnell College. Currently, he is an executive board member of the Cincinnati Central Labor Council and Hamilton County Democratic Party.