About ROSC
ROSC (Resources for Organizing and Social Change formerly INVERT) was founded in 1977 by people who wanted an organization to promote nonviolence and social change through mechanisms of education, training, and organizing. We believe the most effective way to make change is to focus on root causes of injustice, and to organize with and encourage leadership in people who are impacted by the issues they are trying to change.
In all of the work ROSC does, we first and foremost prioritize relationship building and human connection. We are not only wanting to dismantle oppressive systems, we are wanting to replace them with systems that nurture, create joy and laughter, and that hold people as whole human beings. We believe community building is just as important as strategic planning because without strong, vibrant, trusting communities who can rely on each other, what have we got?
ROSC Staff
Sass Borodkin, Executive Director
Sass Borodkin (they/them) is a late-blooming, nonbinary, queer grandparent who is having a love affair with working as the Executive Director of Resources for Organizing and Social Change. On their own in the world since age 16, and a veteran of chronic homelessness who lives with a number of disabilities, Sass is no stranger to what it means to struggle and how it feels to try and thrive in a world where the deck is stacked against those with the least. As a result, though Sass much enjoys engaging in various types of direct-relief volunteer work, what they most enjoy is organizing around root causes of injustice to create a world that values human connection, joy, and community care, and helps to dismantle structures of white supremacy, classism, and other forms of oppression that devalue the beauty in what it means to simply be existing.
Sett Vincent, Associate Director
Sett Vincent (he/him) is a mixed-race youth of color who moved to Maine some years ago from Connecticut. He has always been interested in activism and organizing but never had the resources to do so until he moved to Maine. He connected with ROSC through Pine Tree Youth Organizing, having organized the 2019 Youth Activism Gathering with Sass. He currently works as ROSC’s Associate Director and as their Project Manager for the Changing Maine Directory. He talks openly about his experiences of not finishing high school, being born into poverty, and having sensory and memory issues to normalize asking for help and leaning into community.
In addition to the work ROSC’s staff does, ROSC also functions because of the invaluable work of other consultants,
a highly dedicated Board of Directors, and a large handful of indispensable volunteers.
Mike Reynolds, Content Creator
Mike Reynolds (he/him) has been a web wrangler and writer for Ability Maine since 2009. Currently, Mike creates content for Ability Maine’s website and social media pages. Mike’s interests and the scope of his writing are wide-ranging. He profiles members of Maine’s disability community, covers news items of relevance to people with disabilities, and reports on his own or others’ activism for social justice in Maine or around the country. Recently, Mike’s exposé on UCP of Maine sparked outrage and was likely the impetus for important changes in the organization. Have a story idea, news tip, or interest in being profiled on AM? Mike can be reached at uppitycrip@gmail.com.
Ivy Quigley, Web Manager & Editor
Ivy Quigley (they/them) is a queer Disordered transfemme with a junk spine and a wild brain. They have organized queer safe spaces, done outreach for LGBTQ+ and homeless youth, and participated in local education reform. They’re often seen raising a sign; some of their many protests include school funding cuts, LGBTQ+ discrimination, gender essentialism, and economic inequality. Their passions include creating queer media, destigmatizing and normalizing mental illness, nonfiction studies, intersectional feminism, and board games. They are the Web Manager for Ability Maine and Breath & Shadow as well as a core member of Mindful Queer Collective.
(Chris Kuell, Editor-in-Chief)
Chris Kuell (he/him) was a blind writer, editor, and advocate. In addition to acting as the Editor-in-Chief of Breath & Shadow, he also edited The Federationist, the newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut. He was the president of his local NFB chapter, he served on the NFB of Conn., board of directors, as well as on the board of directors of BESB, the Connecticut state agency for the blind. His articles, essays, and stories have appeared in a number of literary, and some not-so-literary publications. Chris passed away in late winter of 2023, and we are taking some time to recalibrate from that before we get Breath & Shadow up and running again. Chris was not only an accomplished writer, editor, and advocate, but he was also a cherished part of ROSC’s community. He was kind, thoughtful, and funny, and we will always miss him.
ROSC Board of Directors
Winona Christnot-Peters – Presque Isle, Maine
Tink Zall — Portland, Maine
Sett Vincent – Augusta, Maine
Matryo Welch – Augusta, Maine
Kimberly Hammill — Levant, Maine
Iggy River – Machias, Maine
Anne Lunt – Portland, Maine
Andrea Berry – Yarmouth, Maine
Please Note: We are currently in search of new board members. If you identify as an activist or grassroots organizer and would like to see if you’d be a good fit as a board member of ROSC, contact Sass at sass.rosc@gmail.com with the subject heading: Board Opening.