Testimonials

Here are highlighted client testimonials gathered below: 

“I can honestly say that I enjoyed the entirety of the workshop. Usually at trainings, I’m impatiently waiting for it to be over because many aren’t engaging. This one was engaging from beginning-to-end. I really appreciated it. My favorite part was “matching” and reducing conflict in a situation. I also really enjoyed the module that explored summarizing and paraphrasing. Shreya was a dynamic facilitator! They were attentive to detail, engaged with us, asked clarifying questions, and made it applicable to real life. They were phenomenal. I now know how to handle conflict. I now know how to better work through trauma and stressful situations.”    {Preston Mitchum, Advocates for Youth}
“I was very impressed with Saltwater’s nuanced approach to organizational development. The facilitator’s demonstrated a keen understanding of group dynamics and were flexible to the needs of the group. The result was an engaging, productive and useful retreat that resulted in tangible outcomes for our organization.”    {M.W.} 
 
“The Saltwater team had a unique ability to hold space for our group while also being fully present as human beings, which created a lot of trust between us. Each member of our team was invited to be whole, to be grounded in their truth, and recognized for their contributions. They are excellent listeners and their ability to tune into exactly what we needed as individuals and a group is very impressive. I would highly recommend that people check out what they can learn both personally and professionally from Saltwater.”
{Maisha, Everyday Feminism}
 
“The Saltwater facilitation team had a super warm & inviting approach, which helped people’s defenses and guards come down. They were clear and unapologetic about doing anti-oppressive work – their approach met people where they were at without being wishy-washy. They were very well-prepared, had a good sense of the organization, culture and staff before they entered the room. We asked for a training that incorporated anti-oppression frameworks throughout, and this day-long session did that very well and really elegantly. The concrete tools helped create a clear entry point into the conversations we needed to have. SALTWATER’s session rebuilt trust & buy-in into our equity work.”     {Staff Member, Environmental Justice Organization}
 
“I have seen many different people do the workshop on Leadership Styles over the years- the model is commonly accepted. Shreya is the best presenter who I have seen execute this workshop. People learn a lot about themselves and others and they have so much fun. Shreya is outstanding!”    {Glenn Magpantay, Co-Director of National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance} 
 
“Saltwater facilitators did an exceptional job holding space and guiding staff through this retreat. People came into it feeling nervous and left with not just new tools and frameworks, but also more confidence and comfort.  The facilitators were very transparent, bringing all of themselves into the space; they spoke from personal experience and personal identities and this helped everyone do the same.  The mapping exercise showed rather than told us how important it is to hold an intersectional analysis. We got through the whole agenda and  it never felt like we were trying to rush through one thing just in order to get to the next so that every box could be checked. We moved with the flow of the conversation and it allowed the staff to dig in to whatever hard stuff came up. The facilitator team was a natural fit –  they were gentle, firm, and honest.”    {Devika Ghai, Organizer & Partners Program Coordinator, Pesticide Action Network}
 
“It was a great retreat. The facilitators encouraged everyone to speak and were friendly and welcoming. Saltwater worked hard to adapt our second day material after evaluating what we needed from our first day. I understand the organization better. We’ve been operating under a vague understanding of what our values are, and setting them down on paper was very productive. We have a clearer picture of how we can all work together to work toward those values and hold each other accountable to them. We accomplished a lot in two days and I would have appreciated another day to work with them.”    {Staff Member, Youth Empowerment Organization}
 
“Shreya facilitated a session where we as Dalit organizers were able to self reflect and set our own goals. They asked us deep questions about our intentions for the work we do and how we can set goals and strategize. They asked us to name the positive aspects of our personalities to gain retrospect on how abundant our lives are and the potential of our work.”    {Manisha Mashaal, Field Organizer, Dalit Women’s Self Respect Movement, India}