About us
our purpose and vision
Cynara is a woman-owned social enterprise that provides gender and social inclusion analysis, training, facilitation and strategy services for socially minded organizations, businesses, and teams. We host a Gender Training Platform, that offers live, interactive courses about gender and social justice topics for professionals working in social change sectors including international and community development, humanitarian aid, and human rights. Trainings on the platform bring together theory, research, and practice into a form of critical feminist praxis, creating spaces where participants can learn critical knowledge along with ways to apply that knowledge into their work.
Our name (pronounced sin-NAR-rah) is inspired by the thistle-like, multi-layered, perennial plants of the Cynara genus. It symbolizes the complexity of human development, the resilience and growth that comes from a nurturing, supportive environment, and the power of connection. Our logo is inspired by the artichoke plant, which is a member of the Cynara genus, with a person in the center.
Cynara is a trademark name of Cynara Development Services, a registered LLC and S Corporation.
Vision
At Cynara, we work toward feminist visions of justice and prosperity. We are facilitators, advocates, researchers and connectors who believe in building collective power through local and global partnerships to transform institutions and foster systemic change.
We envision a world where:
Social change organizations, movements, and funders work in mutual partnership with the people and communities being impacted by their work, their workers and volunteers, and each other. They uphold and practice values of self-determination, dignity, compassion, creativity, accountability, and consent.
Ever-expanding, nuanced and intersectional ways of thinking about feminism, gender and justice in which advocates, organizers, practitioners and policymakers use to transform institutions.
A global justice landscape where grassroots and feminist organizations and movements across the globe are connected, have opportunities and spaces to learn from and share with each other, and act in collective solidarity with each other.