I'm Crystal Mason (they/them) — a certified mediator, facilitator, and organizational development consultant working where culture, movement, and systems change meet. I come to this work rooted in Black, queer, fat, feminist, and liberatory traditions, and shaped by over 30 years building spaces where marginalized voices get to be loud, messy, and whole — as co-founder and Artistic Director of Luna Sea Women's Performance Project, Executive Director of the Jon Sims Center for the Arts, and Administrative Director of Queer Rebels Productions. Somewhere along the way I fell in love with the harder, quieter work too: sitting with people in conflict, helping organizations build real accountability instead of blame, and designing spaces where people actually trust each other enough to grow.
Through Tree of Change, which I co-created with my dear collaborator Jason Wyman, my own consultancy and my work with Imagine Us I offer mediation, facilitation, and strategic planning to folks ready to do that deeper work. I believe in plain language over jargon, participant voice over top-down authority, and the idea that however we choose to navigate harm and build culture together, it's a tribute to what we've survived, and to the world we're still building.
Photo by Don Bowden
My Theory of Change
I believe that lasting transformation begins with building spaces where people feel a true sense of belonging—spaces that center vulnerability, accountability, and joy. We are living through the collapse of systems rooted in domination, extraction, and control, and while resistance is essential, it is not enough. My theory of change is grounded in the understanding that we must also co-create new systems, cultures, and institutions that reflect the world we are fighting for, one where healing, abundance, and liberation are possible for all. This means tending to the harm we've internalized, cultivating practices of deep reflection, and fostering connection across difference. Through my own consultancy and my work with Tree of Change , Culture Tending Commons, Imagine Us, and the SEIU BOLD Center I support individuals, groups, and organizations in setting the cultural conditions that make sustainable, collective change possible. We are not just organizing against oppression; we are organizing for a future where we all thrive.
Check Us Out
The Tree Of Change is going into year 3 working with the African American Arts & Culture Complex. We have accomplished a lot together. The AAACC has been a home, a hub and a holder of Black dreams, history and tools for the future for Black artists and creatives, in the Filmore & beyond. Check out the Impact report we prepared for the AAACC in words and pictures.
People Are Saying
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Crystal Mason worked with ARTSCCC (Arts Contra Costa County) Crystal provided invaluable advice and strategic visioning to build a strong foundation for our organization. We believe in building new, equitable, and grassroots structures focused on community first. Crystal’s professional insights and personal experiences highlighted how institutional gaps can be transformed to be culturally responsive. ARTSCCC is grateful for Crystal’s brilliance!
Jenny Balisle, Founding Executive Director Arts Contra Costa County.
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Crystal Mason led our whole staff in a facilitated discussion, “From Acronyms to Action”, as part of our diversity, equity, and inclusion work. The professional development was requested by staff who wanted some more direction after earlier social justice and equity training. Staff was looking to refine their objectives and key results, seek assistance and deeper knowledge of places where they felt blocked, and learn more about best practices in arts and cultural organizations. The feedback from staff has been overwhelmingly positive. The session was inspiring, challenging, and insightful. Crystal helped our museum recognize what we had already accomplished, as well as helped us start to identify how we can deepen our commitment to social justice and equity work.
Miriam Kronberg, Interim Co-Executive Director, and COO Berkshire Museum
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Crystal and Jason are extremely talented in what they do. They quickly create a welcoming, safe community, and they skillfully guide participants through a process of discovery that reaches even the most hesitant participants. I have personally taken several of their workshops and I have found them transformational.
Hannah Dworkin, San Francisco Opera
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Working with Tree of Change, led by the remarkable facilitators Jason and Crystal, is truly transformative. Their commitment to deep listening, community-driven change, and personal growth is inspiring, and their work has had a profound impact on the team and community. We are just beginning! I would highly recommend Tree of Change to anyone looking to cultivate meaningful connections, foster personal growth, and create positive change in your organization or communities.
Melorra Green , Co-Director, African American Arts and Culture Complex
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