Meet NAAFA’s New Chair Elect: Tigress Osborn
Photo of Tigress Osborn, a young African-American woman with shoulder-length curly brown hair, wearing a multi-colored top and black-rimmed glasses.
NAAFA is excited to announce that Tigress Osborn has been appointed to the position of Board Chair Elect by unanimous vote of the NAAFA Board of Directors. Her appointment as Board Chair will begin January 1, 2021.
Ms. Osborn has been working with NAAFA since 2012, when she produced the fashion show at NAAFA’s San Francisco conference. Tigress has been a member of the NAAFA Board since 2015 and acts as NAAFA’s Community Outreach Director. You may have seen Tigress as the host of the NAAFA Webinar Series, which she has worked on since 2017. With Board Chair Darliene Howell and Vice Chair Peggy Howell, Tigress co-planned NAAFA’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Conference.
“I believe that Tigress Osborn has a vision that will propel the organization forward. She is well respected by the membership and fat community at large. Tigress understands the need of fat liberation to embrace anti-oppression work in all its intersections and champions inclusivity work with NAAFA every day. I have every confidence in Tigress and her ability to lead the organization. She has my full support as she moves into the position of Chair of the Board of Directors of NAAFA and my continued support as we move forward,” stated the current Board Chair, Darliene Howell.
Ms. Osborn has a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies from Smith College and a Masters in English from Mills College. She worked with the Mills College Upward Bound Program as Senior Counselor and Writing Program Director for several years before being invited to create the Director of Diversity at The College Preparatory School in Oakland, where she held that role for nine years. Her background as an educator working with such diverse communities on social justice, equity, and inclusion gives her an acute understanding of marginalized communities and the systemic challenges they face. Tigress’s work in fat community ranges from creating and running Full Figure Entertainment (a POC-centered size-positive nightlife company), to organizing and running a plus-size modeling troupe, to being featured as a guest performer with Big Moves Bay Area and so much more. She is also the co-founder of PHX Fat Force with fashion blogger Nicholet Deschine Parkhurst aka Redstreak Girl.
“NAAFA’s historic role in the size acceptance and fat liberation movement has such significance to so many people in our community,” stated Ms. Osborn. “It is an honor to be entrusted to lead the organization into the next stage of fat activism. I believe NAAFA can have a vital role in shaping a more equitable society for fat people, and I’m excited to work with our membership to build an even more robust and inclusive NAAFA as we work together towards making Equality at Every Size a reality!”
Welcome our Board Chair Elect, Tigress Osborn!
