Building a Platform That Centers Lived Experience
Measure was founded on the transformative belief that community has the solutions. By asking the right questions and designing research that reflects real experiences, Measure helps organizations and institutions better understand the relationship between people, systems, and power.
“Too often, solutions are created for us, without us,” Meme says. “Measure exists to flip that dynamic — to honor the experiences, wisdom, and solutions that already live within our communities.”
The organization’s work supports efforts such as:
- Advancing policies that better serve communities of color
- Defining what responsible artificial intelligence should look like in Austin and beyond
- Empowering women, especially Black women, to become evaluators and researchers
“Measure’s work is about shifting power,” Meme explains. “We’re resilient. We don’t just survive — we thrive. And when we’re trusted to define the metrics, the outcomes are stronger for everyone.”
From Community Conversations to Citywide Impact
Meme has called Austin home for about 11 years. She arrived at a time when community members were deeply engaged in conversations about justice, accountability, and what it means to build trust.
During one pivotal panel discussion focused on relationships between communities and police, Meme posed a question that would spark the creation of Measure - “What if we actually measured community trust — and made sure the metrics reflected what communities need, not just what institutions want to see?”
“That’s when I realized it wasn’t just about policing,” she says. “It was about everything. Communities need clarity, language, and data to talk about their relationship with government and systems of power.”
A Partnership That Grows with the Mission
Measure’s relationship with UFCU goes back nearly a decade.
“UFCU was the very first [financial institution] we walked into,” Meme recalls. “And right away, we knew this was going to be a partner, not just a service provider.”
For Meme, UFCU reflected Measure’s own values of trust, inclusion, and long-term commitment to community well-being.
“As we’ve grown and scaled, UFCU has been there through moments of transition and expansion,” she says. “We’ve been able to consistently reinvest in our communities and pay people for what they’re worth because of that support. We created this system together.”
Honoring Shared Power and Collective Brilliance
For Meme, Black History Month is not just a time of reflection — it’s a time to honor shared power.
“It means creating space to recognize the restorative power of my people and my community,” she says. “We are resilient. We are joyful. We are loving. We are unified.”
She sees this moment as an opportunity to celebrate both individual brilliance and collective impact.
“We are brilliant on our own — and luminaries together. This is a chance to honor our ancestors, the dreams they dreamed for us, and the future we’re still building. Progress is collective and it’s built through partnerships like this, where institutions show up consistently, honor history, and invest in a future that is more than just accountability. It’s about being more human.”
Through Measure’s work — and through support from institutions like UFCU — those dreams are not just remembered. They’re measured, supported, and brought to life.
UFCU is proud to partner with organizations like Measure — supporting work rooted in trust, equity, and long-term impact.
Member Meme S
Member since 2017
Services Business banking