A New Chapter: What a Difference A Year Makes
A Message to AFP GTC Members
It has been 365 days since the AFP GTC reopened its doors, and since that time, we have all been on a journey of learning.
Over the past 12 months I have been grateful for the support of many GTC members, Co-conspirators, AFP Chapters, past volunteers, fundraisers, other fundraising association leaders, sector leaders, non-profit and corporate leaders, people in government, change agents, influencers, young and old, Black, white, Asian, Indigenous, and Aboriginal, as far as Australia to Zambia.
This has been a year of culture shifting, a year of remodelling behaviours, and a year of building a member-serving organization that all can be proud of and part of.
It has been the year of applying Indigenous principles to our AFP GTC governance practices and being challenged to better understand the essence of community, seeking alternatives to top-down leadership cultures and speaking truth through our collective responsibility.
It has been a year requiring perseverance, wisdom, patience and optimism on my part as I have observed how willing and conditioned our sector is to overlook racism and discrimination.
Yet, It has also been a year of deep encouragement from hundreds of people who believe in equity, and have shared messages and actions of support towards change so that all in our sector and Chapter may feel the benefit of belonging.
While the work continues and we seek the best ways to understand the needs of this chapter, its members and our profession, at this point of reflection I am proud of our achievements so far. I especially wish to thank Birgit Smith Burton who has been generous in sharing her wisdom and encouragement, and supporting me at all times when I had questions, or needed advice and direction.
I also want to express my gratitude to our interim board members: Ann Rosenfield, Dane Bland, Esther Saehyune Lee, Liz Rejman, and our Indigenous practice advisor, Sara Wolfe. I am not exaggerating when I say there would be no AFP GTC without the incredible dedication of our staff team over the past 12 months: Abena Buahene, Arleen Benjamin, Taylor Cunningham, Fadwa Hadeed, and Thabo Msampha. With their generosity of time, effort, deep commitment, and willingness to push forward we have now found ourselves planning for the future.
As we progress, we must always remind ourselves about the great distance we have travelled and what needed to be left behind. If our past is not remembered, then our past may be repeated.
As I close out my first year as Interim Chair, I ask you as members of AFP GTC to always challenge racism and discrimination. Do not allow yourself to hide from the discomfort these issues can raise within you. Be courageous in speaking about what you see or experience and join others seeking to challenge systems of oppression; do not allow fear to silence your voice. If there is one major lesson I have learned over the past 12 months, it is from my fellow Co-Conspirators. I see within their courageous actions that this is not a time to be silent about injustice but a time to be active in the pursuit of equity.
During the remaining months of my tenure, we will continue to evolve our offerings for Professional Development, seek to reinforce The PROMISE as the guiding principles of our chapter, formalise a new community-based representative structure, and recruit a brand new board of directors and chair to lead the chapter in 2025.
Finally, over the next few days we will be making an exciting announcement about our new fall conference AFP TOGather 2024 (formerly Congress). While we are shifting towards a new one-day format the event is expected to be the premier date on your calendar offering subject experts, critical insights and most importantly time for mutual exchange amongst other professionals within the sector. Hope to see you there.
With my greatest respect, always
Olumide Akerewusi
Interim Chair
Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Toronto Chapter