Farewell to the Butterflies

Dear AFP GTC Members,  

“The butterfly seeks safety in lightness 
In weightless, undulating flight 
But at a crossroads where mottled light 
From old trees falls on a brash new highway 
Our separate errands collide 
I come power-packed for two 
And the gentle butterfly offers 
Itself in bright yellow sacrifice 
Upon my hard silicon shield.”  – Chinua Achebe, Benin Road 

It is time to bid farewell as I am in my final week serving as your interim chair. Birgit Burton appointed me for an 18-month term, and I will be stepping down as planned at the conclusion of this period. As an interim chair serving under the most challenging circumstances, I depart feeling that despite the unfortunate and unexpected closure of our chapter in May 2023, we have not only recovered, we have carved out a new future for ourselves, and we are well positioned as a democratic membership organization where the interests of our members are represented.   

I leave with much gratitude as the recipient of wonderful encouragement, advice, affection and goodwill in my role. Every member who shared their thoughts and important opinions about what was needed, every diverse person who collaborated through our Affinity Groups, every board and staff member who offered their wisdom, every fundraiser who attended our events, all of those who wrote a message of support for the changes taking place, every co-conspirator who guided me throughout my tenure, every changemaker who inspires constant collaboration, every sponsor who invested in our vision; YOU have all contributed to the transformation at AFP GTC, and it is my sincere hope that YOU will continue to advocate for AFP GTC to be a caring and compassionate place of belonging for all people who wish to be part of a strong fundraising community.   

The question, what more can be done to assure the belonging of our members, and demonstrate our passion for racial equity? still stands. We have The PROMISE as our guide, however if there is one thing to note about promises, it is that the true test of them is not what is said or written within them but the actions they inspire within us, towards delivery.  The work of rebuilding and changing culture, aligning our values with our actions, and instilling the spirit of togetherness among the fundraising community are all accomplishments that I will forever be proud of working towards. I won’t say the hard work is done; however, I will note that a blueprint for continued change is set in place. I am confident that our Chapter will continue to challenge systemic anti-Black racism within AFP and work to dismantle all forms of discrimination and oppression faced by our members and the broader fundraising community.  

Sometime in the future, I hope to share my experiences of change and resistance to change, while navigating the internal culture of AFP.  For now, I will say that I am far less hopeful for AFP Global and AFP Canada organizations to competently and convincingly live up to member expectations. This calls their relevance into question. 

Some influential fundraisers remain silent on the most pressing issues faced by our sector and our profession. Too many are willing to endure (as attributed to George W. Bush) the soft bigotry of low expectations as they continue to influence and sway attention towards the most trivial and sometimes nebulous issues. Where is the commentary on sexual harassment and discrimination, religious and racial bigotry, calls for peace, and any issues relating to Justice, Access, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (JAIDE), towards change in our sector?  If all leaders are silent, then who will speak on behalf of those who seek equity? Silence and inaction remain a loud and clear indication of complicity among those with power. It’s this silence that leads to soft bigotry and ends in hard bigotry, beginning with an ever-increasing level of tolerance for wrong, and ending with an inability to fight for what is right. 

For those of us who are activists in challenging dangerous systems of oppression that perpetuate hurt, hate, and harm, we face the daily risk of the fateful butterfly in Chinua Achebe’s poem, Benin Road. We are in search of safety, taking flight, feeling light, at a crossroads, and buttressed against the force of a hard silicone shield. The interesting thing about silicone is that it cannot resist heat. So, my call to action to you is to please ignite, reignite and remain ignited within this Chapter, within your organizations and within the fundraising profession, to create a type of heat that melts the hardest shield of resistance – silence.  Forgive me for being “preachy”, but I would rather be a preacher for right than a silent bystander in wrong! 

So, I wish you farewell, and once again share my gratitude for the opportunity to serve you to the very best of my ability over the past almost 18 months. As of December 2, 2024 Ann Rosenfield will be your new interim chair.  

We are inviting all members to join us on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, starting at 10:00 AM for our Annual General Members Meeting (Virtual).  As they too step down, our interim board will recommend members for our brand new 2025 board. Please register to attend the AGM here. Your participation and endorsement of our new board is important. We need a minimum of fifty members to attend the meeting so that our work will continue in 2025. AFP GTC can only be as strong as the interest shown by you and the accountability that you seek from your board as members.  

If you are wondering what is next for me, not only am I ending my role at AFP GTC, I am also closing my tenure as a lifelong volunteer, nearing 30 years of service to many non-profit organizations in Canada and internationally. I sincerely feel that my work is complete. It is time to shift my focus to my family, my friendships, my faith, my health, and my business. I am also stepping back from work, to begin a four-month sabbatical, in December 2024. I will be resting from work, celebrating important milestones with my family, gaining further inspiration and mapping the next phase of my life. For now, I am happy to be a free-floating butterfly on the Benin Road, trying my best to avoid collisions with oncoming silicon shields! (for a while). 

Sincere Best Wishes 

Olumide (Mide) Akerewusi