There are few spaces for people of colour to feel safe in the nonprofit sector. This is not new. However, when I read Nneka Allen, CFRE, COC, PCC‘s testimony of her experience as a board member in Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter with Mide Akerewusi, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Econ), CSR-P, CDEP. and Múthoní Karíukí HBSc, MPNL, CFRE, I had hope that Nneka’s precise articulation of her experience of anti-Black racism would cut through the noise of ego and values of white supremacy and propel AFP-GTC to action.
Last week’s apology from AFP-GTC proved that no matter how elegantly and precisely you lay out the truth, some people, or associations, are not ready to see it.
AFP-GTC released an apology and buried it amidst some IDEA actions. I wouldn’t even sincerely call it an apology because this is clearly the output after much deliberation of how to quell the rising pressure from its constituents to respond to Nneka’s testimony. This is clearly a summation of many hours devoted to how to navigate a potential PR crisis rather than a sincere gesture of apology or remorse and action.
As my fellow co-conspirator, Nicole Salmon said, “There are so many readily available resources that breakdown the anatomy of creating a sincere apology; straightforward do’s and don’ts that serve as a guide in constructing an apology that reflects the humility required. It starts with specifically and directly naming what it is you are apologizing for and then laying out specific measures you will take to atone and address the reason for issuing the apology. If you aren’t prepared to truly name it, you are truly not prepared to claim it. There is no moving on without sincerely naming and claiming what triggered the need to issue an apology in the first place.”
Since AFP-GTC has demonstrated no true spirit of repair or reconciliation, we are moving forward with a petition to Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) Global to revoke AFP-GTC’s status as a Ten-Star Chapter. To have AFP-GTC continue to brandish the Ten Star Chapter Status is an insult to the industry and those impacted.
Here is the letter to Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA and AFP Global to revoke AFP Toronto’s 10 Star Chapter Status.
Join us by sharing these posts and signing the petition: https://bit.ly/3L9C4Is
We await your response. We won’t be patient.
#calltoaction #antiracism #justice #nonprofitsector #collectingcourage
