“You are not born racist. You are born into a racist society. And like anything else, if you can learn it, you can unlearn it. But some people choose not to unlearn it, because they’re afraid they’ll lose power if they share with other people. We are afraid of sharing power. That’s what it’s all about.” ~ Jane Elliott
A couple of weeks ago a demand letter from Caroline Riseboro was issued by her lawyer, Craig Colraine threatening to sue AFP GTC, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) and AFP Canada if the Associations do not cease and desist their actions in acknowledging the anti-Black racism that occurred during Caroline Riseboro’s tenure as chair of AFP GTC.
Nneka Allen, Elizabeth LeClair and Mide Akerewusi, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Econ), CSR-P, CDEP. are mentioned in this demand letter. To date, none of us have received a copy of the demand letter despite our request for it. Nor have we been apprised of or involved ourselves in any legal action.
Our information comes from second-hand sources who received the demand letter. The letter expressly accuses all three aforementioned AFP entities of defamation whom Caroline alleges damaged her reputation in a statement of apology to Nneka, Mide and Múthoní Karíukí HBSc, MPNL, CFRE. AFP GTC posted this statement on LinkedIn and their website on April 12th and then subsequently removed the statement on April 24, 2023.
Implicit in the demand letter is individual legal action against Nneka, Liz and Mide. From our understanding of its contents, it makes unsubstantiated and discrediting comments against all three of us. Craig Colraine has confirmed the existence of the demand letter through correspondence with Nneka and Liz. Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA of AFP Global has also confirmed the existence of the demand letter through a LinkedIn post at the beginning of May.
It is common to face resistance in the battle for racial justice. Those who gain their power through the oppression of others have a vested interest in preserving the systems of oppression. It is clear that our action symbolizes a threat to the current order and active steps are being taken to silence us and those who support racial justice in the charitable sector.
Our voices will not be silenced irrespective of the actions of others to undermine our genuine and valid complaints. Also, we know that we are not alone in this action. We are making progress. It is important to note that our petition to remove the 10-Star designation of AFP GTC now has over 1,200 signatories. Our movement for racial equity and justice continues to grow with the support of all who seek fairness and justice.
In a recent Linkedin post, AFP GTC seems to be paying simple lip service to the issue of anti-Black racism in their chapter. Further action is required to make AFP GTC accountable as the organization seeks to cloak itself in Caroline’s threat of legal action as an excuse for its own inaction.
On April 24th, Nneka, Mide and Muthoni received an invitation from AFP GTC to meet with some of their Board members. On May 1st, we responded to their invitation expressing openness to a meeting on the condition that we receive a genuine apology in advance from the Board leadership on behalf of the individual Board members and that our meeting be independently mediated. To date, they have not responded to the conditions we put forth for such a meeting.
“Now the other thing we’ll have to do is this: Always anchor our external direct action with the power of economic withdrawal.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King
We are therefore requesting the following economic actions to complement our protest. These actions are open to all individuals and organizations with membership, affiliation, or knowledge of AFP GTC seeking a more accountable and equitable Association. We call for three clear actions in support of the change we seek. We invite you to:
- Cease the renewal of your individual and organization memberships of AFP GTC, until the repair is complete.
- Boycott AFP GTC conferences, webinars, and workshops as a mark of protest against inaction by AFP GTC to resolve anti-Black racism among its Board.
- Apply pressure on sponsors and agencies who continue to support AFP GTC while it perpetuates ongoing racism and withholds a genuine apology.
In solidarity,
Nneka & Mide