The thing about sweeping things under the rug

I have written a poem to go with this post that I will drop in the comments but here are my thoughts in prose:

The thing about sweeping things under the rug is that while all may appear pristine on the surface, all that gathers beneath the rug is still there, even if hidden for years.

Let’s make no mistake, we are brought to this moment because of a failure by Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Toronto Chapter (AFP GTC) to address a serious issue that all board members knew about, with three of them (Nneka Allen, CFRE, COC, PCC, Mide Akerewusi, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Econ), CSR-P, CDEP. and Múthoní Karíukí HBSc, MPNL, CFRE) being on the receiving end of anti-Black racism incidents. In the workplace or any organization, the complaints and seriousness of the incidents reported would have warranted an investigation. The incidents happened about four years ago and the complaints did not trigger an escalated response and investigation. Business went on.

The real unfortunate thing is that those on the receiving end must sit, absorb, process what happened and then get on with their lives with this added weight and burden. There is no way to compartmentalize the impact – it manifests mentally (mind), physically (body) and spiritually (soul) – the whole human being.

During the four years and as recently as nine weeks ago with the release of Nneka’s article, AFP-GTC was gifted with an opportunity to address the outstanding issues and embark on a path to repair a wrong. The path begins with acknowledgement without any conditions and it requires humility, and authentic desire to more towards repair and restoration. The opportunity to begin the process was there and was not seized by AFP-GTC. The statement of apology fell short of what an appropriate acknowledgement demands. That’s on them and them alone. The had four years.

So here we are today, a collection of advocates and activist committed to being on the right side of this issue, demanding action and accountability.

Please read the open letter below to Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA, MBA, CPA and Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) to revoke @afp Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter 10 Star Chapter status.

Please share this post and add your voice by signing the petition: https://bit.ly/3L9C4Is

So, what’s the real issue facing AFP-GTC?
There is no leaping over or power-broking through this
Absorb the sting of harm inflicted; hold back from tiptoeing around it
The blame must sit where it fits and not on the folx burned and harmed as a result of it

Is there time to douse the flames and right the course?
There is a price to pay for where we are today
It’s a cost incurred, due to four years delay
Optimism remains, though it may be risky to keep holding our breath
There is a path ahead but take care in choosing the next step