A New Year for Building Lasting Change
It’s been just over a month since I officially joined the Mertz Gilmore Foundation (MGF) as President. After every staff meeting and orientation session, I’ve felt a deep gratitude to have joined such a dedicated, all-star team supporting equity work. It’s clear from my conversations with partners & allies, board and staff that Mertz Gilmore grantee partners are truly a part of the MGF family, and I’m excited to get to know and understand their individual and collective work more deeply.
In the spirit of new beginnings, I wanted to share some initial thoughts about this moment and what’s ahead.
More than anything, the theme of change has been on my mind: the change of stepping into leadership at the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, the changes that threaten our progress toward justice and equity, and the change we’re working for in our communities.
THE MERTZ GILMORE FOUNDATION REMAINS ROOTED IN EQUITY AND JUSTICE.
Organizations are run by people, so of course leadership transition will always include some level of change based on the unique experiences and perspectives we all bring to our work. But as I begin my journey with Mertz Gilmore, my role in this moment is to learn from and deepen relationships with our staff and grantee partners in order to understand and support their work. This is an opportunity to bring curiosity and joy to our continued efforts to strengthen democracy and fight climate change nationwide, and to support dance as well as low-wealth and communities of color in New York.
The Mertz Gilmore Foundation has long been a supporter of dance, advocacy and organizing, civic engagement for climate justice, and strengthening democracy. That is not going to change. As a former youth and community organizer, it’s what attracted me to the Foundation. Our work will continue, and we plan to communicate more frequently about what this work looks like and the lessons we’re learning along the way.
OUR COMMUNITIES, AND DEMOCRACY ITSELF, WILL CONTINUE TO FACE CHALLENGES AND THREATS.
Communities have faced incredible challenges over the last several years, from increased attacks on voting rights and democracy, to climate catastrophies and daily environmental injustice. Since I first started putting my thoughts together for this letter to you all, we have witnessed continued attacks on our communities, including the police murder of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, and mass shootings in California.
I enter this new year with hope, yes, but also with clarity about the fact that the work of transformation is hard, and it takes time. Our communities will continue to experience real challenges, and times of unimaginable heartache, that threaten the progress we’ve built. Throughout these trying times, no matter the issue, the region of our country, or the particular political, social or economic condition, Mertz Gilmore will continue to meet this moment by holding true to our values, to prioritize equity and justice, and to be bold in our thinking and support for community-led solutions.
WE ARE USING EVERYTHING WE HAVE—FROM FOUNDATION RESOURCES, TO COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, TO OUR SHARED VALUES—TO CREATE A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE FUTURE.
I wanted to share a few recent examples of the kinds of changes led by our brilliant grantee partners that are giving me hope right now.
The Climate Change Solutions Program grantee partners are building power in key states and regions throughout the southeast United States in the face of the global climate crisis. For grantee partner Gulf South for a Green New Deal (GS4GND), this means building a powerful formation of members who understand the unique needs of the Gulf South, including advocates, farmers, fisherfolk, community leaders, and others working to advance climate justice across the region. Using a networked, participatory approach, GS4GND is shifting power and decision making throughout its organizing hubs, which have grown to include five states and Puerto Rico. Last June, GS4GND held its first regional action in Baton Rouge, centering on climate justice and joy.
The Democratic Values Program supports organizations building a fair, inclusive, and equitable political system that truly serves all people. Recognizing that this vision can only become reality when communities organize, speak up, and engage not just on election days but every day and for the long-run, the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Foundation (BISC) uses ballot measures to advance their work. As Executive Director Chris Melody Fields Figueredo put it, ballot measures are “the people’s tool.” They provide “the agency to define what liberation looks like to us.” But BISC’s work goes beyond individual ballot initiatives, recognizing that advancing true democracy is also defined by a community’s ability to build strong coalitions, to strengthen local organizations, and to change hearts and minds about the challenges communities are facing.
The New York City Communities Program envisions a more just New York, and supports organizations in the city and statewide that are securing justice and building power across communities. Member-led grantee partner Community Voices Heard (CVH), whose members are primarily women of color and low-income families, uses organizing, leadership development, and policy advocacy across issues to advance equity. Over the years, CVH has expanded to include chapters beyond the city, becoming the largest Black-led organizing institution in the state. As it grows, CVH is continuing to listen deeply to community needs, including through its recent Follow Black Women survey, which reached over 5,000 respondents and lifted up four top organizing issues for members: housing, health care, income inequality, and education.
The NYC Dance Program’s longtime grantee partner 651 ARTS has been creating and presenting social justice-focused dance for decades. This spring, 651 ARTS will co-locate to a 12,500 foot space in the Downtown Brooklyn Cultural District at 10 Lafayette Avenue. While 615 ARTS has brought African Diasporic artists, dancers, choreographers, and communities together for decades, this is the first time it will independently program and operate its own space. With this incredible addition, 651 ARTS will be more than a performance space, but also a sustainable Black cultural community home where artists have creative freedom and can have their work seen and celebrated beyond their neighborhood.
IN CLOSING, “CHANGE RARELY COMES IN NEAT PACKAGES.”
I want to finish by sharing a quote with you. You might recognize it from the Mertz Gilmore website.
“The foundation has been fortunate to have a founding legacy, which the current board and staff understand, that change rarely comes in neat packages. While recognizing the need to be clear about desired ends, we also know that there may be unexpected problems and unanticipated consequences, as well as surprising victories. Efforts aimed at improving the human condition take time, experimentation, and a willingness to accept the unpredictable. Real work, worth doing, requires a patient and humble devotion to learning and adjusting alongside the grantees.”
This quote is almost 30 years old. It comes from a 1994 board statement, built on the founders’ belief that the Mertz Gilmore Foundation would never waver on its values, while recognizing the road to transformational change doesn’t always look like we expect it to.
I am truly excited to build this next chapter with you.
In partnership,
Aditi Vaidya
President
Mertz Gilmore Foundation