Rebirth Update #2: Trusting the leadership of young people and artists
Dear ICAH community,
Are we there yet? That is the feeling and tone of our climate - rushing and urgent to move into a new normal. While this seems like the way of being for most right now, ICAH is choosing a different approach.
In this time of transition ICAH is choosing to recenter and align with our values and our work around justice of all forms. We are exploring and reimagining our organization’s leadership style, organizational structure, internal impact, and public facing work. We are also deepening our internal justice work by noticing, integrating, and practicing what we preach and advocate for.
We’re pausing external and public-facing programming.
Spinning our chrysalis is taking all our resources – including time and creative energy. For the foreseeable future, we are pausing our public programming, including project partnerships, community and school-based education, and most external requests. We thank you for helping us practice our boundaries as we say “no”! As ever, we are grateful for your patience and look forward to future collaborations.
Team ICAH continues to be committed to our education, organizing and cultural work. Right now, that looks like turning inward: educating ourselves (we forgot how much we love to learn!), organizing our close networks, and continued work to shift our internal culture.
We’re trusting in the longtime leadership of young people and artists.
In our last email, we introduced Aisha, Alyssa, Chi, and Jenni, our Transition Co-Directors and Board Co-Chairs. Sona Smith, former Executive Director, continues to share her key wisdom. Now, we are thrilled to share the expanded team who will be leading the rebirth process!
Youth Organizer Alum Kat West has joined the ICAH staff as Program Manager!
CHAT Youth Fellows Hannah Baity and Grey Miller have been contracted to co-create and host youth engagement and to shape our Rebirth from a youth perspective.
Sex Educators and FYI mainstays Dionne Addai and Kirsten Baity have been contracted to support large-scale visioning as collaborators and alums of our programs, shaping our Rebirth from a cultural perspective.
We’re inviting YOU in.
We want to hear from our community! Be on the lookout for another Rebirth Update in the next couple of weeks for ways that you can get involved. Here are a few things we’re cooking up now:
For Youth - On Saturday, March 12th @ 12:30-3:30PM CST via Zoom, young people – including CHAT alums and youth age 12-22 who have yet to get connected to our work – are invited to attend a youth-only event to talk about the themes of capitalism, organizing, social justice and the nonprofit industrial complex as it relates to the film Black Panther and the work of ICAH. Youth will be compensated with both participation and meal stipends. Save the date, spread the word, and reach out to kat at icah dot org with any questions or use this form to RSVP.
For ICAH family - Current and former youth organizers, facilitators, staff, artists, and board members, we’d love to hear your in-depth thoughts, stories, and ideas about how ICAH can move forward through healing and change. We’re hard at work on a digital survey just for Team ICAH, with several accessible options for sharing, like voice memos or 1-on-1s with a transition committee member. More on this soon.
For Orgs we admire - We want to learn from your wisdom. We plan to interview folks at organizations, collectives, and other groups who we witness moving in the ways we want to move: centering youth, care, shared power, and accountability. If you would like to contribute to this sharing of wisdom in the form of making a recommendation, sharing a direct contact, or being interviewed, email us at info at icah dot org.
WHEW! Thanks for following us. We are continuously amazed and grateful for the support of our community. We ground into this rebirth process with radical change and radical love as Angela Davis taught us, by “grasping things at the root.” We hope this resonates and that you join us when and where you can for this next phase of ICAH’s life.
In solidarity,
Aisha + Alyssa