A love letter from Sona Smith as she transitions from her role as Executive Director

Dear ICAH community,

We’ve been through a lot together. ICAH has survived for 44 years, even when so many other organizations have not been able to remain open through the worldwide pandemic, local and national assaults on Black lives, and attacks on reproductive rights evident in the forced sterilizations of immigrants, continued disparities in outcomes for Black birthing parents, barriers to accessing abortion care and other sexual and reproductive health care services.

I’m proud of us, and I’m very grateful for ICAH, this team, and how tenderly we have all cared for each other during these tough times. We’ve moved with patience and grace internally and have asked our external partners for the same. Thank you for moving with us.

I stepped into the role of Executive Director nearly two years ago, not knowing that the world would implode just three months later. The challenge of meeting the ever evolving, always shifting, urgent, and long term needs of an organization like ICAH was both beautiful and a heavy act of love. A moment arrived in recent months when I needed to care for myself the way I have cared for ICAH.

ICAH birthed within me the desire to seek work in philanthropy next. And this means departing my role as Executive Director of ICAH as of the end of October 2021. I will continue to fight for Reproductive Justice as I join the Ms. Foundation for Women as Birth Justice Program Officer.

A leadership transition is never easy, but mine is also an opportunity for ICAH to lean into the spirit of community and ensure that this transition births a more sustainable organization for the next wave we’ll ride. A big part of my role was dreaming, envisioning an ICAH who’s organizational structure boldy reflects our reproductive justice values and provides a strong foundation upon which our programming stands and shifts to respond to the needs of those most impacted by systemic injustices and inequities. I look forward to supporting this dream in other ways and from other seats. And I send immense amounts of radical joy and positive vibes to the youth, staff, and the board who will activate, implement, and move those dreams into fruition… in ICAH and in the world. I’ll be riding that wave of transformation with you as a supporter and friend.

I’ll leave you with this quote that has been an important part of my ICAH journey: "All that you touch you change, All that you change, changes you."

Sending you love.

Sending you peace.

Sending you immense gratitude.

Sona

ICAH’s Board of Directors is 18 people strong - and wants to hear from you!

ICAH has a strong, growing board of directors of 18 members, half of whom are continuing and half who are new (though many are not new to ICAH)! ICAH’s board has decided to be different from a traditional nonprofit governance board. We are a working board with committees devoted to supporting fundraising, friendraising, curriculum, staff care, and other ways of caring for the organization using an anti-racist and anti-colonial approach.

Our board is holding space for this leadership transition, following Sona’s lead and ready to follow the lead of staff and youth to decide together how ICAH will heal, thrive, and grow moving into 2022. We will keep you updated in the coming months and will be requesting your input in the dreaming and healing process ahead. Please reach out anytime with questions or ideas to boardchair@icah.org.

Our board and staff would greatly appreciate a show of support for ICAH’s ability to survive, thrive, heal, and grow with a donation. We are especially looking for monthly gifts of any amount so we can appreciate those of you who are here with us for the long term!