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John,
“What seeds did you plant six months ago that you are finally starting to see bloom?” That was the icebreaker question I asked Equality Virginia’s Board of Directors, Executive Director and staff at our Board meeting this past weekend in Staunton, VA.
Everyone's answers were different but one thing was clear– when we plant seeds in our own lives we are doing so with thought and intention, and we are carefully considering how and if we are creating an environment that will allow ourselves, our passions, and our communities to grow.
This also speaks to the very nature of LGBTQ+ movement work and our work at Equality Virginia. Are we creating an environment that allows our work and community to not just grow but also THRIVE?
In 2020 Equality Virginia’s Board of Directors developed a strategic framework. Since then, the organization has hired new leadership, new staff and brought on a majority of new Board members. Most importantly, we’ve heard direct feedback from the most marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia that Equality Virginia needs to improve how it addresses the issues that are most impacting their day-to-day lives.
It’s clear that Equality Virginia needs to update its strategic framework to allow us to adapt to a quickly changing landscape and support the community.
Starting in June, we’ll be undertaking a collaborative six-month planning process refreshing our organizational mission, vision, and values and creating a strategic plan that reflects our values, the board’s vision, the staff’s work and the needs of LGBTQ+ Virginians. But we can’t and won’t do this without your input. As we begin this process, we’ll discuss ways to gather external information and engage with stakeholders to understand community wants, needs, desires, and barriers that may impact our work.
We’re only at the beginning of this process, but we are planting the seeds now– with thought and intention– so that Equality Virginia and our community can grow together.
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