Monthly Archives: January 2009

Financial Well Being for Non-Profit Employees


Posted by ajlovesya

Last week I attended a financial workshop hosted by the Young Non-Profits Professionals Network in NYC. While there were several useful tax, budget, and investment tips offered by the panel, the discussion seemed to focus on the unproductive comparison of non-profit and for-profit employees. For-profit employees apparently live the glorious live while non-profit employees are struggling in silence.

When it comes to our financial well being, non-profit employees should keep the following in mind:

  • The sector is diverse: When it comes to salary, your income depends on the size of your organization and the specialization required of your job. Additionally benefits may buttress a lower salary.
  • Comparisons do not help you get a grasp on your finances: Comparisons in general are just not good. When we try to keep up with people we start behaving irresponsibly. Also, for-profits and non-profits are motivated by different factors when it comes to pay and the truth is that many for-profit employees suffer also from weak benefits, low pay, and, increasingly, job insecurity.
  • Income is a weak indicator of financial well being: Income can fluctuate for a variety of reasons and changes in expenses may alter how far your income can go.
  • Financial stability has little to do with income and more to do with habits: There was a period of time when I used to envy someone with the latest technology gadgets. Now I wonder how much debt they have racked up trying to keep up with the Joneses. Focus on where your money goes not just how much is coming in.

Obama and the Promises of Racial Equality


Posted by ajlovesya

barack-obama-bw1The words “history,” “change,” and “hope” have made their rounds in virtually every media outlet around the world in an attempt to describe President Obama. We feel good as a country knowing that we have made a huge step forward. It takes a lot for a nation to elect someone from a group that it has for so long despised and abused. His election should not be taken lightly in that regard yet it should not be taken as a signal that we are now a completely equal society. I have loved his campaign, his election, and his swearing in because of the conversations that have been sparked.

So I’ll say right off the bat that I have several problems with the idea of a color blind nation. The main one being that the notion is insulting. There is nothing wrong with the color of my skin and the identity attached to it. It is not a burden or something to overcome. Additionally the task of creating such a society is frequently thrust upon people of color. Obama has made no such promises of closing the racial gap that places black Americans at or near the bottom of every measure of social progress yet somehow we expect him to. How many white presidents have had such a lofty task?

Yet for better or worse, the black American experience is now front-and-center of the American experience. Which issues will come to light? Will discussions of critical issues stop being labeled as “airing dirty laundry” and finally be seen as necessary for progress? Every time I hear the phrase “dirty laundry” I have to remind people that perfection is not and should never be a requisite for fair treatment under the law and that policies should never be crafted under the guise that a group has no agency.

With that said, we need to realize that change is about the process not just the product. It is not about creating a color blind society; it is about acknowledging the fact that problems exist and committing ourselves to addressing them. What I think many black leaders fought for and continue to fight for is the recognition that the issues facing black Americans are real, urgent, and unequivocally American, not sideline issues and not simply examples of cultural failure.

So as we begin the Obama administration, I hope we continue these conversations and ecnourage new ones.


Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday


Posted by ajlovesya

martin_luther_king3

…the easiest way to get rid of Martin Luther King Jr. is to worship him. To honor him with a holiday that he never would have wanted. To celebrate his birth and his death without committing ourselves to his vision and his love. It is a lot easier to praise a dead hero than to recognize and follow a living prophet.

Rev. Charles Adams

In many ways, I think turning King into a holiday was the worst thing to do for his legacy. On the one hand, having him as a holiday (and the very name “holiday” evokes leisure, not serious study or appreciation) at least requires that we collectively acknowledge his contributions. However, Americans–black and white–have this tendency to distort images to suit narrow needs essentially destroying a powerful legacy and message.

We are prone to selective amnesia.  We will remember that he was nonviolent yet forget he felt conflicted about teaching peace at home when we were so violent abroad; he fought against racism yet realized that the capitalist system devastated the poor and depressed them further; he professed a great love for black women yet cheated on his wife til the day he died, felt that he could find nothing beautiful in a dark skinned black woman, and stole the idea of the “poor people’s campaign” from an african american women’s organization; he believed in integration yet he also believed that separatism was healthy and necessary for blacks to progress; he recognized that we must use race in order to eradicate racism.

All of these bits of neglect serve social functions–to support the attack on affirmative action; to eclipse the problems and negative consequences of capitalism; to silence the contributions of black women to black liberation; to ridicule and dismiss black youths; to endorse feelings of victimization over resistance and power; to soothe feelings of guilt over oppression; and a host of other dreadful counterproductive actions.

And the fact that he was turned into a holiday by a anti-black anti-working/middle class administration makes me all the more weary the purpose and usage of this day.

My wishes for MLK day?:

1. Retire the “I Have a Dream Speech.” He made over 300 speeches at the height of his career. Surely we love him enough to read some of them.

2. Read about the civil rights movement from a different perspective. Women, for example, were instrumental in the civil rights movement but the patriarchal structure of the church made their voices difficult to hear.  Or how about how people abroad–mainly in Africa–reacted to the civil rights movement?  Countries throughout the continent were liberated during the same time period and the parallels are fascinating.

3. Commit to giving back. Throughout the country people are encouraged to volunteer on Dr. King’s birthday.   Instead of making it a one time thing, why not be an ongoing giver in terms of time and money.  Buttress your giving by learning about the cause or community you plan to serve through research and dialogue.  Once you make giving and learning a part of your life, you begin the process breaking down barriers.

When it comes to leadership and learning lessons the best thing to look at is how a leader evolves over their lifetime and what shaped their growth.


What I Learned about Launching a Project from Winning $5K


Posted by ajlovesya

This weekend my team and I competed at the Mobilize.org Democracy 2.0 conference in Philadelphia. We were awarded $5,000 to launch OnlyUp.org, a project designed to make the non-profit sector more appealing and friendly to people between the ages of 16-30 through evaluation and advocacy. We are a multifaceted program that will work with non-profits make their orgs more “Gen Y friendly,” provide resources to people under 30 to help them explore and excel in a career in public service, and connect excellent non-profits with excellent potential under 30 employees and board members.

When you win you are legitimized. It means that someone thinks your project has such potential that they are willing to invest in you. However, this award was different from any award I have ever received in that it left us with more questions than when we began. It’s almost as if we have to start from scratch and re-evaluate our organizational road map. During the weekend long process I’ve learned a few things about launching a project.

  • Be unique: This was by far the biggest issue we faced. While people applauded our passion, what we felt made us unique was too subtle to stand out. When you apply for grants you are talking to people who have heard every big idea out there. What makes you so special? Why are you necessary?
  • Plan to last: Not just in terms of your business plan but also in terms of your social impact. What will people take away from you? How will you make a difference?
  • Don’t chase the money: This conference was a huge deal for us and the preparation for it certainly made us more solid as a group. But I can’t help but think of the various opportunities we may have missed and how we may have begun to see our project solely in the eyes of the competition instead of in terms of our overall goals. What does your idea look like for this grant? What does it look like outside of this grant? Make sure they match!
  • Get advice from EVERYONE: Not just your target audience. The more perspectives, the better. When I when I was bouncing some ideas off of my friend who does not work at a non-profit he asked, “Do you have to be in a non-profit to make a difference?” The answer, of course, is no. However, these kinds of questions make you narrow down your focus and push you to be clearer. What would someone new to the field say about your idea? An expert? Don’t assume—go ask!
  • Be open to collaboration: Call it the superhero complex. We all want to be the one to bring that new exciting idea that will change everything. Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. Success is made by collaborating with others. Who are your partners? What existing organization can benefit from your vision?

This weekend was an amazing learning experience and my friends and I are excited about moving forward! We will be relaunching shortly after more reflection. If you have any questions or suggestions for us leave them below or shoot me an email.


The Dos and Donts of Working with Generation Y


Posted by ajlovesya

Let me make this clear right from the beginning: non-profits cannot afford to ignore Generation Y. Period. Our numbers and our skills are so large and so necessary that to pretend as though our existence is a fad will only be detrimental.

With that said, I also realize that given the diversity and size of the sector some organizations may be better poised for gen y integration than others. Some may have a budget large enough to offer perks such as loan forgiveness while others are operating with a “all-hands-on-deck!” mentality simply taking any labor that they can and not really rewarding it. This is not about dismissing people or being self important–it’s about integration and sustainability.

This list is inspired by the numerous discussions I have had with my peers and the research I continue to do as one of the founding partners for OnlyUp.org, a start-up non-profit dedicated to supporting non-profit employees under 30.

Do:

  1. Discuss differences: The different expectations of employees is sometimes laughed off: those silly Millennials wanting the world to stop for them and…those silly Boomers wanting the world to stop for them. However, those jokes easily translate into tension as employees resent each other for what they may view as unearned or undeserved praise. So why not sit down and ask “What should we know about your generation?”  Rosetta Thurman did this kind of activity and uncovered some powerful feelings that really shape how an organization operates.
  2. Let them start a project: I’ve started two projects that have required no money and have gotten us lots of publicity. It helps to have fresh eyes at the organization who see issues differently. Set some guidelines and just let them be creative! If they succeed more publicity and praise for the organization. If they fail, pick up and try again. The sector wouldnt exist without taking risks.
  3. Provide time for professional development: If you cant pay for it at least allow them time to participate in seminars, workshops, and conferences.
  4. Give flexible hours: Work/life balance is a major issue for our generation and consequently a major deterrent for entering the non-profit sector. So if we have to work a Saturday, how about leaving early Friday or a day off the following week? Or coming in early at the beginning of the week (when everyone is busiest) and later towards the end of the week (when work dies down)?
  5. Hire more than one person under 30: The one thing I love about my job last year is that I was able to connect with other young non-profit employees. No, I didnt become friends with every person under 30 but it did make the working environment better to not be the only young person in the office. Little differences like kids, health, and work life can make conversations difficult. A friend eases the tension.

Don’t

  1. Treat them like cheap labor: Treat us as valuable employees who are giving an important service.
  2. Talk down to them: Every time I hear the phrase “Well you’re young so…” I shut down. I completely stop listening. Already my presence has been devalued and I have been dismissed. This only creates tension.
  3. Segregate them: To address the issue of youth involvement, separate groups are formed for them. We are put in charge of small side projects, very rarely meeting with anyone outside of our gen y circle. While this can be valuable for its networking and community purposes, as a solution it is not enough–you cannot bring change by operating in a bubble, nor will you be sufficiently challenged. Full generational integration in every aspect of the organization should be the goal. How many young employees do you have? How many young employees on your board? How many sitting at the decision making table?
  4. Ignore their concerns: Firstly, try asking for their concerns! When we sign on to work for an organization we have a sense of what the culture is like so more often than not our concerns are small that could have a huge impact.
  5. Forget that we all want the same things: Not just in terms of social change but also in terms of work. Sometimes I am astonished at the attitudes some people have toward the requests of younger employees. You mean YOU dont want more flexible hours? YOU dont want a nice work environment where everyone feels respected? YOU dont want professional development or mentoring to improve your performance? Of course you do! How does fulfilling the desires of younger employees hurt?

Updates: I’m glad to see the conversation on this topic is growing. Bea Field, co-author of Millennial Leaders has added some excellent tips to this list. My favorites:

Do provide mentoring and coaching and reverse mentoring/coaching is better than one way mentoring. Get your Gen Ys involved in an interactive form of mentoring (let them coach you as well!)

Don’t focus on money or increase in salary as a perk. While this is important, Gen Y is much more inclined to stick with your company if you are giving them meaningful work, flexible work hours and free time to do what they love.

What else would you add?