| Dear VCW Community, I’m excited to share with you that over the past several months we’ve been preparing for a major shift at Vision Change Win. Having served as the Founding Executive Director for the past nine years, I’ve decided to leave this role at the end of 2023.  I’m honored to have led VCW’s work over this past decade, and I’m particularly proud of a few of our accomplishments, including:Growing the organization from being the sole staff member with a few collaborators to a nine person staff with over 20 trainers and consultants, and a $1.6 million budget. Creating the Community Safety Project, which provides safety, security, and rapid response training and support for movement organizations. In the past seven years, we have trained and supported over 2,700 people in 39 states. Creating resources, including the “Get in Formation: Community Safety Toolkit,” and the “Creating a Transformative Justice Informed Sexual Harassment Protocol.” Accompanying over 750 organizations to strengthen their community organizing strategy, community safety, rapid response, and conflict transformation efforts. As a Disabled, Queer, Black person this work hasn’t been easy, yet it’s been incredibly rewarding. The phrase “vision change win” first came to me in a dream. This phrase outlined a simple yet comprehensive process that I believed leftist organizations needed to transform themselves to create a more liberatory society. I wanted to create a structure and space for Queer and Trans leaders of color to build tools and support based upon the wisdom of our communities. I feel humbled by how far we have come, and I’m grateful to our consultants, trainers, staff, supporters, and partner organizations for making this possible. For some time, I’ve been hungry for more space to co-create strategy and resources to support Black, Queer, and Trans communities in challenging right-wing attacks. So, I’m moving on to do what I’ve always done – to build movement infrastructure within areas of critical need. In these tumultuous times, I will be focusing and deepening my work at the intersection of fighting fascism and building abolitionist futures. About a year ago I founded a political education and movement strategy laboratory called Ejerie Labs, where I will continue this work as the Director and Lead Strategist. I will continue to collaborate with VCW’s new leadership through this formation. |
 Every leader needs to know when it’s time to move on, to pursue new liberatory strategies, and to make room for new leadership. I’m so excited to announce that Sala Cyril will serve as the Interim Director of VCW starting in January of 2024. Sala’s commitment, diligence, experience, and political clarity are exactly what VCW will need moving forward. “I’m excited and grateful to step into the role of incoming Interim Executive Director, shepherding the vision of VCW and our team. VCW’s legacy is vast, and our future embraces change and possibility. In our next chapter, we will continue to strengthen BIPOC, Queer, and Trans movement organizations by expanding our community safety and conflict transformation offerings, and remain a critical partner that enables our movements to win.” —Sala Cyril, Interim Executive Director, 2024 You’ll be hearing from Sala and I soon on ways to celebrate with us, and on the continued expansion of our movements. Until We’re Free, Ejeris. |