Take Charge of 2021!
Chapter Leadership Brief 12.18.2020
By Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President and CEO, JCA, Inc.
For most people, 2020 can’t end soon enough. I know that I’m one of those people. I’d really like to see this year in the rearview mirror. I think that we’ve all become accustomed to chalking up anything bad or just plain weird to 2020. All of our problems will just magically disappear when the clock strikes midnight on January 1, 2021, right? Unfortunately, that’s unlikely to happen.
What will change things? Taking charge! It’s been so hard to do so in 2020 as we feel sometimes that we’ve lost control over just about everything. Whether it’s the pandemic, racial and social injustice or political polarization, sometimes it just feels that no matter what we do, it’s not enough. Businesses, including many nonprofits, have closed. Tensions that pit neighbor against neighbor have escalated into open conflict. There are forces out there that just seem to overwhelm us.
Well, in 2021, let’s change that! We need to focus on what we can control and what we can move forward. Our nonprofit community is resilient. We’ve come back from adversity every time we’ve faced that challenge. And, we’ll come through these times as well.
On January 28th, from 9am to 10:30am, the AFP New York City chapter will be holding its Annual Meeting. While we typically hold our meeting at one of the fantastic venues at Chelsea Piers, replete with stellar views and unrivaled Abigail Kirsch catering, this year’s meeting will be a mostly-live remote event. The theme: Take Charge of 2021! We have a fantastic line-up who will provide you with the insight and expertise to help you gain control.
We’ll sit down with our special guest speaker, New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, to discuss the key issues facing our city and state as we plan for the New Year. Our own Kerry Watterson will moderate a panel of leading nonprofit executives and funders, including Asha Curran, the CEO of Giving Tuesday, and Tony Hillery, the Founder and Executive Director of Harlem Grown. And, of course, we’ll have our presentation of the annual Chamberlain Award which celebrates a lifetime of dedication and service to the New York City chapter.
The Annual Meeting is free to members and just $15 for nonmembers, but everyone must register. I hope to “see” you there!