Your "Hot Mess" is Our Pain.

Every time I think that the clownery at Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) and Chartered Institute of Fundraising cannot get worse it does.

Every. Single. Time.

This morning, I was sent a link to the Fundraising Institute Australia conference where Roger D. Ali, MBA, C. Dir., CFRE (the INCOMING chair of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) ) and Katie Docherty (CEO of Chartered Institute of Fundraising ) plan to discuss their brilliance at handling “hot messes” in their respective organizations.

https://fiaconference.org.au/programs/leadership-challenges-in-tough-times-how-to-navigate-through-hot-messes/

What hot messes you may ask?? What could they possibly be referring to?

Roger, plans to speak to how he supposedly helped navigate the calls for racial justice around incidents of anti-Black racism experienced by Nneka Allen, CFRE, COC, PCC , Mide Akerewusi, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Econ), CSR-P, CDEP. and Múthoní Karíukí HBSc, MPNL, CFRE during their time on the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter board.

As for Katie? She will be speaking to how CIOF apparently handled the reporting of sexual harassment and sexualized violence prior to her tenure.

That’s right – they have referred to calls for racial justice and the safety of women in their organizations “hot messes.”

The level of arrogance you must have to sign your name to that kind of statement is staggering. Neither of these organizations have resolved the issues raised and neither of these individuals (Roger and Katie) have done an adequate job in participating in the resolution process.

How would I know?

Because I am connected to, and in community with, both groups who fought tirelessly for justice on both issues for the better part of four years.? Neither of these groups, or those who were deeply harmed by the abuse they suffered were consulted before this session was green-lit.? None of the people who suffered at the hands of AFP or the CIOF were asked to be a part of this discussion or were consulted in advance.

I must note that as a member of the Co-Conspirators, we waited to see what Roger D. Ali, MBA, C. Dir., CFRE would do publicly as the in-coming chair of AFP Global.? We are still waiting.? Go check his LinkedIn history and tell me if you can find a single public apology or statement relating to the accusations of anti-Black racism at AFP GTC.? You won’t.?

You know who has spent two years travelling from AFP Chapter to AFP chapter telling the story of the Co-Conspirators and what that story means for the sector? Birgit Smith Burton – the first Black woman to chair AFP in its history and the founder of the AADO Network.? You know, the woman who is STILL the chair of AFP until the end of this year? The woman who has done an inordinate amount of emotional labour getting Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter , Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) , AFP Foundation for Philanthropy- Canada , and AFP Canada to do the right thing? THAT is leadership.

As for CIOF, they also remain clueless and inept at dealing with the incidents of sexualized violence and sexual harassment inside their membership.? I remain in contact with the brave women who fought to hold the system accountable, and it took an article in the Times London to out Bill Giles as one of those harassers for something to be done.? It took a scandal of that magnitude for CIOF to do anything at all.? When it all started, the former CEO of CIOF, Peter Lewis, spent more time defending the men who had harassed and violated these women than actually addressing the allegations. He had to resign in disgrace.

One must note that this scandal took place during the height of the #MeToo movement and it took years to have any justice. Many of the men responsible for harassing and assaulting women in their ranks continue to be members to this day.? To claim they “fixed” everything would be laughable if it wasn’t so infuriating.? As a survivor of sexualized violence and harassment in my own job I found the implication that this was a "hot mess" offensive and nauseating.

The egotism of Roger Ali and Katie Docherty, and their respective organizations, is offensive, but not surprising. ?Institutions like AFP and CIOF – like all large organizations – will always aim to slough off real responsibility and will focus on performative actions while patting themselves on the back.? Meanwhile, those of us who have fought to hold them accountable are subjected to further institutional betrayal.? It’s vital for organizations to engage meaningfully with the communities they impact, rather than glossing over painful histories

I am calling on the Fundraising Institute Australia to cancel this talk and to issue an apology to the women and men harmed by these respective organizations.? I am also calling on Roger Ali and Katie Docherty to explain their rationale behind agreeing to these talks and to commit to the actual work of improving AFP and CIOF and making them places where both Black fundraisers and women feel safe.?

Do the right thing.