Oct
11
2024
Dear BMP Community,
It is with great pleasure that I write to let you know I have assumed my role as Building Movement Project’s executive director. I come to this role with a deep commitment to build on BMP’s powerful legacy.
From my time as a community organizer, racial justice educator and funder, I bring a vision for how BMP can best meet this moment in our collective struggles for justice. BMP’s legacy is already tied to some of the most powerful progressive currents in our nation’s history. From our early efforts to convene nonprofit leaders and organizations grappling with their structure, function and impacts; to the industry-shaping work of our Race to Lead research; to our responsive movement solidarity work, BMP has been an essential partner alongside frontline social change agents for the past twenty-five years. This legacy would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of BMP’s longtime departing co-executive directors, Frances Kunreuther and Sean Thomas-Breitfeld. Please read their very thoughtful goodbye messages.
This moment in history, so tense with pain and possibility, requires BMP to continue honing its mandate to help our sector tackle the most significant social issues of our time by developing research, creating tools and training materials, providing guidance, and facilitating networks for social change. Our deep partnerships and continuous dialogue with our comrades in the field make BMP ready to meet this moment.
We will continue to conduct cutting-edge research on race and leadership and keep offering clarion insight into the complexities of movement strategy through resources like our elections toolkit and our observations about how groups are navigating the current political climate. The assaults on DEI, with their wide-ranging impacts beyond the legal and educational realms, mean our race equity assessment work remains as potent as ever. We will also persist in keeping the pressure on our sector and our funding allies to meaningfully resource leaders for the long haul. Leadership development, movement solidarity and grounded, relevant research will remain mainstays of BMP’s work. At the same time, we will be poised to help bolster the sector’s emergent infrastructure needs now and into the future.
You, the BMP community, know well the brilliance and commitment of our staff. They make all of the work you know, respect, and love happen with integrity and creativity. As they work with me to steward this next chapter of BMP, we will share our progress with you via our monthly newsletter, our website, our many publications and webinars, and, of course, during your ongoing work with this incredible team.
To our nonprofit, funding, research, and movement partners, I first say, thank you for your comradeship with BMP over many years. Our work is possible because of your vision, vulnerability and drive. We will keep building strong partnerships with you and seeking innovative collaborations to deepen and expand our work together. Thank you for your support as I settle into my role and meet each of you in the coming weeks and months. If you’d like to reach out to me, please feel free to connect via email: [email protected].
I am so heartened to be joining BMP at this moment in its story. In the coming year, we will begin sharing some exciting resources about BMP’s history, of which you have been an essential part. Given BMP’s consistent presence alongside organizers, leaders and devoted justice seekers over the years, I feel genuinely honored to be helping create the next phase of this urgent work. With you, BMP will keep working to make the sector more effective and powerful.
In peace and solidarity,
Janis
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