Moving Forward Together - Next Steps for the Pillar Board of Directors
We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts through a public letter. Please be assured that we consider all feedback carefully and always strive to listen, learn and improve. Over the past two months, we have seen and heard from some of our members, co-tenants, and stakeholders questions regarding our recent decisions and their perplexity in our decision-making process. We wish to remind the community that we need to respect the confidentiality and privacy of the individuals involved, despite the request of some for more transparency and information. We want to remind the community that we continue to adhere to employment laws and follow the professional expert advice of our legal and human resources counsel and various subject matter experts, who were consulted both before and after the leadership change.
We are a group of diverse, equity-focused thinkers who came to Pillar because of its action-oriented call to equity. We work together, collaboratively, and respectfully for the health of Pillar and our community. As one of the most diverse boards in the history of Pillar and the region, this volunteer board has the lived experience, compassion, commitment to equity, education, work experience and commitment to make brave, impactful, equity-minded and strategic decisions on behalf of our organization as we continue to move forward.
We are grateful to the many members and supporters who have walked respectfully with us in this process without accusation or harm. Board members have engaged in fruitful and supportive interactions with dozens of Pillar stakeholders over the past two months. We have learned from you and respect your compassionate, careful, and true transformational leadership, and we are thankful for the broad community support directed to the Pillar board, staff, and membership and to our mission.
We, as a Board, have been considering various ways to help the organization stakeholders and the concerned community move forward in a constructive and positive manner. The immediate resignation of all Board members, which is currently being called for in this open letter, is not the best path forward as it would cause further uncertainty and instability to Pillar.
We do not believe that it is appropriate or wise to call for the resignations of people we disagree with based on rumours and assumptions. We also believe that Pillar is, and always will be, bigger than one person, leader, or board member. We will not be bullied into abandoning our responsibilities in the face of personal attacks as we stand behind our decisions as a collective. We believe we owe Pillar and our community a steady course as we make vital changes with the community at our side. For this reason, the board remains dedicated to fulfilling its legal and fiduciary duties until our regular board attrition date in April.
However, we do recognize that the current discord is a distraction to the amazing work being done by Pillar staff, volunteers, co-tenants, and community members, as well as to the Pillar Board and a distraction that we cannot allow to continue.
In order for us all to move forward in a positive manner, it will be necessary for some Board members to transition off the Board and for new members to be brought on in an orderly, community supported and systematic manner between now and the end of the current Board term in April. We also know that many of our board members have been intentionally targeted because of their lived experiences, and we need a new approach to selecting and onboarding new Board members in order to ensure safety and community care for those new members to Pillar. No current board members wish to see the kind of vitriol we have endured continue for any other community member. There is work to do before a change in leadership, and we are prepared to guide that work alongside transformational leaders in our community.
Our commitment has always been to Pillar and to modelling best practices which align with our strategic plan and the needs of our community. We will continue demonstrating that commitment going forward, just as we know you will.
For these reasons, in the coming days, we will be announcing further details about a new Board selection and onboarding approach, which will include calling for community input and support through a Community Leadership and Advisory Panel.
The work continues at Pillar. Please support our staff by participating in the following workshops and events:
● Non-Profit Connector Call - October 11, 2022
● Art for Impact by Social Six - October 12 to December 1, 2022
● Indigenous Treaty Series - October-November 2022
More information about these and other events can be found here: https://pillarnonprofit.ca/pillar-events
We are excited about the future of Pillar, and we hope you will join us in moving forward together.
Sincerely,
Pillar Board of Directors
Mary Alikakos
Malvin Wright
Nicole Spriet
Mark Snyders
Melissa Allder
Kay Habib
Michele Manocchi
Alicia Samuel
Melanie Stone
Alex Summers