"Y'all: MY SHOT HAS ARRIVED!!! and I'm taking it. This is BIG" Fri Feb-02-18 11:38 AM by Damali
All I can say publicly (until *they* release the official announcement) is that I'm producing something for a huge festival in NYC this summer
for those that don't know, I was promoted to CEO at a nonprofit where I'd work for 4 years, went through hell (for those 7 months of being the boss) and was abruptly fired by the board of directors in October 2017.
I've been technically unemployed ( for the first time in 20 years!) since then, driving uber and lyft full time (whole other story), and stressing about suddenly surviving on half my previous take home pay, while low-key resisting taking another job because I want to pursue creative dreams that I'd long ago put on the shelf..
all while i'm still in grad school (1 more year!) and my son just started undergrad at NJIT (where i'm suddenly on the hook for half his tuition as they still think i make six figures..sigh)
but then this opportunity fell in my lap and its perfect for me. Once the real announcement happens, i'll be back on here with all the details.
yeah the retreat went great, then things went quickly downhill after that
The board had no idea how to be a board...i had 8 clueless bosses that were used to the other guy that retired and had no idea how to guide or develop me. they didn't even understand the difference in roles of the board and the executive director. i was also in union negotiations, getting picketed and trashed by them weekly, and i had to deal with practically retraining long time, ineffective employees. when i started firing some of them, that's when the shit really hit the fan...not long after, i was axed.
>not sure if it would have mattered but I do have experience >in the area. > >You got to cultivate allies on the board before cleaning shop. >Figure out which ones are from the old regime and purge those >mofos.
Yeah i thought I'd done that lol...I had a great relationship with most of them for 4 years...then once I became the ED, they became distant and sort of clinged more to each other, as they didn't have the person who brought them on in the first place anymore...
I also chose to be extremely transparent and let them know (well moreso, I encouraged the CFO to let them know) that the retired ED had been hiding stuff from them...basically that there was a $400K deficit in the budget..that upset them so much...that their sacred cow kept stuff from them...but it also made them not trust me...like if he hid that, and we KNEW HIM, what will she hide? lol
19. "I love that you brought the progress report. " In response to Reply # 16
Even moreso knowing that you take encouraging to heart.
I think that's such an integral aspect of maintaining a strong sense of community.
It's also fruitful. It encourages me, in the moment at least, to continue to speak those words to others going forward. Not on some corny YES WE CAN!! shit, but I know for me it definitely helps stave off cynicism.
12. "sweet! so looking forward to the update!!!!!" In response to Reply # 0
been thinking/worried of/for you since that ish went down... though I know you'll always make a go of it, you definitely deserve a better go of it than the harder go of it.
I didn't really want to go all deep into it cuz its still so painful..
but in addition to what I wrote above, I fired an older black man who'd been there for 20 years...doing the same exact thing year after year...refusing to update his methods or use technology in any way...pretty much didn't want to report to me because i was younger and a woman..but whatever. that department was outdated and needed new leadership. and he was part of the faction that was super loyal to the outgoing ED..so bye.
so when i fired him, he accused me of only doing so because he wouldn't sleep with me.
he lodged an anonymous complaint to the board, enlisting the help of the only other male direct report (also older than me, sexist and Egyptian)...concocted a story that i was handing out promotions to the maintenance guys in exchange for sexual favors, that i was angry and power hungry, cursing in front of parents and staff...like all kinds of wild shit
it was alarming enough for the board to investigate...lawyers interviewed me and all other folks named. i don't know at all what the investigation "turned up" but all i know is the Executive Committee met with me in my office one morning ,fired me and escorted me out.
**************** TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*
24. "^^^^^ focused. ^^^^^^" In response to Reply # 23 Fri Feb-02-18 05:54 PM by dapitts08
lol congrats Damali!!! good stuff!!!
but if you got them tix though.....lol
the key to happiness is not being rich; it's doing something arduous and creating something of value and then being able to reflect on the fruits of your labor
27. "I love it, you deserve this one whatever it is" In response to Reply # 0
and I know you'll nail the landing.
__________________________________________ CHOP-THESE-BITCHES!!!! ------------------------------------ Garhart Ivanhoe Poppwell Un-OK'd moderator for The Lesson and Make The Music (yes, I do's work up in here, and in your asscrease if you run foul of this
legsdiamond Member since May 05th 2011 79554 posts
Mon Feb-05-18 09:03 AM
42. "congrats.. and smh at that old head accusing you" In response to Reply # 0
**************** TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*
45. "RE: Y'all: MY SHOT HAS ARRIVED!!! and I'm taking it. This is BIG" In response to Reply # 0
CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE KEEP US POSTED.
In the meantime you should meet with the folks at NJIT and have your son's package adjusted since a sudden loss of income should qulaify him for some benefits. Let me know I can ask around since I work at a college in the NYC area
50. "ha just seeing this." In response to Reply # 45
>In the meantime you should meet with the folks at NJIT and >have your son's package adjusted since a sudden loss of income >should qulaify him for some benefits.
i'm literally submitting the application update as we speak...thanks so much!
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