Yup. This is it.
Ok. I have a lot to write tonight, and at least three engagements I promised to return to, and because Claire has frequent flier miles, and Marlise got her taxes in, now they can both come to San Diego, ambush me by the orange tree, sit me down on a patio chair with nothing more than Diet Dr pepper and day old banana bread, and force me to write everything on that weekend list on the back of the Trader Joe’s receipt, so I have to exhibit excellent time management tonight, and submit every post before I am allowed a bubble bath and a snort of ruby port. (Ok. Not Trader Joe’s. Really Aldi. I was trying to impress you.)
So because my dance card is hella full tonight, I am going to make this quick and simple.
You are the reason this exists. Period. We have a Basic Budget of $2000 a month, which goes for my work, and that of my staff and contributors.
I am going to be audacious. I would like this small Basic Budget Goal to be met with this one first Ask.
And–We would like to go bigger; Our Intermediate Budget is $3500 a month, which would allow us to do more, and allows me to come closer to what our staff and contributors are worth–and allows us to commission more work from amazing women writers of color who are not nearly as recognized as they should be.
It would also get us closer to an official non profit status, so we can do still more in the larger community, the most important of which, for me, is that we can become fiscal sponsors for scrappy small orgs.
We are here not only for ourselves.
We would like to be focused on this enhanced goal by the second Mid-Month Ask. We need stability and sustainability, and a small reserve that will see us through lean times, like we had over the holiday season, which, now that it is over, was, frankly terrifying. We weren’t sure we were going to continue. I don’t want to live with that level of uncertainty again. It’s part of what kept me sick for three months.
Because we met last month’s goal, we are reviving something we have missed for the last two months, which is naming and directing funds to community partners whose work aligns with our own. We have picked up almost 300 new walkers just this last month, over and above 4000 on all of our platforms. Don’t tell me we can’t do this.
For new walkers, and as a reminder to seasoned walkers, financial engagement is what makes this a free-ish space. We are committed to that, and refuse a paywall for exactly that reason.
But that means we need you.
And we need you to engage with us in this way without cajoling or pathos or resentment. We are looking each other in the eye and agreeing that this space is worth keeping and nurturing in a reliable and faithful way. That’s it. You want this to stick around, you need to step up. You want us to do more. We want to do more too, with you and for you–and, with your financial engagement, through you.
We also need you to not resent the Asks. It’s what makes this possible. We run the asks periodically over the course of the month to get around Facebook suppression. If you see the ask more than once, that’s why, and we ask that you be gracious when you do.
New walkers, the rationale as to why we feel financial engagement is crucial and non negotiable is all over the Pinned Posts both on the Facebook Page, as well as on the website.
As well, as you know, we do things differently than other spaces in this way as well. We invite, encourage, and yes, expect everyone to tangibly engage, not just people who identify as dominant culture. This is an important part of your praxis too, for people of color. We need to learn and practice collective effort and supporting each other. It can start here, but I hope it doesn’t end here. I dearly hope that you are supporting other writers of color outside this space as well. We cannot ask more of others than we ask of ourselves. We need to confront and choose to walk in this congruent way.
For Sustainers, this is your monthly reminder. As always, my deep thanks for your leadership in this area, particularly for Sustainer Circle group members, who combine financial engagement with enhanced community. If you already are a Sustainer, please consider engaging with us in group, where in only a few months, we have cleaved and have gone vertical and vulnerable in amazing ways.
If you are not yet a Sustainer and you want to become a person who makes this enhanced commitment to financial engagement and even deeper community, that is also in the pinned posts, and Marlise will provide a link to that at the bottom of this post, at the website, and in the comments. If you already a Sustainer, and have not yet filled out the form for 2020, we urge you to do so.
Yep, that’s it. Thanks for walking. Thanks for engaging. Thanks for ensuring the health and longevity of this space.
With Love, Your Lace
Sustainer Form:
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