So much has happened since this past summer’s AEU Assembly in July…yet it feels like it was only weeks ago! It was good to see so many of you in person and engage in conversations about the future of the AEU. I knew we had a difficult time ahead of us before November 4. Now, the challenge of our mission will be compounded by hatred, White supremacy, and fascism from our country’s leadership. As I look at the future, I’ve been asking myself a lot of questions. Primarily, I have been asking: How does Ethical Culture thrive in a country that is enveloping itself in Christian Nationalism?

Since the election was called, I’ve resisted the urge to withdraw and isolate myself. So, on Saturday morning I found myself on a neighborhood cleanup that turned into brunch with some old friends from another board I served on. We talked a lot about how some of our most difficult board experiences happened in the wake of the 2016 election. It felt like the bullying and anger at the top of the nation had trickled down into our small neighborhood organization. Many of us fear that political anger and violence is coming, and many of us are angry about where this country is right now.

I wonder now: how do we turn this mix of emotions that we’re feeling into productive and collaborative energy? How do we build an AEU that can support member Societies in being safer places for the most targeted among us? What structures do we need to support our Societies trying to exist in deeply conservative communities? How do we organize and govern the AEU in a way that encourages equal voice and time for the smallest or least-resourced Societies?

The governance of the AEU needs an overhaul. While it affords every society a seat at the table, this new representative model has been unsustainable for Societies that are already at the limit of their volunteer capacity. We continue to uncritically invest in legacy structures that may or may not be relevant to the needs of the Union and the broader society the AEU exists within. What would it look like for us to reconsider the AEU’s structures in ways that ensure a future for us and those that come after us? What would it look like to acknowledge the current volunteer capacity and match expectations to that while (re)building capacity? What would it look like to lean into our associations within the broader humanist and ethical culture ecosystem?

Part of this work is operational — reassessing our bylaws, establishing procedures for board training and working agreements, and working within the parameters of AEU policies. Some of this work is already happening. The Board has been asked to review the Union’s bylaws and policies to identify governance, polity, and policy issues that need to be clarified, updated, or removed.

Continuing this work will look like incorporating legal review(s) to ensure we remain compliant with NY State law and also looking at current best practices for non-profit organizations with similar structures and needs as the AEU. The Board Development Committee has agreed to take on some of the work involved in Board Director training so that new and current Directors understand the work of being a representative Board member. We’re offering trainings on tools appropriate for national Board work, and we have access to great resources to support Board member education and training as a member of NYCON.

The other part is relational — encouraging broader conversations around who we are, what we mean to each other, and what we offer the world. The ongoing “At a Crossroads” conversations have been helpful for creating spaces to get to know each other better and begin talking about some of the challenges we face in our work with the AEU. These conversations need to be expanded to engage current and past leadership and marginalized voices in the movement. What we do and how we agree to work together are two parts of the same effort to move us forward together.

All of this work will take time. There are no quick and easy fixes. I do not see Ethical Culture growing or thriving if we, the AEU, cannot build a better support framework for Societies in radically conservative regions or support Societies in being welcoming and safer spaces for those hurting the most in their communities. It will require unlearning some unhealthy behaviors and learning healthier ones, and all of this will have to happen in times that are about to get a lot harder. All of us will need all of us to create a resilient and thriving future together.