From: El Zpeedy Date: Thu, 7 May 1998 20:53:12 EDT Subject: Don't Be Afraid of Criticism In 1993, I was part of the organizing committee that helped organize a union at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. During that time, "pro bono" attorney's defended management's position regarding the treatment of it's workers. Many of the issues that have come up regarding accountability at nonprofits were met with other questions, instead of answers--much as you've done with your questions regarding US Rep. Coburn. Today, I'm the president of the Harvey Milk LGB Democratic Club. Many of the skills I learned around organizing in our community, I learned at SFAF--I can at least thank them for that. Our issues were conditions of work, the lack of domestic partners benefits for lgbt employees (although non-lgbt management made sure they had their partners covered), the lack of representation on the board of directors of PWAs and people with HIV, and an overall lack of respect our management had towards anyone who questioned them. When we found out how much the administrative staff earned in comparison to people who say clients on a daily basis, we were shocked--then it became an issue. Today, this administration is still trying to recreate history within the organization. In their own words, anyone who criticizes from outside is the "enemy," however, even with full page ads, they've not been able hide from our community. Had many of these nonprofit organizations chosen to work with clients, the community, and employees, it wouldn't even be an issue. The bottom line is that it is now. Many nonprofits, many of which I am currently helping orgainize in San Francisco, are fairly being scrutinized. When nonprofits begin to follow the law, and I can tell you, they don't, then perhaps, we will not question where our tax and fundraising dollars, private donations, etc. go towards. In the meanwhile. Sunshine on nonprofits is here, it's queer--get used to it.