Board of Directors, term of 2018-2020

Eleanor Davis, Meera Naqvi, Nnenne Onyioha-Clayton, Eric Rose, Imani Scott-Blackwell and Jimena Vargas Pacora were elected to serve two-year terms on the board. They bring a wealth of activist experience to the organization on issues including health inequalities, immigrant rights, union organizing and racial and economic justice.

Awards

Five awards were presented during the meeting. Eleanor Davis (who also presented on A4E’s accomplishments in 2017) received Member of the Year; Tim Denson was honored with a Lifetime Member Award; Eric Rose received the Laura Conroy Community Spirit Award for his indispensable contributions to many local causes; Deborah Gonzalez received the Elected Official of the Year Award for championing progressive and transformative policies during the current state legislative session; and Broderick Flanigan received the first ever Anthony “Versatyle tha Wildchyld” Little All Love Solidarity Award for the impact of his art and activism on the Athens community.

Musical Performances!

District 2 commission candidate Mariah Parker performed as Linqua Franca, as did Clarke Central senior Kxng Blanco, who was disciplined for his role in a Black History Month performance at the school in February, an action that sparked a peaceful protest by students.

2018 Local Platform

The 2018 local platform consists of 10 planks, the first seven of which were carried over from 2017 (although some were expanded or revised). Planks 8 and 9 were submitted by A4E member Broderick Flanagan and A4E’s Policy and Elections Committee and adopted by a voice vote. Members voted on the 10th plank from four proposals submitted by A4E members.

• Invest in public transit
• End discrimination
• Support early learning
• Complete our streets
• Protect and build affordable housing
• Ban the bag
• Decriminalize marijuana
• Support an equity package to combat poverty (submitted by Broderick Flanigan)
• Oppose deportations
• Improve EMS response times (40 votes, submitted by Sam Rafal and Bob Gadd)

2018 State Platform

Due to a tie in the voting, our 2018 state platform consists of 11 planks. The first five of which were carried over from the 2017 platform and members voted on the remaining six.

• Fight for $15
• Establish an independent redistricting commission
• Expand Medicaid and work toward Medicare-for-All
• Reform state laws and legal code regarding rape and sexual assault
• Legalize marijuana
• End money bail and abolish mandatory minimum sentencing (70 votes)
  
• Repeal Campus Carry (60 votes)
• Allow driver’s licenses for undocumented Georgians (58 votes)
• Support a Massive Public Jobs Plan (52 votes)
• Commit to 100 percent renewable energy (34 votes)
• Sign on to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (34 votes, submitted by A4E member Caroline Aiken)

Thank you to Wade Sheldon for providing photography!

Also thanks to new Board member Meera Naqvi for taking photos!

Athens for Everyone
March 4, 2018

Applicants should be members of Athens for Everyone and agree with our core tenets. Board members serve 2-year terms. Board members should be willing and able to attend almost all meetings, both regular and special, and should also be willing to engage on our Facebook group, accept special assignments and serve on at least one of our standing committees (Finance & Operations or Policy & Elections) or initiatives (ASAP, GAIN, Education, Housing). Regular board meetings are once a month.

If you are interested in serving on the Board, please fill out this application by Monday, January 15. If your nomination application is approved, you will be placed on the ballot for the annual membership meeting vote to be held on February 24.

Athens for Everyone’s goal is to have a board that is as diverse as our city is, and that represents all the different areas of the progressive and activist community whose goals we share. We’re looking to give as much organizational and political power as we can to historically and presently oppressed communities. A diverse Board is key to our movement and has the best chance of effectively bringing about the change we all need.

As we review applications we will also be looking for individuals who have experience with, formal expertise in, and/or interest in learning more about one or more of the following (in no particular order):

• community organizing
• interest in or experience with our aspirational goals and strategies, including grassroots organizing, radical economic thought, and electoral politics
• expertise in economic issues, especially as they relate to racial and gender disparities
• leftist, feminist, and anti-racist social movement history and activism
• lobbying
• fundraising and accounting
• grant writing
• computer programming/coding/software engineering
• local and regional politics
• leadership development
• social media
• interest in or demonstrated experience with our platform.

Fill out your application here.

If you have any questions about serving on the Board please contact Eleanor Davis, Chris Dowd, Kelly Happe, or Jesse Houle. We welcome the opportunity to talk with you more and help you with your application.