Tough Decisions

In a couple of my previous posts I mentioned that I was the Director of Communication of the Benefactor Foundation, an up and coming non profit whose aim was to provide a scholarship to a high school student to any college he or she wanted to attend.  In another post, I mentioned some discrimination that I faced.  To bring it all together, I will now tell you that those two events are connected.

I have always stood up for myself and what I feel is the "right" thing to do.  This goes back to how I felt growing up, not really knowing my place as an adoptee.  I went through some tough times in my adolescence and I have become a much stronger person because of it.  I have learned that I have to make sure that I have confidence in conviction in all that I do.

So, you all know that I contacted the appropriate authorities regarding the discrimination I faced.  Well, apparently the actions that I took were unacceptable to the non profit that I was a part of.  The CEOs of the Benefactor Foundation believed that I should not have gone to the higher ups to explain what I had been through.  They felt that I should have handled it through them (even though, the discrimination wasn't attached to the group.)

I was forced to explain and defend my choice for an hour and a half in open forum, which I openly disagreed with. I told the group what happened and also explained to them that if they had any specific questions for me that they could ask me privately and I would be happy to answer anything they would like.  That wasn't acceptable.

I also offered to retract my statement to the authorities if the Benefactor Foundation would write up a code of conduct clause and have each member sign it in acceptance.  That wasn't an option for them. (This was a major red flag to me.)  

The meeting ended and about an hour later I received an email that said:

"The Benefactor Foundation as a group has made the decision to review your status as an officer and a member.  The board members will put this decision to a vote one week from today's date February 3rd, 2012.  Should a two-third majority be recognized you will be asked to step down from your position and the group."

Wow.  I was in shock!  I couldn't believe that a group that was about "helping people in need" would take discrimination so lightly.  I was appalled that a non-profit organization that was brought to life through a Graduate School program that is so specifically against discrimination would attempt to vote me out of my position.  I have worked with non-profit organizations since I was 12 years old.  Over half my life.  This is NOT how they should have reacted.

So I made the decision to leave the group.  I in no way want to be associated with a group that would, so it seems, push such a serious issue to the side.  It was a tough decision, but I had to stand up for myself.  I had to step away from a great idea in order to stay true to my morals and beliefs.  

To be honest, I feel so much better now.  

Always remember this.