Video: An Evening of Affirmation: Stronger Community
On May 5, 2020, Affirmation’s president, senior vice president, vice president, and director of operations hosted a live discussion about Affirmation as a nonprofit organization supporting the LGBTQIA+ Mormon community, how we’re staying connected in this time of COVID-19, changes to this year’s Affirmation International Conference, and how members of the community can ensure Affirmation continues to connect, uplift, and empower LGBTQIA+ Mormons and allies around the world.
Takeaways from the evening’s discussion:
- Affirmation continues to build a sustain vital life-changing and life-saving community, even during this time of social distancing and other impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The executive leadership team has been working to better organize Affirmation to support the development and sustaining of regions and chapters around the world. Currently, Affirmation is organized into 3 areas, 22 regions, and 69 chapters.
- Affirmation’s efforts are only made possible through broad volunteerism. There is always a need for those in the Affirmation Community to become leaders in their local chapters, regions, and Affinity Groups.
- Affirmation’s response to Church policy changes impacting LGBTQIA members and their families in 2015 and 2019 and changes in 2020 to the Church Educational System’s Honor Code impacting LGB students at church-owned schools was widely covered by national media and solidified Affirmation’s place as the “first call” when a voice is needed from the LGBTQIA Mormon community.
- As important as it is for Affirmation to be a significant voice for the LGBTQIA Mormon community, it’s important that our organizational voice reflects the collective voice of the Affirmation Community. A strategic planning survey will be sent to and widely shared in the Affirmation Community and all are encouraged to participate in the survey. Your response will help shape the future of Affirmation’s work.
- This year’s Affirmation International Conference will not be hosted in September in Provo as previously planned. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Affirmation will be hosting an International Conference that will be a hybrid of virtual live, pre-recorded, and in-person events hosted by regions and chapters where they are able to gather. Rather than full days of speakers and workshops, the conference will take place as smaller sessions spread over 4 weekends, September 11th through October 4th. More details about the schedule, registration, and more will be announced soon.
- Affirmation as a nonprofit organization supports the Affirmation Community, which includes over 14,000 connected to our Facebook page, over 20,000 members in our Facebook groups, and over 3,000 on our email list.
- The Affirmation Board of Directors adopted a $197,000 budget just prior to COVID-19 becoming a pandemic. Almost 40% of this budget was dependent on large and major donations. However, Affirmation and nonprofits around the nation are seeing far fewer of these critical donations as an outcome of the pandemic.
- Rather than be so dependent on large and major donations, Affirmation as a nonprofit will be in a much stronger financial position to continue our vital work if all those in the Affirmation Community support Affirmation financially if they are able.
A Gift for Your Support of Affirmation
Uniquely designed to show off your pride, from a distance folks will see LOVE ALL, but only those close to you will see the full message.
We’re offering this gift as a token of our gratitude for your support of Affirmation. The shirts come in a variety of colors and sizes.
To receive your shirt, go to affirmation.org/donate and make a monthly donation of at least $25 while becoming a sustaining member of Affirmation. Then select your shirt color and size.
Your monthly support of Affirmation will make a significant difference in our ability to build a sustain a vital, live-changing, and live-saving community for LGBTQIA+ Mormons around the world. Donate today because no gay, lesbian, transgender, or queer Mormon should ever feel they are alone.
P.S. Current members and monthly donors, we will be reaching out to you with a way that you can also get one of these great shirts!