(SJF staff photo from 2023, with Burke Stansbury & Alison Cheung)

After 7 and a half years working at Social Justice Fund NW, February 22 will be my last day on staff.  I can’t tell you how honored I’ve been to serve in this role. I was deeply committed to SJF when I came on to staff in 2016, having done two Giving Projects and served on the board for 4+ years. The opportunity to expand our fundraising and donor-organizing programs at a moment of growth for SJF felt like both a daunting challenge and a fortunate gift. Surrounded by an amazing staff and community I was able to jump right in, helping to build our development and comms team and beginning to do regular workshops around social justice giving, family philanthropy, estate planning and more.

One of the biggest successes in those first few years was working with the team to carry out a $4.5 million capital campaign, which we launched at the 40th Anniversary reunion and celebration. The money raised from that campaign allowed SJF to make its biggest (250K!) grants ever to organizations doing basebuilding work throughout our region.When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020 we shifted to more online workshops and events, engaging our members in exciting, new ways — outside of Seattle, across the region, like never before. The way that SJF has begun to model inclusion and disability justice through hybrid events – starting with our 2022 annual celebration – makes me proud. So it’s a bittersweet transition: I will miss working with the amazing current staff at SJF, miss promoting Giving Projects like the recently launched the latest Environmental Justice Giving Project in which a full cohort of participants will support frontline communities organizing at the intersection of environmental, racial, and economic justice.

I’m excited to see the ways that the staff and leadership will continue to flourish, centering Black liberation, wellness culture, and supporting our dynamic grantees. I encourage everyone to stay involved – through participating in cohorts, workshops and events, and by donating. I look forward to being in community with the staff and board of SJF as well as grantees, members and donors who have been part of the work all these years. To that end, I have committed to helping SJF building a Fund for Wellness and Repair; I will be making an initial, meaningful donation to the Fund myself and if others are interested in hearing more and supporting the fund you can connect with me directly (burke@estansbury.com).

Finally, I’m thrilled that Aisha Al-Amin is taking over the leadership of our Development team. If you haven’t already gotten to know Aisha (or even if you have) I encourage you to reach out and set up a time to connect and learn more about our development strategy and work in the coming year. I’m also so appreciative of our current directors – Executive Director Valériana and Finance/Ops Director Rahel – who will continue to boldly guide the organization into its next, innovative stage. Indeed, the 50-year anniversary is just around the corner… or rather, it’s 4 years off… but I still can’t wait to celebrate with you all!

Onward,
Burke