After reviewing dozens of applications for our organizer position(s) and interviewing several candidates, we've found a powerful, dynamic duo in Alli Chagi-Starr and Diana Abellera to take our organizing to the next level. Alli is an experienced Bay Area activist with deep connections in social and environmental justice networks, and brings solid event organizing, program development, and facilitation skills. Diana has been an accomplished education program director, has managed the logistics for large-scale conferences, and has fundraised impressive sums in development roles for prominent local organizations. Their resumes and cover letters are included on the message sent over the main listserv.

We're recommending that we hire on these two beginning March 15, 2016 at 30 hours per week (with a rough split of hours worked between them), and running through the week following the convergence (officially ending October 31, 2016). In accordance with our budget, we expect this to cost a total of $3,000 per month, for a total budgetary expense of $24,000. If we don't raise sufficient funds to meet this baseline, we will of course, revise the budget. Alternatively, if we raise more (which we highly suspect we will!), we hope to stipend additional folks in our network and the community to lead sessions and conduct other tasks.

Please VOTE YAY or NAY by 5 pm on Saturday, March 12!