Over the past 15 days, I have had to learn lessons about non-profit leadership & arts administration that I never wanted to learn.

Our fiscal sponsor of the last five years, Marcus Foster Education Institute, co-mingled their operating budget with the restricted operating and programming budget of Artist As First Responder. This resulted in our account being completely emptied and triggered the immediate layoff of our entire team.

In my opinion, herein lies considerations on the fragility of Black leadership inside of a system of racialized capitalism that masquerades as a philanthropic and altruistic social economy - AKA the “non-profit industrial complex.” I, like many others, have some thoughts about what appears to be the full stop of funding that was poured into Black-led and arts organizations off the heels of the COVID19 pandemic and the racial reckoning that was activated in response to the public murder of George Floyd. I’m sitting with these thoughts as I look at my own leadership praxis.

There were approximately 15 other Black-led organizations under Marcus Foster Education Institute who have been impacted in various ways. But my question remains: how do we hold accountable, how do we atone, and how do we heal in community when Black folx inflict harm upon one another?

I’m thinking about our small team of artist-educators who are living on the economic edges of society. In my head and my heart, I’m wondering how to reconcile that we live in a world that allows some of our most valuable assets, the artists, to struggle for basic needs.

I’m sitting with the physical and emotional ramifications, and the loneliness of having to carry much of this weight alone. The reality of fiscal sponsors mishandling of funds is more frequent than you would imagine. However, it’s not a common conversation inside of the sector because many times the victims also get blamed. I have made a decision to share this experience as both a cautionary tale, and as an opportunity for professional development.

And yet, I am also moved and encouraged by our community of advisors, funders, and colleagues who have checked in on me and shown up to help us navigate this rocky terrain. I am so grateful to be held by all of you because, as this work continues to teach us, we must continue also.

Sincerely,

Ashara

Here are some of the ways that you can support AAFR while we navigate this urgent transition:

1. Join Our Patreon - Your monthly pledges offer support toward operations and programming while granting you access to exclusive content

2. Donate Directly to Our Team - You can donate to our team’s individual Venmo Accounts:

   • Ashara Ekundayo, Founder/Director - @ashara-ekundayo

   • Isha Rosemond, Curatorial Assistant - @blackfreedomfellowship

   • Ietef Cavem, Climate Justice Fellow - @cavem-moetavation

   • Christian Walker, Social Economies Fellow - @christianawalker

3. Donate Pro-Bono Services: If you have the time or expertise to contribute to our cause through grant writing of non-profit development, please feel free to contact us directly at artistresponder@gmail.com.

SOLD OUT!

Special Edition Men's Wellness Fellowship x De Young Museum Kehinde Wiley: “An Archaeology of Silence”

October 3rd • 5pm-8pm

A Special Community Fellowship Experience Specifically for “People Of Color” at the de Young Museum.

• Free Event • Free Food •

• Transportation Offered •

• RSVP Required •

•••

Bus Pick-up Location @ 4pm:

Dr. Huey P Newton Foundation 1427 Broadway Oakland, CA

•••

DeYoung Museum @ 6pm: 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA

First Friday VIP & Opening Nite Reception

October 6th · 5pm-8pm

Join us at the VIP & Opening Nite Reception for two distinct exhibitions - A solo exhibition “Title” by Christopher Burch and a small group exhibition “Title” with artists Diamela Cutiño, Cheryl Derricotte, Rodney Ewing and Ramekon O'Arwisters.

Curated by Ashara Ekundayo

Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, 1401 Howard St. San Francisco, CA

October’s Monthly Men’s Wellness Fellowship Gathering

October 24 · 6:30-8:30pm

· Hosted by: Karega Bailey & Christian Walker (Co-Founders) ·

· Free Catered Food and Beverages Provided by Cana Oakland ·

Key Topics:

· Mental Health

· Wellness Practice

· Support Group

· Community Resources

· Marketing Platform

· Volunteering Opportunities

Dr. Huey P Newton Foundation 1427 Broadway Oakland, CA

Welcoming October’s Curator-in-Residence, Marcella Sanchez!

This October, Marcella Sanchez will be joining Artist As First Responder at our Black Curator’s Lab (BlkCL) studio located at Minnesota Street Project. While in residency, Marcella will use the space to work on upcoming exhibitions and/or expand her visual arts practice.

Marcella Sanchez is a queer, biracial adoptee, photographer, videographer, and medical cannabis advocate. She began her love of photography as a child growing up in Oakland, CA, and soon became obsessed with the fundamentals that make a great photograph: lighting, balance, composition, and use of space. She shares her passion and skill through private sessions, community events and individual portrait photography. She was the founder & lead photographer of Greenkind, the first medical cannabis magazine.Her photography has been featured in multiple shows on the East and West Coast, in magazines, in a national billboard campaign, and online. She is the recipient of the Dream Keeper Enterprising Creative Cohort Grant. She is currently working on her ongoing project Be Seen: The Genius and Gaze of Black Creatives. She enjoys shooting events, weddings, her QTBIPOC community and bringing a non-intrusive narrative to each event she shoots.

BlkCL 2023-2024 inaugural year is co-sponsored by AECreative Consulting Partners LLC, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, the African American Art & Culture Complex, and the Culture Change Fund.