Author: SPARK

Dear Friends,

As SPARK looks to 2015, we need your support to continue to build and sustain a reproductive justice (RJ) movement in the Deep South. SPARK’s work is critical in developing Southern based RJ leaders from marginalized communities to advocate for policies and practices that empower young families throughout Georgia to lead on key reproductive rights and health issues and foster sustainable change. Importantly, SPARK amplifies the voices of queer and trans youth of color and young women of color that are often overlooked in our struggles for justice.

And with the support of a generous donor, every dollar contributed to SPARK by Midnight on December 31^st will be matched dollar for dollar up to $25,000!

Your financial contribution to SPARK will provide the necessary support we need as we continue to implement our longstanding and successful programming:

• Speak Justice Take Action Program educates our constituency on the legislative process and offer policy analysis using a queer political frame. From advocating for proactive anti-shackling legislation to closing the coverage gap, our “Legislate THIS!” Day of Action brings our community members to the Georgia State Capitol to lobby our elected officials and empower youth leaders to share their stories.

• Fierce Youth Reclaiming & Empowering Program and FYRE Media Justice Camp provides Queer and Trans youth of color with the skills and resources to generate their own media and strengthen their communities through peer support and community based-research published through blogs, editorials, social media, and television and radio interviews to combat mainstream narratives that overlook our communities.

• SPARK Organizing Intensive trains queer and trans youth of color and young women of color on RJ issue advocacy, grassroots organizing, community mobilization, and strategic communications to foster the potential and leadership within our movements.

This important work would not be possible without your continued and generous support. SPARK is one of the few organizations in the Deep South that actively organizes local communities and pushes for policies that improve the lives of black women and LGBTQ youth of color. Your single contribution will have TWICE the impact in 2015. Please give and join with us in affirming: Our lives matter. Our families matter. Our communities matter.

Yours in the struggle,

Board of Directors
SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW

Dear Friends,

We are at an important crossroads when it comes to the health and rights of Black women and Queer and Trans youth of color in the state of Georgia.

During the 2014 Legislative Session, House Bill 990 passed, adding yet another barrier to closing the coverage gap for low-income uninsured Georgians by requiring that Medicaid expansion meet the approval of the State legislature. Compounding this loss, conservative leadership was re-elected to every constitutional office during the 2014 mid-term elections, and marginalized communities, particularly Queer and Trans youth of color, continue to be denied access to media to tell their own stories of reproductive oppression.

Thanks to the support of reproductive justice advocates like you, SPARK is able to fight back, giving a voice to Black women and Queer and Trans youth of color, that are often overlooked. In order to continue our efforts, we need your help!

SPARK is the only organization in the Deep South that actively organizes local communities, mobilizes activists, and advocates for policies that improve the lives of Black women and Queer and Trans youth of color. Our programming develops leaders from marginalized communities to participate in the legislative process; trains media spokespersons to tell their own stories, offers political analysis; and mobilizes diverse leaders throughout the Atlanta area to support policies and practices that ensure reproductive freedom for all.

1. Our Speak Justice Take Action Program allows us to educate our constituency on the legislative process and offers policy analysis using a queer political frame. Through this program, we have developed leaders from marginalized communities to speak to the Georgia legislature and administrators about women’s health, reproductive justice, and the health coverage gap, criminalization of women and families, and voting rights. This year, we hosted our eighth annual “Legislate THIS!” Day of Action bringing 59 community members to the Georgia State Capitol, lobbied 20 representatives, and empowered 4 youth leaders to share their stories.

2. Our Fierce Youth Reclaiming & Empowering Program and FYRE Media Justice Camp (FMJC) allows us to provide Queer and Trans youth of color with the skills and resources to generate their own media and strengthen their communities through peer support and community based-research published through blogs, editorials, social media, and television and radio interviews to combat mainstream narratives that overlook our communities. In our 2014 FMJC, we hosted 10 Queer youth of color and produced 3 blogs and 3 short films on the coverage gap, abortion, and violence experienced by Queer and Trans youth of color.

3. SPARK’s Integrated Voter Engagement Program has been highly successful. This program centers around educating women of color voters and their families across the greater Atlanta area on issues ranging from education, community violence, and police misconduct to health care. SPARK also empowered voters to share their health care access stories in light of the coverage gap caused Georgia’s shameful refusal to participate in Medicaid expansion. Through our Integrated Voter Engagement Program, SPARK touched 4,273 voters and their families through door knocking, telephone canvassing, and a direct mail campaign. In addition, we targeted outreach to LGBTQQ youth of color voters via a Twitter chat.

As we move into 2015, SPARK recognizes that the work that we do is pivotal to building and sustaining a reproductive justice movement in the South. We know that our efforts can inspire new grassroots leadership, stand in solidarity with and support the small cadre of organizations during similar work in Georgia and throughout the Southern region, and show the powerbrokers in Georgia that the best way to make sustainable change starts with just a spark of justice.

We stand firm in our commitment to work with our partners to make a difference in our communities regardless of the conservative super-majority that makes up the Georgia legislature. Failure is not an option!

Please join us by signing on to our team of Sustaining Donors today. Give to ensure that reproductive justice in the South can inspire change throughout the nation.

Thank you for your commitment and support.

Sincerely,

Heidi Williamson, Board President
SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW

Executive Director – Posted 11/10/2014

Position Description

Founded in 2007, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW has worked to build and strengthen the power of our communities and a reproductive justice movement that centers on Black women and LGBTQ people in Georgia and the South. By developing new leaders from marginalized communities, nurturing relationships with community partners and rethinking how we create sustainable change, we envision a world where Georgia and the South continuously cultivates communities where we can all make free and healthy decisions about our bodies, genders, sexualities, families and lives.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, we have fostered a dynamic, collaborative model of advocacy, leadership, collective action and discourse that creates change and impact for Black women and queer people’s struggles for reproductive justice. We are searching for an energetic, knowledgeable leader who can take the organization to the next level of social change impact.

The Executive Director reports to the SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW Board of Directors, which provides governance, direction, mission guidance and support for programs and activities, as well as serving as fiduciary agents.

Qualifications

SPARK is seeking a visionary leader and spokesperson who has deep knowledge of and commitment to the reproductive justice field, and the LGBTQ movement. The candidate should be experienced and skilled in the areas of management and fundraising, public policy and grassroots advocacy, program and organizational development. The ideal Executive Director will have a demonstrated commitment and passion for courageous progressive views and a proven track record of effective leadership and collaboration.

While no candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will possess many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:

• Board Partnership Affinity: SPARK has an active, national board of governance volunteers who work in partnership with the executive director. An ability to partner with the board in promoting the mission and sustainability of the organization is essential.
• Organizational Growth Management: Experience in managing institutional growth and change. Skills in staff management, team building, mentoring and developing young and emerging leaders. Organizational capacity-building skills that support strong systems, focused goal setting and a fiscally sound organization.
• Fund Development Ability: Fundraising ability, experience and enthusiasm is required. Demonstrated track record of raising significant funds from a variety of sources and a willingness to actively build and sustain strong relationships with existing and prospective funders, individual donors including major and sustainer donors, and other stakeholders. A network of contacts with foundations, individual donor prospects, activists and organizations working in this field at all levels, from the local to the national is appreciated.
• Fiscal Stewardship: Strong financial accounting and budgeting experience, drafting and presenting budgets, interpreting financial statements, familiarity with accounts payable, accounts receivables, and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
• Community Partnership/Collaboration Leadership Skills: Commitment and skill in refining and growing SPARK’s diverse network of national allies, community partners and constituents.
• Program Planning and Implementation Talent: The ability to create and design program strategies, manage program budgets, implement staff and volunteer based community actions and identify and implement targeted policy strategies in a way that expands the understanding of RJ in the community and among policy makers.
• Communications Competence: Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to frame tough problems, utilize an analysis that centers Black women and queer issues, and convey complex ideas in easily understood terms that resonate with diverse audiences. Ability to oversee a vibrant communication strategy and to be responsive to media and social networking opportunities.
• Willingness to travel extensively.
• Very strong interpersonal skills are required and a sense of humor is a plus.The Executive Director must be located in or willing to relocate to Atlanta. The salary for this position will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience. SPARK offers an excellent medical and dental benefits package, including vacation and medical leave. Special flex-time arrangements can be offered to candidates who are highly qualified. SPARK does not pay for relocation.

Salary & Benefits

The salary for this position will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience. SPARK offers an excellent medical and dental benefits package, including vacation and medical leave. Special flex-time arrangements can be offered to candidates who are highly qualified

Location

The candidate must be located in or willing to relocate to Atlanta, GA. SPARK does not pay for relocation.

To Apply

Please follow directions carefully.

Applicants should email a cover letter, a resume, and one brief writing sample (2-3 pages) to search@sparkrj.org. Place “SPARK Executive Director” in the subject line. All inquiries and applications will be kept confidential. Materials received by November 28th are assured full consideration. Expected start date is January 2015.

No phone calls please. For more info, email search@sparkrj.org.

SPARK is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the bases of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), sexual orientation, parental status, national origin, age, disability, family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or any other non-merit based factor.