We gave notice of our work stoppage on 12/15 and now Christmas is upon us. the HOPE Works staff today is trying to recharge by spending time with our families, chosen families, and friends. and trying to not think about if and when our next paycheck is coming. if and when we can go back to work. if and when we'll ever hear anything from our Board of Directors, who have gone radio silent, as usual. those among us who were unjustly (and bizarrely) terminated by our ED, are working on claiming unemployment and trying to figure out how to pay their 1000+ rent, student loan payments, and other monthly bills.

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Ever present on our minds are the survivors in chittenden county who desperately need services and aren't getting them. Today we're thinking about the 25+ survivors Lucy was working with when our ED fired her and gave her an hour to leave the building. We're thinking about the weekly phone calls Lucy has with survivors and what those folks felt when Lucy didn't call. We're thinking about the teenagers that Lucy picks up from school every week. about the youth at Woodside who expect our Advocacy Team to be there every friday. about the support group that Lucy and Jas are supposed to running next month. The interns Lucy supports. The subcommittees that Lucy runs. The Dismantling Rape Culture Conference that Lucy has helped coordinate every year. The list could go on and on.

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Our executive director arbitrarily fired the the victim advocate at a rape crisis center and gave her an hour to leave the building. For those of you who aren't familiar with sexual violence work this is the equivalent of firing the only doctor at a small clinic, or firing the only teacher in a one-room schoolhouse. The rest of the advocacy team would have been left to unsuccessfully try to fill in the gaps and to try to explain to the survivors that Lucy has been working with for weeks, months, years--why their advocate abandoned them.

Lucy was fired by our ED in a surge of retaliation and vindictiveness. She was fired out of spite after the entire staff unanimously expressed to the ED our firm belief that she is not fit to lead this organization. Lucy was fired after the entire staff expressed to the ED that the ED was cosigning and affirming racist behavior from the board of directors. Lucy was fired TWO DAYS after we sent a formal grievance to the Vermont Network.

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Most importantly: Lucy was fired for engaging in workplace organizing that numerous other employees ALSO engaged in, and for engaging in behavior that the ENTIRE staff cosigned. If we are to believe that Lucy was fired justly, that means all employees should have also been fired that day.

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HOPE Works is not running business as usual. And to be honest, business as usual at HOPE Works = racism, homophobia, and abusive & ineffectual leadership.

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Don't believe the PR spin--a rape crisis center cannot be meeting survivor needs or running business as usual without their advocates. without their therapists. without their hotline.

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The staff of HOPE Works are not going back to work without Lucy. We are not going back to work under the leadership of our current Executive Director. We are not going back to work under the leadership of an apathetic Board that does not reflect the community we serve.

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If you want to help us pay our bills, check out our gofundme page. If you want to have your voice heard, e-mail the following people:

karents@vtnetwork.org

nicole@peoplemakinggood.com (instead of engaging with us, hope works sprung for a PR firm)

hhammond@gravelshea.com (the attorney of hope works)

and our board of directors can be found on our public guidestar. 

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We want to be back to work!