1) I have read all the resignation posts from @romancewriters with sadness, and I understand the reaction. But I'm not resigning....yet.
@romancewriters 2) First, it's easy for me because I'm an Honorary Member and it isn't costing me anything. But also because I have opinions. So hang on, it's gonna get personal here.
@romancewriters 3) I'm stubborn and I'm pissed off. I had a pretty good career going once upon a time. That crashed during the last couple of years of my RWA board service. Like, totally went into the toilet. I'm probably pulling down the flush button again with this post.
@romancewriters 4) No, that wasn't entirely the fault of board service, but it played a part. My year as president involved 0 books written, and a lot of controversies, including confronting systemic racism. Luckily, I had outstanding BoMems who worked hard.
@romancewriters 5) Because of some of those efforts, however, I came under attack from the NWLs myself. Being totally blunt here, some of the backlash and mountains of downright hateful messages contributed to my own mental illness.
@romancewriters 7) Memories of times RWA bullshit had me curled up in a ball on the floor of my closet, hiding and crying, have left me feeling like I have a stake in this game, and fucked if all of that is going to have been for nothing.
@romancewriters 8) So, my own sabotaged career, my health, the eye-opening lessons I learned from the discriminated-against representatives of my own board--which infuriated me--
@romancewriters 9) decades of hard work by so many others, all the industry influence, not to mention seeing exactly the ugliness in our national scene being reflected here in microcosm,
@romancewriters 10) with a loud, backward minority drowning out the voices screaming for change, leave me unable to quit.
@romancewriters 11) Not quitting is part of how I maintain my mental health. (Plus gold stars on a calendar--thanks for that advice, @courtneymilan
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 12) FWIW- On New Years Eve this year, my hubby and I each chose two things we wanted to let go of forever, and two things we wanted to welcome into our lives for 2020.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 13) We wrote them down, burned the old let-go-of issues on an old candle before midnight. Burned the new ones we welcomed on a new candle at 12:01 a.m.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 14) One of the things I wrote--hand to God--was that I will give myself a break, give myself permission to fail...but not until I've tried my hardest to make something work. Talk about timing, right?
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 15) I'm close to that point with RWA, close to letting my efforts be for nothing. Like...by inches. But I'm not quite there yet. Not when I think there's a way to at least try to go forward.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 16) We've all been sitting here at an impasse for weeks, and it's driving away members in droves. But, aside from the original horror-show, which we all understand, I understand why nothing has improved since.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 17) It's frustrating as hell, but there is a reason. I've said it so many times and will say it again. This board, by itself, can do NOTHING to fix any of this. Zero, zip, zilch.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 18) No, they aren't responding, they aren't changing anything. They aren't offering anything because they are deer in headlights, inexperienced, with no leadership. Literally.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 19) Without a prez, and with 6 people on the board, with less than 5 or so years of experience between them, they are utterly ineffective.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 20) Their attorney says do nothing. So nothing is what they will do, other than posting platitudes about things "getting better" and "diversity consultants" and more committees.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 21) It's not enough. We all know it's not enough. And meanwhile the membership bleeds and chapters disappear.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 22) Is there anything at all they could do? Hell yes, they could have at least tried to fix it weeks ago by appointing a new president
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 23) and letting that person appoint a whole new board to start over again. The board has the power to do that right now, today.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 24) In fact, it is the only way, under existing Bylaws, that a new president could be installed immediately. But those Bylaws also have requirements for the office that few will meet.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 25) Those Bylaws need to change. But it takes a vote of the membership. It takes time. It is already too late to go that route.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 26) So appointment is the way to go right now. And I think (my opinion) that the board would love to do it and get out from under this mess. Who wouldn't?
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 27) But there's a huge problem. NOBODY who meets the qualifications wants the job! The staff has reached out, other volunteers have, I have, to no avail.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 28) The women of color and other marginalized members in this organization have worked their butts off for years, only to get slapped in the face. They don't need to do anymore. This mess is on the white majority to fix.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 29) But, again being blunt, probably because I'm 9 days past major surgery and I took half an Oxy this morning, in my opinion, the white women who are qualified are just too scared.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 30) So, here's our impasse. Ta-da, finally the point of this whole screed. But of course, I'm not finished. Because, again, half an Oxy and a whole dose of I-don't-give-a-fuck-so-I'm-gonna-keep-talking.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 31) As I see it, there are three ways out. Number one, RWA continues to bleed and die.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 32) Number two, RWA becomes a small reflection of itself, where the NWLs pat themselves on the back and slowly devolve into a coffee klatsch while a massive proportion of talented,
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 33) diverse authors with fabulous voices and so much to offer feel unsafe, unwanted, and stay away forever, as do all the other members who are just as outraged by this.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 34) (BTW--that's already happening. Are there any members I actually like still reading this?)
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 35) Number three. Somebody qualified swallows their fear, dons the flak jacket, steps up as president, and talks 15 other people into joining him/her/them/they in effecting major, massive change.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 36) Bueller? Anyone?
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 37) There is someone out there, I know it. Someone the membership will hopefully allow the rest of this board year, 7 measly months, to give this one last shot.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 38) But that shot needs to be serious. No more DEI consultants--that needs to be a full-time staff position. RWA has the money. Do it. Do it NOW.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 39) No more ignoring Ethics Complaints. No more messed-up Bylaws and Policies that don't match procedures. No more tolerating microaggressions--in person or on forums.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 40) Racists, prepare to be driven out!
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 41) No more policing social media. No more slick messages that say nothing. No more silence!
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 42) So who. Who is it gonna be? Who is going to step up? Who has the guts--but more importantly, the right vision, the plan, and the right intentions to bring not RWA, but RWA's PEOPLE back together?
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 43) I'm putting out a cry here. I already volunteered to chair a new Leadership Development Committee to try to find someone, but damn it, we don't have time.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan 44) And @BruceDKelly is ready to kill me just for the previous statement.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan @BruceDKelly 45) Somebody qualified, I'm begging you, lift your tits, call the office, tell them you'll do it, and let the Board install you at the meeting this weekend.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan @BruceDKelly 46) If you've got the qualifications, if you see what is really wrong with RWA,
@romancewriters @courtneymilan @BruceDKelly 47) if you have genuine forward-thinking intentions and a plan, I'll support you. I think a lot of people will support you.
@romancewriters @courtneymilan @BruceDKelly 49) P.S. @Bruce Kelly I'm sorry. I know I told you I was done with this. But remember New Year's Eve? Yeah, I just am not ready to give myself permission to fail yet.
