Summer Update
In our April newsletter, we notified the community about two personnel transitions at AFIRE. Today we want to share an update of how things have been going since then and what we have implemented in order to support our current staff and programs. While preparations were made months in advance for these transitions, change is always unpredictable and AFIRE continues to remain flexible and creative in navigating through this chapter in the life of the organization.
Part of moving forward is building organizational capacity to make the work sustainable overall. Having added three new members in August 2025, our board of directors is now focused on re-establishing the conditions necessary for welcoming in permanent executive leadership. For our three full-time staff, we are conducting a comprehensive evaluation of current policies and practices in order to better meet their individual and collective needs amidst a shifting political and economic landscape for the nonprofit sector. Finally, we are looking to the future of what AFIRE can offer to the Filipinx/a/o community. Conversations with stakeholders last Fall offered much insight about prevailing views and aspirations surrounding AFIRE’s role in organizing and delivery of services in Chicagoland. Creating spaces for our community leaders remains a priority as we explore what liberation could look like today and beyond.
Two key transitional measures were taken to account for the departure of our outgoing Interim Executive Director. First, we entered into a formal agreement with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) for back office support, as well as technical assistance to our development staff. Second, members of AFIRE’s volunteer-run board have committed to a much more active role in the operations of the organization on top of their pre-existing governance responsibilities, which include budgeting and administration. In addition to convening their regular monthly meetings, the board has divided the various responsibilities of the Executive Director role among themselves according to their areas of expertise. Accordingly, AFIRE board members now check in weekly with staff to discuss work plans and what areas of support are needed. These one-on-one sessions are in addition to the larger staff and board engagement meetings that take place every other week, a practice established nearly two years ago.
We are finding our rhythm! We thank you for your continued support during this time and look forward to connecting again soon. Here are some ways you can stay engaged with our work:
Attend our events
Sign up to volunteer
Join the Organizing Komité
Donate to support our programs
Schedule 1:1 time with our team
For questions, please reach out to the board at board@afirechicago.org
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Maraming salamat,
AFIRE Board of Directors and Staff
