OPEN LETTER IN RESPONSE TO THE ARTICLE IN WINDY CITY TIMES AND OTHER REPORTS
[ Editor's note: This letter from Marc Loveless is being published as it was sent to Windy City Times. ]
Let me publicly thank the people that have called, sent messages via email and Facebook with words of encouragement during this very trying time. I appreciate your prayers of support and touched by your sincerity.
First, and foremost I am now and always been the Founder, Coordinator, and current Executive Director and Registered Agent of the Coalition for Justice and Respect ( CJR ) and the Foundation for the Coalition for Justice and Respect ( FCJR ) . My responsibilities are to manage day-to-day operations, to drive program and project development and future planning, staff management, organizational administration including Board Development, as well as primary spokesperson and recently my duties have been expanded temporally Chairman of the organizations Boards of Directors.
Let me also respond to any other indication that you may have received the Board of Directors of the Coalition for Justice and Respect nor the Foundation for the Coalition for Justice and Respect have not removed me or asked me to resign my post.
The reason I have been given the duties of Chairman is because all of the current Board Members have been in office less then three months and I have the greatest history of how things have been done and I can provide the clearest answers to any questions and provide a direct response unfiltered to address any concerns administratively, organizationally, or structurally.
Now if you will allow me to briefly digress for a moment and share with you my prospect of titles and roles and such. I have been in community organizing, public policy, politics, and social justice movement since I was 15 years old. The first movement I organized was against Status Crime Laws and calls for the right for 18 to be the age of majority in Michigan. I didn't become Gay and then became an activist. I was an activist and then an advocate that accepted myself as Gay and then took responsibility in the LGBT movement. My point is my sum total of me is not in CJR, the Lesbian and Gay Community, or any other singular effort. I have been an active citizen engaged in democracy social justice and civil rights all of my adolescent and adult life. Whether it was being elected as the youngest Precinct Delegate in Detroit or the First Openly Gay Elected Official in Illinois I have served the community and people for the common good. The suggestion that I would diminish a life time of work and more then to compromise my mission of life is repugnant in nature.
As you continue to read this letter I call upon you to keep the faith and that you be mindful of our communities next steps.
There have been allegations of questionable use of the organizations funds and unpaid bills. Let me state clearly yes we have unpaid bills. We are a small organization with way less than $100,000 a year budget. We have been fortunate that our resources have included membership fees, public grants private donations and program sponsorship. We provide a full accounting to all of sources. The only reason we have not had an CPA audit is that we haven't been able to afford the cost. In lieu of that we have been keeping complete documentation of all expenses as our good faith efforts to the public trust that has been invested in the objectives and ideas of our organization and its purpose.
We have also had the good the favor to have vendors partners and staff that have been able to work with funding challenges and continue to provide community service and organizational development.
During this past year there were some errors in judgment. An example is collaborating on office space rental with Youth Pride Center and Youth Pride Services without verifying their ability to operate. Not doing that has resulted in a year later finding out that according to the State of Illinois the organizations have been dissolved officially for three years. This has resulted in us being stuck with an outstanding $8,000 bill.
While we have been open democratic organizations we do have protocols of operations that some recent reports have failed to acknowledge. CJR does have a membership list and a membership process when reviewing a recent letter signed by people claiming to be members of Board of Directors of the Coalition for Justice and Respect only one person is a current member. You have to first be a member of the organization before becoming considered as a member of the Board of Directors. CJR also works in tandem with the Foundation for the Coalition for Justice and Respect which is our 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) non-profit chartable organization. In fact while separate CJR can't operate without FJCR in all of the ranting, rumors, and comments there has been no mention of FJCR. That obvious omission speaks volumes to the lack of organizational structures and orientation.
CJR and FCJR remain an open organization. We hold quarterly accountability session and provide opportunities for dialogue throughout the year. Including an annual meeting where our budget is presented and critique. We have not until this year been able to have the tools to produce an Annual Report but will do so and publish it this fall. During our existence at no time has any every raised any concerns about finances. We have to report spending to our funding sources and we have passed every inspection to date.
However, I must tell the community on Monday, June 21, 2010 when I opened our offices I found that our office were broken in and a computer and several files were stolen. The files taken included our organizational check book and the CJR FEIN number. A police report has been filed. On June 25, 2010 another office theft took place while I was not at the office resulting in the lost of about $1,000 of bus passes, gift cards from Walgreen's and my Blackberry and another police report was filed. I personally believe these were not random crimes but were targeted against CJR and our movement.
The Foundation Summer employment program conceded operation under the Put Illinois To Work Program. We are a subcontractor in the program. Our relationship with our main contractor Alternative School Network has totally deteriorated. The administrative matters aside the bottom line do to the disorganization and poor staffing the results are that over 100 people in Illinois at least 2/3 LGBT eligible people are not being paying nor able to participate in the program. Two years ago CJR had a wonderful program that employed people and benefited the community. This year the program has been sabotaged by not only callas insensitive people outside of our community but by pity small minded people within the LGBT community. The lost is the African-American and LGBT community as whole.
CJR and FCJR will continue the work that have done and I will continue to give my abilities to our core beliefs and principles. As we move forward I ask that you remain vigilant in your support for social justice and civil rights. Personally I ask for your prayers as I navigate through these difficult times.
As always I will keep you posted on develops as these situations are addressed.
Sincerely,
Marc Loveless
Executive Director
Coalition for Justice and Respect
