https://www.wellstone.org/wellstone-action-official-board-statement-2018
Wellstone Action was born 15 years ago in the aftermath of the tragic death of Paul and Sheila Wellstone, to advance their shared goals of a progressive society where everyone is in, no one is out, no exceptions.
During those 15 years, this organization has matured and thrived because of its commitment to building power through community and collective action. Wellstone Action’s trainings, strategic guidance and thought leadership have supported countless leaders and organizations in building progressive governing power that reflects the values of justice, inclusivity, fairness, opportunity, dignity and respect for all.
We have grown beyond our wildest expectations and succeeded in ways unimaginable, training over 90,000 individuals nationwide. It is a credit to our incredible executive leadership and staff, that Wellstone Action in 2018 is synonymous with national excellence in leading, training and building for a progressive future.
Unfortunately, some members of the Wellstone Action board, including former members Rick Kahn and Ron DeHarpporte and David and Mark Wellstone have taken actions in the past year that indicate that they don’t support the long-term vision of the organization, which has always included a strong belief that we must work in community and across lines of difference in order to create the world in which we wish to live. Their actions have created an untenable tension over the organization's ongoing emphasis on expanding inclusivity and equity.
As a board, we respect/understand that strategic disagreements sometimes occur. That being said, Wellstone Action needs to be clear that the actions, tone and manner of this small group do not represent the organization’s long-term goals and its commitment to preserving its reputation as the leading progressive training organization in the country.
To that end, in our role as the governing body, we have taken the difficult, but necessary step of removing David and Mark Wellstone from the board of Wellstone Action. This is not a decision we took lightly, but it was the necessary resolution, after months of negotiation with them, for the healthy continuation of the empowering training and leadership development programs Wellstone Action delivers to stakeholders in communities across the country.
Wellstone Action intends to move forward in continuing the important legacy of Paul and Sheila Wellstone, by working to build a truly equitable future for all and enabling our partners, our communities, and our leaders to thrive in an environment where we all do better when we all do better.
Signed,
Wellstone Action and Action Fund Board
Sujata Tejwani, Mary Lofy, Connie Lewis, Marcia Avner, Jeff Blodgett, Toni Carter and Rudy Lopez
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