I wrote this way back in 2020 after interviewing for an HR role with a big Bay Area nonprofit. And in re-reading it, still seems relevant. So I thought I'd post it after all.
She says...
"The culture in nonprofits and the payscale is very different than in tech companies"Ok but here's the thing "culture" happens anytime more than two humans get together. It's just the name for the norms we establish in groups. Whether you purposefully work on it or not, it's there.
"Culture isn't as big of a part of what we do"
So a good question to ask is why are you ignoring it? Do you not know this? Does organic culture just appeal to you, because putting conscious work into it feels contrived?
Or, is it because in the face of the capitalism and the very real harm and oppression faced by your clients, this seems like a luxury to pay attention to? Are you too focused on surviving to put energy towards thriving?
This goes to the pay scale thing too. Because it's expensive as fuck to live here. We all know this. Why wouldn't you pay a living wage? Isn't that part of the justice you're working towards also?
This all links together. We live our mission through our work, aka what we do with our time and energy and bodies and minds. Our work includes the space within which it's done.
White supremacist capitalist patriarchy makes that seem impossible. But it can't be. We're doing the impossible all the time, aren't we? For our clients? Why not ourselves too? Not instead of...but ALSO.
Yeah I know well the culture of nonprofits. Self-sacrifice, overwork, scraping by, inevitable burnout.... why are we continuing to accept this?
Also, I know SOME of y'all have Directors making $$$. So....
Shoe string budgets doing vital work....I get it. But we've got to figure out a better way. We're perpetuating suffering while trying to stamp out suffering...it doesn't make sense!
