Community Letter of Commitment FAQ

As of November 12, 2020
The Poetry Foundation staff and trustees have been working toward the commitments outlined in the June 12 Open Letter of Commitment to our Community, addressing the concerns of the poets who submitted the June 6 Community Letter. Updates on the progress that has been made can be found in the Update on Our Open Letter of Commitment to Our Community.

As we work together on the outlined action items, here are some frequently asked questions regarding our commitment.


About the Open Letter of Commitment 

• Which organizations will receive the $1 million committed over two years, and how will you decide?
  First and immediately $250,000 was committed to the Artist Relief fund to aid individual poets and writers; an additional $225,000 was committed to Arts for Illinois Relief Fund (in addition to $25,000 previously committed). The remaining $500,000 will go to organizations fighting for social justice, and working to advance racial equity in poetry and affiliated art over the next two years.

• What are your plans to continue this work beyond the $1 million?
  Grants and sponsorships are a small part of the Foundation’s work, particularly as it relates to its structure as a private operating foundation with no emphasis on fundraising. Even so, the Foundation recognizes the importance of grants, and this commitment is the first of many steps it is taking to better serve poets and audiences in a more equitable manner. 

• What resources are being redirected to the Community and Foundation Relations Department and how will this impact all areas?
  This was left open-ended to provide time to reflect on and re-envision the Foundation Relations Department in order to increase the resources available for this work, while maximizing its reach and impact. All Foundation programs should be community programs, and it is moving to make this the case. To this end, effective immediately, Ydalmi Noriega has been promoted to Director of Programs and Community Engagement.

• How will you reassess the physical building, editorial, and programmatic decisions?
  Staff are working on evaluating and changing policies and processes. While the 61 West Superior Street building remains closed to the public due to COVID-19, the Foundation is taking the opportunity to make changes to the physical space to become more welcoming and accessible upon reopening.

• Will you pay the individual or team of Black historian(s) to research and document the debt that the Poetry Foundation and Poetry magazine owes to Black poets?
  Yes. The Poetry Foundation pays all contributors and consultants. This project budget will be determined based on an equitable RFP process, and will depend on the individual or team, anticipated duration, resources, and permissions required, among other considerations.

 

About Leadership & Hiring 

• Who is currently in leadership positions with the Foundation?
  The Poetry Foundation CFO Kathleen Coughlin will serve in her current role as the administrator of the Foundation until the Board appoints a new president, the search for whom is underway.

• Who is currently in leadership positions with the Board?
  Caren Yanis is now Board Chair through this process as the staff and Board listen to the community and develop a plan of action.

• When will you hire a new president and how will that process proceed?
  The Board launched a leadership search for the president with the recruitment firm Korn Ferry. In addition to trustees, the search committee includes the current CFO and another staff member; the committee is overseeing the search process. The detailed position description was informed by the Board, the staff, and through surveys and discussions with members of the broader poetry community. If you are interested in applying or in making a nomination, please contact [email protected]. 

• How will you address diversity and inclusion (or lack thereof) on your Board of Trustees and/or among staff?
  Staff and Board makeup and, importantly, how roles will be filled in an equitable and inclusive manner moving forward, will be reviewed as part of the equity audit by the Board, with input by staff and support by Ethos. In addition to the president search the Foundation recently opened and broadly promoted staff positions, including guest editors, editorial assistant, and product manager, as well as independent contractor poetry reader positions; these represent changes to how the Foundation conducts searches for open staff positions including displaying salary ranges, removing education requirements, and emphasizing specific interest in social justice.

Additional Questions
 

• What should I do if I’m a contributor who is reconsidering their relationship with the Poetry Foundation and Poetry magazine?
  As the Foundation works to become a more transparent and accessible organization, it invites any poets, writers or artists who would like to re-engage with the Foundation, and/or ask to be removed from specific programmatic requests either temporarily or permanently to contact the following:
  • Poetry editorial queries: [email protected]
  • Social media queries: [email protected]
  • Poem of the Day queries: [email protected]
  • Bio page queries: [email protected]
    
    For other inquiries:
  • President search applications/nominations:  [email protected]
  • Grant queries and applications: [email protected]
  • Programming and events: [email protected]  
  • Media partnerships: [email protected]
  • Community initiatives: [email protected]
     
• Are you still hosting events or programs?
  We are hosting virtual, free events and workshops while the building remains closed to the public.
  Updates on events are available here.  
   
• What is your relationship with the Chicago Police Department?
  The Foundation’s direct relationship or interaction with the Chicago Police Department is very limited as it has private security; but even so, the Foundation will be evaluating its relationship with CPD as part of its building policy review.