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March 20, 2020
Dear LGC Community,
As I write this, I wish for each of you, your loved ones, and colleagues to be healthy and safe.
The world we face today calls for each of us to "lead in place" as much as it calls for us to "shelter in place" for the good of all. We at LGC see you leading, even from afar. The benefits of technology allow your leadership to transcend distance and time to lead colleagues, collaborate across sectors, and remain close as a community even when we are socially distant.
Today in Fellows on the Move, you will read about Fellows who are in the public eye like Dr. Ngozi Ezike (LGC Fellow since 2011), Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), who is co-leading Illinois’ response to coronavirus.
You will also read about Fellows collaborating across sectors to come to the aid of those organizations vital to serving those in need during this pandemic. Their collective efforts have resulted in the establishment of the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund to unite the funds raised by Chicago’s philanthropies, corporations, and individuals to be disbursed to nonprofit organizations across the region. The Fund was initiated as a partnership between the City of Chicago, The Chicago Community Trust, led by Dr. Helene Gayle (Daniel Burnham Fellow), and the United Way of Metro Chicago, led by Sean Garrett (Daniel Burnham Fellow). To date, more than 30 local foundations and several corporations have joined the effort, many of which are led by Fellows or have Fellows on their staffs and boards.
Whether in the news or not, we know many of you are the "hidden figures" working to flatten the curve of this pandemic – caring for those in need of medical attention, serving a vulnerable population, or ministering to the spirit keeping communities safe. LGC leadership is at work all around us.
We also know each of you are leading and inspiring colleagues as we continue the work of our respective organizations, whether virtually or in person. This is a time for leadership to shine through. This is a time for us to lead with "head, heart, and hands", and to leverage what we learn as Fellows: civic leadership is a purposeful and collaborative process that leads to positive social change. When we lead together, we can meet any challenge – including this one.
So, let's call on the LGC spirit – the spirit of collaboration, the spirit of kindness, the knowledge of the LGC network, and the awakened heart that understands the needs of others as our shared responsibility to bring all of our talents and energy to bear to make a difference in whatever way we can – in the life of one person, one block, one mile, one city, or the world.
Let's come together in community in whatever way makes sense, to give strength to each other and to share the stories of warmth, compassion, and humor that will fuel our spirit and keep us moving forward.
To that end, on Monday, March 23 we will launch a NEW social media series called Fellows on the Front Line. Each day, we will feature one Fellow who is directly involved in the care of our community and citizens during the pandemic. The purpose of the series is to spotlight the critical efforts these Fellows are leading, to keep you informed of the needs, and to connect you to opportunities to help. If you know a Fellow who should be included, please email us at info@lgcchicago.org.
During this period of social distancing, here are a few more ways to remain connected to LGC and each other:
- Read Fellows on the Move – our weekly email celebrating the impact Fellows are making in Chicago and beyond.
- Stay in touch with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Be sure to follow these pages for updates and our new Fellows on the Front Line series.
- NEW! Beginning Wednesday, March 25, visit our website for online resources our team has curated of things to watch, listen, and read. Here we will feature books written by our Fellows, as well as TED Talks, podcasts, and other educational and informative channels featuring Fellows.
On behalf of the LGC Board, Leadership Fellows Association (LFA) Board, and our LGC Team, we wish all of you safety and good health until we can be together again.
Best, |
