Our mission is to empower the creation of environments where differences are recognized, understood, appreciated, and utilized for the benefit of all through both time-tested and innovative training and tools, public advocacy, and consulting models addressing the personal, interpersonal, cultural, and institutional levels.
We have been certified a Minority-controlled Nonprofit by the Massachusetts State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Assistance (SOMWBA).
Our Founding Principles
The spirit of reciprocity is a time-honored tradition in African-centered cultures and organizations. This spirit forms the fabric of who we are as an organization and is essential to what we do and how we do it. We recognize that our consultants bring skills and abilities learned prior to, and concurrent with, their own experiences in VISIONS. As an organization, we collectively benefit from the skills, abilities, and self-development processes of the consultants. The power of VISIONS is derived from our relationships with one another and the mutual support these relationships provide.
It started with a question…
In 1984, the founders of VISIONS—three black women who grew up in legalized segregation and a white Jewish man who grew up in the civil rights movement—brought together change agents in the fields of education, law, psychology, public health, business and religion, all of whom were asking the question, “How do we include people who have been historically excluded from white, mostly male institutions?”The challenge was to understand and pioneer ways that everyone could prosper. Following the first wave of affirmative action in the U.S., the common practice had been to add more diversity without paying attention to how to best prepare the workplace, community, or church for success. Organizations failed to recognize the elements that needed to change to ensure that those being brought in would stay and thrive.
Our Core Values
Strategic Plan 2020 - 2024
Our Vision for our Organization
We envision a future where VISIONS is known globally for our expertise, skills, and talents, where we: Are viewed as authorities and experts in this work. Are equitable and transparent in all that we do. Operate in a manner that is sustainable, financially successful, and able to invest as needed in critical functions and supports. Ensure continuous excellence of consultants, staff, and board members. Achieve impact at the policy and systems levels through collaboration with policy groups that are primarily focused on advocacy.
Our Vision for our Community
We envision a more equitable world where:
Differences are valued and used for the benefit of all. Where is a common awareness of and language for addressing issues of difference among all sectors. Communities listen more, always seek to understand each other first, grow in their curiosity of each other's perspective, and accept that multiple perspectives are the pathway towards equity and liberation. Our justice, health care, education, and other systems are more equitable.
Intersectionality is recognized, understood, and acted upon.
Goals and Strategies
Evolve our portfolio to meeting community needs and the development of the next generation of DEI leaders by:
- Creating a full, robust menu of VISIONS' offerings
- Expanding our offerings to include a focus on youth, law enforcement and criminal justice
- Becoming a certification and education resource for trainers
Establish an overall and integrated marketing, fundraising, and partnership strategy to enhance and strengthen VISIONS’ reach and impact by:
- Establishing an overall and integrated marketing, fundraising, and partnership strategy to enhance and strengthen VISIONS' reach and impact
- Establishing a fund development strategy
- Developing signature partnerships that advance the work, brand, and impact of VISIONS
- Developing the capacity to advocate and address policy issues as extension of consulting work
Strengthen VISIONS' internal capacity to support, sustain and expand services by:
- Investing in and improving organizational infrastructure and work processes/systems
- Establishing quality improvement capacity to assess and measure the impact of the work
- Further developing and formalizing the learning agenda for VISIONS' consultants
- Developing an organizational culture that recognizes our history and enables our future
Position the Board of Directors to best support and advance the work of VISIONS by:
- Reviewing and updating our board structure
- Updating and clarifying board roles and expectations
- Continuing intentional board development
In Memorium
1966-2023
Sarah Loebs Werkman lived with love, grace, boldness, and wanderlust. Having been surrounded by her family, Sarah died on October 3, 2023, with her great love beside her holding her hand as he has done so for more than 35 years, but never so tenderly as the last 2 years and 8 months after Sarah was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer.
Passionate about cross-cultural communication, multicultural awareness, and universal belonging, Sarah loved traveling and spoke Japanese and Spanish. Sarah was proud to have lived in three countries and traveled through many others. In her first seven years out of college, she lived in seven different cities. In her teaching career, Sarah was known for going the extra mile for students- driving them to school, bringing breakfast, or lending a sympathetic ear.
Sarah built communities and connections wherever she went. She was passionate about creating a sense of belonging for those she worked for and with as well as for her family and friends. Sarah made people feel cared for with unconditional positive regard. She played the French Horn and rowed crew in college. She practiced yoga and loved to read. One of her favorite things to do was to go to her sons’ sports events – as many of them as she could possibly attend.
Sarah was born on May 15, 1966, in Ann Arbor, Michigan and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. In first grade Sarah began her lifelong love affair with Japan. During the summer after her junior year in high school Sarah took her first trip to Japan as an AFS student (many more were to come). After graduating from Upper Arlington High School, Sarah earned a BA in Asian Studies from Williams College, where she met her eventually-to-be husband. Sarah earned a master’s degree in international education from New York University and a master’s degree in School Counseling from Gonzaga University. Throughout a varied career – as a youth minister, teacher, consultant, and counselor – she made an impact in the lives of teenagers, students, and colleagues. Sarah said, as a working mother, she had two full-time jobs. Among her second jobs she especially enjoyed her work at Colby College, and Visions, Inc. Most recently, Sarah was looking to add more purpose to her days (aside from cancer) and took a part-time job at Sweet Monkey Business and volunteered at the Belfast Soup Kitchen and the Waldo County Y – she enjoyed being with people and kept working until two weeks before her death despite the increasing physical challenges cancer presented.
Work gave Sarah an outlet for her passion to bring the world together, but she said her family was her greatest success. Her love, humor, and dedication to her three “boys” gave them confidence and a sense of belonging. She woke up early to help with homework and stayed up late to talk through challenges at work.
Sarah is survived by her husband Russell, sons Isaac and Xander, and their beloved dog, Blue; her parents Stephen and Susan Loebs; her sister Kathryn Loebs Stauss and brother-in-law Frank Stauss; many cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is also survived by extraordinary friends who walked beside her before and through cancer. Some created the Sarah Loebs Fan Club (which provided her much joy and encouragement on a weekly basis), others joined her through her Caring Bridge Community which wrapped her in love and support as she vividly and transparently shared her experience with cancer. Sarah’s care teams at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, the Alfond Cancer Center, and the Sussman House provided expertise and exceptional care. The Dempsey Center and the Advanced Cancer Support Group Sarah joined through the center proved to be invaluable resources and support.
Through the Dempsey Center in Maine, Sarah made a legacy video. It can be found at: https://vimeo.com/631252238/89904423c1.
A memorial and reception are being held on Saturday, November 11 at the First Parish Church in Brunswick, Maine starting at 11:00 am. If you would like to do something in Sarah’s honor, please consider donations in her memory to Thula Thula, a private wildlife reserve in South Africa that Sarah visited in May 2022 ( https://thulathula.com/conservation/) or The Belfast Soup Kitchen (https://www.belfastsoupkitchen.org/).
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.ripostafh.com
