In the Messy Middle: An Invitation to Keep Going
Dear VISIONS Community,
As we move through this season of transition—personally, organizationally, and nationally—I want to take a moment to reach out with both honesty and hope.
Many of us are still carrying the weight of ongoing uncertainty. The political landscape continues to shift in ways that challenge our sense of safety, belonging, and progress. Harmful ideologies are resurfacing, sometimes clothed in policy, and other times cloaked in silence. It is painful. It is exhausting. And it is real.
Yet alongside the pain, there is something else emerging—a quiet and powerful turning. A stepping into something new. We are not where we were, and we are not yet where we want to be. AND we are, together, in the space in between. This “messy middle” is uncomfortable, and it is also fertile ground for growth.
At VISIONS, we believe that transformation is not a linear path—it is relational, emotional, and deeply human. It requires courage, care, and community. And it often begins in moments just like this: when the road ahead is unclear, and yet our values remain unwavering.
We continue to affirm, without hesitation, that every person deserves to live with dignity and respect—no matter their race, gender, background, faith, or identity. Our commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice is not dependent on political winds. It is rooted in generations of resistance, and in the everyday acts of connection that happen across kitchen tables, classrooms, boardrooms, and beyond.
So if you are feeling uncertain, you are not alone. If you are tired, you are not alone. And if you are searching for signs of hope, I want you to know: you are one of them. Your presence in this community matters. Your voice, your care, your willingness to stay in the work—these are what make transformation possible.
We don’t have to know exactly what comes next to take the next step. Let’s keep showing up for one another. Let’s keep building together. There is no roadmap for this moment, yet there is also a rhythm—and it is guided by the strength of our relationships, the clarity of our values, and our shared belief in a more just and loving world.
With deep appreciation and solidarity,
Elika
Board Updates
Dear VISIONS Community,
Following Elika’s heartfelt reflection, we, the Board of Directors, want to echo her deep appreciation for each of you. These are hard times—organizationally and nationally. Elika has highlighted your ongoing commitment, creativity, and resilience and we are truly inspired by and grateful for it. We care about the VISIONS team.
We want you to know that as a board, we are actively exploring every possible path to ensure VISIONS' future is not just sustainable but thriving. Everything is on the table. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been assessing new business models and revenue streams—including the newly launched membership model, licensing opportunities for our signature content, and potential retainer-based partnerships with organizations committed to equity and transformation. We are reaching out to our own networks for support. And stretching our personal gifts as much as we can.
As the governing body of VISIONS, the board is ultimately responsible for ensuring the organization’s mission is protected and its long-term health secured. We take that responsibility seriously, especially in times of uncertainty.
Decisions need to be made thoughtfully, of course, inclusively where at all possible and practical; some may need to be made quickly. We want to be transparent: VISIONS is not in a strong financial position right now. And, we’re not giving up—we’re doubling down. So, we’re asking for grace as we navigate this next phase with urgency and care.
To our staff—thank you. We see how many hours you are putting in, far beyond what’s expected. Your labor is love in action.
To our consultants—thank you. Your work with clients continues to create impact, spark dialogue, and plant seeds of change in every space you enter.
We are with you. We believe in this work. And we believe in this community.
With gratitude and solidarity,
The VISIONS Board of Directors
From May 16-18, our Board of Directors came together in person for a powerful and energizing retreat in North Carolina. It was a time of deep connection, strategic thinking, and recommitment to our mission. We’re grateful for this dedicated group of leaders who continue to guide VISIONS with care, clarity, and vision. Check out a few moments from the weekend!
Leadership Note: Acknowledging Feedback and Moving Forward
In our recent pulse survey, someone raised concerns about my role in collaborating with consultants during this financially challenging time. While the comment was anonymous, I want to take a moment to respond openly — because that’s what we’re asking of each other as a community.
First, thank you to everyone who took the time to respond. Feedback is a gift, even when it’s hard to receive. I want to be clear: I am deeply invested in our collective future. Navigating our financial situation has required tough decisions, and I know those don’t always feel collaborative. I also know that as consultants, many of you are balancing deep care for this work with real-world needs for security and clarity.
As many of you know, Rick oversees the consulting arm of the organization within staff leadership. Part of his role includes surfacing feedback shared with him that may be relevant for me to hear, so please continue to use that pathway if it feels accessible.
I’m committed to being visible, as relevant, and connected to our community. Those of you who have reached out directly, thank you. I hope you’ve felt seen and heard when you have done so. Please know: your perspectives matter. Your work matters. And I welcome further dialogue, directly or through whatever channels feel safe for you. The burden of the financial situation is a very heavy weight and is demanding all of leadership’s time, energy and focus to see VISIONS through this very challenging time.
Let’s keep practicing the values we teach — honesty, accountability, and shared responsibility — even when it’s hard – and remembering that disagreements are ok. And, that blame/shame/attack of self and others are not a part of our values.
With care and gratitude,
Elika
2024 Annual Report
As we reflect on the past year, we are filled with deep gratitude—for you.
In a time of division and disruption, your support, partnership, and belief in our mission sustained us. Together, we continued the vital work of building bridges across difference—equipping leaders, youth, and organizations to create more inclusive communities.
We’re sharing with you our 2024 Annual Report, a snapshot of what we accomplished together this year—from expanding our training and coaching, to deepening mental health and restorative practices, to launching Liberation Generation for youth leaders. (Please update this section with current accomplishments.)
Click here to read the full report.
Every workshop attended, every conversation sparked, every transformation experienced—none of it would be possible without your commitment.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
From VP Admin
VISIONS is in its Valley Season
The “valley season” symbolizes times of trials and tribulations but also serves as a time for transformation and renewal. We all know the power that this work can produce and the change that it can make. I have heard many ask how they can assist.
The board, as part of their fiduciary responsibilities, have been working on their part to raise income for the organization. Staff have taken on additional duties and worked additional hours due to the reduction of part-time roles. Several of our consultants have donated financially, taken action to engage past and new potential clients. We also have those who have volunteered their time to support fundraising. Thank you all.
When folks ask you, or you ask yourself, “How can I help?”, here are some suggestions:
- Support the Mission
- Share the need to sustain this work with your networks. A member of our community recently sent a text to her peers, friends, and family and raised several thousand dollars in a matter of a couple of days. That personal touch can be helpful.
- Membership
- Invite 3-5 people to become part of the VISIONS Membership Circle. As a member, they have access to early registration to programs, tools, member-only events, guest passes to some programming, and special member content.
- Learn more
- Online Fundraising Auction
- Share with your networks, VISIONS’ Online Fundraising Auction featuring items from various sports greats. Shaquille O’Neal Basketball, Jalen Hurts (Champion Philadelphia Eagles) signed jersey, Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) signed jersey and more! You can bid or donate to support VISIONS. Make great gifts, or keep them for your personal collection.
- Learn more
- Program Marketing
- Share upcoming program dates with your network and past clients. New employees of previous clients can experience the VISIONS model, as they may not have been among the participants you worked with when you were there. Let your friends and networks know. Friends can learn about the VISIONS model by attending. This outreach markets VISIONS work and model for those individuals and past clients who may be seeking to re-engage with VISIONS.
- Client Work
- Reach out to your past clients that had a favorable experience with VISIONS. See if they have current needs or if they want to bring our programs to their workplace/community (PACE and Guidelines can be a contract for their organization). They can schedule an initial inquiry meeting to lean more about their needs.
Admin Updates
Payment Structure
We are moving to a standardized 50%-25%-25% payment schedule for all future contracts. This updated structure has already been implemented with some recent contracts and will now be applied across the board moving forward.
- 50% due at contract signing (plus admin fee)
- 25% due at the midpoint of the project
- 25% due upon completion and delivery date you provided in your proposal. Please talk to the contracts manager if you have any questions regarding your expected end date.
As with other policy changes, any exceptions must be approved in advance.
This change is part of our effort to streamline processes and ensure consistency across our contracting practices. Again, please reach out with any questions or if you require further clarification.
Admin Fee Increase
As noted in the recent communication from the VISIONS Board, we are implementing a 25% administrative fee for all new contracts. Please note the following key details:
- This fee applies only to new contracts and does not include any contracts that were in draft form prior to the fee increase.
- This adjustment follows the 17% consultant fee increase implemented in September 2023. At that time, VISIONS elected not to implement the recommended administrative fee increase. We are now aligning with that recommendation.
- Exceptions to the administrative fee policy will require approval and will be considered on a case-by-case basis for client equity reasons, as has been the practice in the past.
VISIONS, as an organization, depends on general operating income to support core activities such as the facilitation of PACE, Guidelines, mentoring, CFF reviews, and scholarships. While some program-specific fees help cover these costs, they are sometimes insufficient, making this administrative fee essential for sustaining our mission-driven work and making it accessible for those who may need support.
Contract Amendments
If a client requests an amendment, we have updated our language in the agreements so that if the work needs to be pushed out, this does not affect the original payment schedule. This somewhat ensures that as consultants work during the extended period, there are some funds available for billing.
From Senior Director of Consulting and Programs
A heartfelt thank you for the May 20th ‘all hands on deck’ meeting (a summary was emailed to all consultants on May 21st, in case you missed it). We had been thinking about scheduling a separate community meeting for this event – and, because there was already a track record of solid attendance at the monthly consultant meetings, we decided to conduct it at that scheduled time. Thanks to Yoojin for her push to have such a meeting, and for co-planning-and-facilitating the meeting.
In that meeting, we provided an update on the current state of VISIONS financial picture and what VISIONS and the board has actively pursued as options to respond to our current challenges. We are grateful to those who were able to attend, contribute to the discussion and commit to re-connecting with current and former clients to explore resumption of work, market the Transformational Leadership Program from our Learning Institute as well as the Guidelines and PACE workshops. Additional commitments that community members claimed included fundraising efforts within and outside of the organization. And, ideas continue to ‘roll in’ with regard to fundraising creativity. Please keep the ideas and suggestions flowing! For such suggestions, questions, comments, please email Jeanne and Rick.
We wanted to remind folks that due to the office closing the week of June 16-20, we did not have scheduled a monthly consultant meeting in June. As always, if there are pressing concerns, challenges, questions regarding client work that you are doing, you can reach out to your mentor for support or to Jeanne and Rick. The next monthly Consultant meeting will be July 15, 10 am PDT/1 pm EDT.
Transformational Leadership Program Updates
- We are excited to share that Transformational Leadership has been approved as an accredited program of UPEACE, the United Nations University for Peace based in Costa Rica! Check out UPEACE’s Partner and Academic Validation Programs, of which we will soon be featured. In our accreditation process, Julia Delafield, the Director of the Centre for Executive Education at UPEACE noted “strong alignment between VISIONS’ mission and the values we uphold at the UPEACE Centre for Executive Education. The emphasis on experiential learning, global citizenship, and leadership rooted in social responsibility resonates deeply with our own approach to education. It’s evident that your programs are thoughtfully designed not only in content but also in pedagogy—balancing theory and reflection with real-world engagement”.
- Participant applications for Transformational Leadership are due July 1. We are aiming for several more applicants, so please continue to help spread the word.
- A request for interested facilitators, coaches and guest educators with key skill sets and experiences was emailed to consultants on May 28; please contact institute@visions-inc.org if you have any questions or would like to be considered for one of these roles.
- There is a sponsorship packet if you know organizations or funders who might be interested in supporting Transformational Leadership; email institute@visions-inc.org for sponsor info.
Programs Update
- Guidelines – We are confirming the new rhythm of the Guidelines – based on recent registration activity, and the need to cancel some of these workshops, the Guidelines workshop will be offered on a schedule of every other month, starting with June. These months are posted on the website.
- PACE – we currently have the numbers needed to run the June PACE – and, July registration is currently quite low at this time; please continue to reach out to contacts for both June and July PACE. This includes current clients who may be willing to send a few from other departments/areas in their organization to PACE.
- CEUs – Due to the very low demand for CEUs in our current programs and the associated costs of offering them, we are pausing the promotion of CEUs at this time. We hope to revisit this in the future when we have the capacity to invest the necessary time, effort, and resources to market the CEU program in a sustainable way. Thanks to Leena’s hard work, we now have a solid template and infrastructure in place, making it easier to reintroduce CEUs when we are able.
Data
Thank You for Your Feedback on the Membership Model
We’re so grateful to everyone who took the time to share their insights, hopes, and questions about the potential VISIONS membership model. Your feedback is helping shape something meaningful, community-driven, and grounded in transformational practice.
Here are just a few themes that emerged from responses:
- A deeper sense of community and shared practice
- Early or discounted registration for trainings (e.g., PACE, Leadership Institute)
- Exclusive member events like healing circles and seasonal gatherings
- Curated VISIONS-based tools and resources
- Thought leadership from community members
- Peer spaces for accountability, coaching, and applying VISIONS' work in real time
- Responsive programs that meet this moment with actionable tools and bold experimentation
- A strong desire for authentic two-way communication and collective engagement
Your feedback reminds us how powerful our community is—and how much potential there is when we build together. Stay tuned for what’s next.
From Operations
There is a new addition to contract information in Salesforce- a budget worksheet! This worksheet will track the work types and the number of days that are on your signed contracts and subtract hours from that amount as B&Es are entered. This is new and there are going to be quirks as much as we’ve tried to ensure it’s working. There are a lot of details around using it that everyone needs to know if you plan to use it (this information is also included on the budget worksheet tab in Salesforce):
If you aren't sure if there are billable hours left on a contract, go to the contract financials tab and look at the money instead of billing based on leftover hours/ days. Always bill based on money left, not hours. This tab is for planning and tracking, but is not infallible.
This budget worksheet compares the budget items from the contract SOW to the B&Es entered on the contract. This area will only be as accurate as the information in the system. There will be possible inconsistencies due to SOW wording and how B&Es are entered. Please keep in mind that some labeling of the budget might not align with how you or your team input your B&Es and make sure to consider the overall budget hours left, not just the ones in individual areas.
For example: A proposal had 4 hours for training prep and 8 hours for training delivery, but the B&E only was dictated for 12 hours of training delivery (with the prep being included in the hours). Therefore, the training prep "shows" there are still 4 hours to be billed. HOWEVER, training delivery is over by 4 hours, so you just need to adjust that to know there are no more hours to bill.
Please also keep in mind if your contract has tech hours and different day rates for consultants, as the overall budget day number does not differentiate between different rates.
For example: The contract has tech hours and differing lead and associate consultant rates. Therefore, if there are 3 days of work left and the lead consultant gets paid at 2k a day, it doesn't mean there is 6k left on the contract or that those hours are for the lead to bill. The lead will need to confirm who needs to bill for the remaining hours to ensure the contract doesn't get overbilled.
This worksheet only counts days on paid B&Es. If there are unpaid B&Es on your contract, it will not adjust the days left in the budget until those B&Es have been marked paid. So as you're looking to identify how many hours are remaining, please keep that in mind.
As always, any questions or concerns, please reach out to Amy (abaker@visions-inc.org).
In the News: VISIONS' Executive Director, Elika, Weighs In
We’re proud to share recent media highlights featuring insights and quotes from our Executive Director.
- The Hidden Cracks: How AI Integration Is Testing Workplace Resilience
- Moderna’s human/AI revamp - the human implications and how to manage them
- Children of divorce end up poorer, with a higher chance of teen pregnancy, prison, study finds
- What is AI washing and why companies need to stop exaggerating their AI prowess
From the Office
- Please remember to fill out the Pulse Survey if you haven’t already done so.
- The office will be closed on the dates below.
- Summer Break - Juneteenth - June 16-20, 2025
- Independence Day - July 3-7, 2025
- Have any general feedback, questions, or ideas? Let us know! You can complete this survey and someone from VISIONS will reach out to you.
Upcoming Programs
PACE Level I is the foundational workshop offered by VISIONS. When you complete this virtual course, we believe you will have the skills necessary to:
- Identify unconsciously held misinformation in yourself, in others, and in organizations.
- Communicate more effectively across difference.
- Recognize personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural barriers to belonging.
- Understand the ongoing personal effects of historical and contemporary exclusion.
- Facilitate change in groups and organizations to create supportive environments for all.
- Per person cost: $1,150.00 (A Supporter Rate of $1,250.00 is also available).
- If you need support on the course fees, please email us at office@visions-inc.org.
Upcoming Dates:
- June 25
- August 27
- October 29
- January 28
- March 25
- May 27
- June 24
Are you looking for ways to strengthen and deepen your relationships? Would you like to enhance your communication skills and promote successful outcomes in a variety of settings? Join our virtual transformative workshop, where you’ll learn VISIONS Guidelines for Effective Cross-Cultural Dialogue.
- Develop practical communications skills that you can apply every day, both at work and in your personal life.
- Strengthen your ability to communicate with people from different backgrounds, identities, and experiences.
- Foster a culture of inclusivity and respect within your organization.
VISIONS has been teaching these guidelines to individuals, groups, and organizations for over 40 years. They have been instrumental in transforming organizations into inclusive, welcoming environments, and are also powerful skills for cultivating rich, enduring relationships between individuals.
Per person cost: $25.00 regular rate (A supporter rate of $35.00 is also available).
Mediators Beyond Borders
VISIONS has been invited to offer a featured training at Mediators Beyond Borders International Peace Congress in Lima, Peru, Sept 29, 2025.
Topic: “Bridging Divides in Governance: Conflict Resolution & Neutral Facilitation for Sustainable Development”