Asheville Movement Community Inc

ASHEVILLE MOVEMENT COMMUNITY, INC. (AMC) CONTINUED SERVING AN ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY DIVERSE LOCAL COMMUNITY DURING 2022, RETURNING TO HOSTING TWO FREE-FORM IN-PERSON MOVEMENT EVENTS WEEKLY ON SUNDAYS, AND ONE TO TWO MONTHLY ON FRIDAY EVENINGS. EACH EVENT, WHETHER INDOORS NORMALLY OR OUTDOORS DURING THE WARMER MONTHS, INCLUDED A REVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION'S EVENT GUIDELINES IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION THROUGH SELF-EXPRESSION AND SAFE MOVEMENT EXPLORATION. WE ALSO RETURNED TO WARREN WILSON COLLEGE, OFFERING ACTIVITIES TO STUDENTS AND STAFF FREE OF CHARGE AS A CONTINUATION OF OUR AGREEMENT TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON FREE-FORM MOVEMENT AND CONSENT. PARTICIPANTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR RANGED FROM CHILDREN UNDER SUPERVISION OF THEIR PARENTS TO PERSONS AGED 75 AND OLDER. OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED EVENTS SERVED ABOUT 8,937 ADULT DANCERS AND 200 CHILDREN.VOLUNTEERS AND ELECTED PARTICIPANTS CONTINUED TO REFINE THE ORGANIZATIONS PERSONNEL AND GOVERNANCE INFRASTRUCTURE, BOTH TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPATION WHILE PRESERVING THE SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES, BUT ALSO WITH AN EYE TO REDUCING EXCESSIVE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD AND IMPROVING THE EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO DO NOT SERVE IN ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES. ACCORDINGLY, THE FORMAT OF THE OPEN COMMUNITY GATHERINGS WAS SHIFTED TO BE FOCUSED MORE ON CONNECTION AND FEEDBACK THAN ON GOVERNANCE. PATHWAYS FOR DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN ORGANIZATIONAL DECISION MAKING REMAIN, AND PLANS AND STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THEM HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. AMC HOSTED TWO DANCERS GATHERINGS TO HELP ENGAGE AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN PARTICIPATING IN AMCS OPERATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL DECISION MAKING, AND TO OPEN A MORE PERSONAL PATHWAY TO FEEDBACK WITH THE COMMUNITY. SEVERAL VOLUNTEERS WERE TRAINED TO HOLD LEADERSHIP POSITIONS SUCH AS ROOM COORDINATORS, WHICH CONTINUE TO BE NOMINALLY COMPENSATED IN ORDER TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE PARTICIPATION FROM THE COMMUNITY. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 700 VOLUNTEER HOURS WERE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ORGANIZATIONS MISSION AND EVENTS IN 2022. WE ARE CONTINUING OUR COLLABORATION WITH EVERGREEN COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL, WHICH HAD BEGUN WELL BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND 2022 WAS THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF RENEWED REGULAR SITE RENTALS FOR IN-PERSON ACTIVITY.DURING 2022, DUE TO SOME LINGERING HEALTH CONCERNS AND LACK OF PERSONNEL, WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTINUE OUR LONG-STANDING FREE CHILDCARE OFFERINGS THAT HAD SERVED AN INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTED CHILDREN, PARENTS AND FAMILIES. WE ARE HOPEFUL TO RESTART THE PROGRAM AS SOON AS WE ARE ABLE, BUT IN THE MEANTIME DO WELCOME CHILDREN OF ALL AGES TO OUR EVENTS AS LONG AS THEY ARE BEING SUPERVISED BY THEIR ADULT CARETAKER. IT IS AN INSPIRING EXPERIENCE TO WITNESS AGE-SPANNING GROUPS MOVING TOGETHER IN HARMONY.WE ARE STILL COMMITTED TO OUR SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH AND FUNDRAISING TO EXPLORE A POSSIBLE PERMANENT FUTURE HOME FOR AMC, AND RECENTLY INCREASED REVENUE AND DONATIONS ARE GIVING US HOPE ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY. WE PLAN TO DEVELOP A DETAILED BUSINESS PLAN AND TO APPLY FOR GRANTS, IN ORDER TO HELP SECURE A LONG-TERM HOME VIA EITHER A MULTI-YEAR LEASE, A LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH AN ALIGNED ORGANIZATION, OR THE PURCHASE OR CONSTRUCTION OF A VENUE THAT AMC WOULD OWN. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT A PERMANENT SPACE WOULD ENTAIL IN TERMS OF MANAGEMENT, PERSONNEL AND MAINTENANCE. IN THE PROCESS, WE HAVE ALSO WORKED ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ANNUAL FUNDRAISING AS WELL.2022 HAS CONTINUED AND STRENGTHENED THE THEME OF EXTRA-ORGANIZATIONAL AND INTER-COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS. DURING DANCERS GATHERINGS, PARTICIPANTS WERE INVITED TO DIALOGUE ABOUT SEVERAL TOPICS RELATED TO THE ORGANIZATION'S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING: HOW TO ELICIT PARTICIPATION, SUPPORTING A CULTURE OF CONSENT, POLICY-MAKING ISSUES, THRIVING FINANCIALLY, HOW TO IMPROVE AMCS OFFERINGS, AND OUR LONG TERM VISION. PARTICIPANTS WERE ALSO PROVIDED WITH CURRENT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION'S FINANCES, STAFF AND OPERATIONS.OUR NEW POLICY OF NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS HAS INSPIRED DANCERS WHO ARE ABLE TO PAY MORE TO CONTRIBUTE EXTRA FUNDS TO HELP SUPPORT OUR LOWER INCOME DANCERS. THE POLICY HAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED OUR INCOME AND HAS PROVIDED WAYS FOR MORE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME.AMCS CONTINUES TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO ENTER OUR DIFFERENT PATHWAYS TOWARD LEADERSHIP. AMC HAS WELCOMED NEW DANCE EVENT FACILITATORS, ROOM COORDINATORS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS . WE HAVE CREATED A CONSENT TEAM THAT OFFERS SPECIAL WORKSHOPS TO PRACTICE A CULTURE OF CONSENT. OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CONTINUES TO PARTICIPATE IN EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS SUCH AS KEEP IT MOVING ASHEVILLE CAUCUS AND BPR FORUM. OUR EXECUTIVE TREASURER CONTINUES TO GUIDE US ON BEST PRACTICES AND BUDGET MANAGEMENT. SOME GENEROUS DONORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR SUSTAINABILITY. AMC AS AN ORGANIZATION HAS REMAINED STRONG AND HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND LEARN. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE OF MOVEMENT FOR PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION.