New Kid on the Block - During a Pandemic
By AV Board member Susan Pierpoint
One of the things that kept me going during the early days of “Shelter in Place” was the good work of merging North Oakland Village (NOV) with its longtime friend and sister, Ashby Village (AV). I was the President of NOV’s Board for a few years, having stepped into big shoes occupied by some very talented, capable founding Presidents before me. The merger work was complicated, of course but we had a few advantages. First, the team of Andra Lichtenstein (AV’s amazing, tireless Board President), Flo Raskin, a longtime AV volunteer and the single best organized person I’ve ever met, Judith Coates – an NOV founder and friend who is brilliant and funny, and me with B- level Google Doc skills. Second, we discerned immediately that the cultural fit was as good as it gets. Finally, both Flo and Andra had prior experience with another successful nonprofit merger.
We were done in four months. The merger was effective July 1 and unlike everyone else I know, I did not clean out a single closet or drawer at home in those early days. I was invited to join the AV Board where, other than Andra and two other NOV folks who also joined, I knew nobody. Every AV program was populated largely by folks new to me too. I was prepared for this, however, from my experience in the 1980’s finding a church with a theology I could work with and an active social justice ministry. There I figured out that the way to break in to a group is to go to the kitchen and start washing dishes. There is something easy about conversations over dishes – my teenage daughters had long ago taught me that – but even in July, the Shelter in Place orders had not lifted and all the meetings were on Zoom (arrrrrgh!).
I had no Plan B and anyway Zoom has got to be Plan D or maybe X. No dishes, no kitchen. No hanging out with real 3-dimensional people. The only thing I could figure out was to find the programs I enjoyed (Science and Ideas was a given!) and of course, sampling from the extensive Ashby Village menu of programs was great fun. Arts and Culture presentations – fabulous, history classes – interesting , meditation – helpful despite being no good at it. Various social events and breakout groups often felt almost intimate and real.
I enjoy board work, which is an odd idea of a good time, but I believe in good infrastructure for houses, families and organizations. The AV board is sophisticated and comprised of very productive members. I decided to listen more than I talk, which was a pretty good way to get to know and appreciate the individuals, but hard for people like me to do. The part that engages and encourages my participation is the passion of the folks on the Board Zooms, and the wonderful members, volunteers, donors and friends who are the lifeblood of the organization.
It’s been almost a year now. I’ve had my vaccines, I’m getting a haircut soon, and am waiting eagerly for the chance to hug a lot of new friends!
Susan Pierpoint joined the Ashby Village Board, and Ashby Village (AV) as a new member July 1, 2020 when North Oakland Village (NOV) merged operations with AV. Formerly President of the NOV Board, Susan is a retired attorney for the Regents of UC and the proud mother of two grown daughters as well as 4 young grandchildren. She grew up in Albany and was the Albany High School 1966 Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow. Tomorrow never came.