January 2023

I missed another newsletter in December. I am finding life-work-family-Platform balance quite precarious as the needs of my mother and the demands of my work are impacting my physical health, mental wellbeing, energy, and time. To make things more challenging, I got Covid which seemed to last forever, and my dear, beloved friend lost her mother. So I find myself asking, “Will there be reprieve in 2023?” I don’t know if my responsibilities to my mother or my work will change so I need to figure out a way to step back from Platform. This is unfortunate but may signal a transition at Platform, a necessary change which may be good for any organization.

To that end, as I have promised, we have a new executive and advisory board. Clara Lee will continue to stay on the executive board and Maria Ignacia Miranda Santis will move from the advisory to executive board. They have been the backbone for Platform and I am looking forward to working with them closely. And we have a completely new advisory board, Mariam Rauf, LaKisha Mosley, and Kristen Payne.  They will be more actively engaged in the development of Platform into a sustainable, vibrant organization. I would like to thank Mish Southgate (executive board), Elizabeth Franz, and Javon Bracy for their constant support.

Not only has the board changed but we will have new organizers for our programs.  Brigitta Vieyra will be heading the adult program and Dafne Ruiz will be organizing the youth program. I am excited for their future contribution to Platform. I trust that they will be able to grow our programs in ways that I have not been able to do. I am best at starting but not as effective in running an organization. I am more of a pioneer but I believe Brigitta and Dafne will be able to add new insights and methods that I am really excited to incorporate.

It will hopefully be an exciting new year, full of possibilities. But isn’t that what the new year is all about, the hope of what is yet to come!

Happy New Year to our Platform community.

Sam Joo

Founder and CEO

December 28, 2022