The Women’s Fund office will be closed June 24 through July 5. This mid-year pause is not new to us, but it has been extended to allow our team time to rest, rejuvenate and replenish. Some will spend time travelling, others plan to read books in the sunshine or visit family.
As part of our strategic planning work and inspired by The Nap Ministry, we added the value of rest last year.
We honor that rest is a right and not a privilege or reward. We believe that rest is a foundation to innovate, restore and reimagine our collective work. When we center our team’s rest, care, space, and connections, we can disrupt systems of oppression and build a new future for us all.
Our stated organizational values guide our work, and the addition of this new value helps us to prioritize our team’s collective well-being so we might reimagine a world that values gender equity. We’re also continually re-envisioning our workplace as one that works for those who experience gender-based oppression. As we strive to create communities where everyone can thrive and have opportunities, we also get to shape that world from within our organization.
So let us repeat and shout it out loud for all to hear. Rest is not a reward. It is not a privilege to unburden yourself from capitalism and “productivity.” It is your right.
With that, we will be back on July 8 rested, restored and ready to build a new path forward.