TROUBLE IN PARADISE...NUMBER 3
11-29-10
This is the third in a series of articles based on emails sent by employees and board members of the Rose Sanders' National Voting Rights Museum. These emails show that the NVRM is rife with CORRUPTION, STRIFE, THEFT, AND THREATS AND SHOULD BE CLOSED DOWN. In the following two emails, Rose's sister, Carolyn, responds to Connie Tucker's email in which Connie defended her daughter, Olly, and then Connie has a blistering response to Carolyn's email.
Subject:
Date: Nov 10, 2010 2:47 pm
From: cgvarner cgvarner@bellsouth.net
Hi All,
First, proper email etiquette dictates the avoidance of long emails. the rules have clearly been avoided by Connie in that regard. Secondly, there are several false statements contained in Connie's email. Clearly most of her statements are based on Olly's version of the facts. Since Olly is Connie's daughter, she is obviously biased about her. Also, her mother appears to be mis-advising her. I have advised Connie in the past that I was not discussing Olly or her performance with her as Olly's mother and as a nonmember of the Board. That would be unethical. Thirdly, I have never been accused of being "unethical", and quite frankly I resent being called so by Connie. My reputation speaks for itself. For the record, though, the meeting with Tuskegee's archivist was never "secret" I advised Olly that we were meeting with Tuskegee that morning and arranged to get a key from her. She never asked me why I was meeting with them because she was so busy trying to leave town for an unapproved trip to Atlanta. I assume she (or Connie) never questioned why board members and founders would meet in "secret" about the Museum; I would be completely rational. Fourthly, Olly called this morning and said that she would not have her "power" taken away. The Museum is a non-profit, grassroots movement. Should we really be talking about "power?" I love both Olly and her mother. I know that Connie works hard and effectively. Olly is committed but she is also inexperienced as a director. I do believe that if she would stop being so defensive and combative, she could be a good director. Our problems are not about power; its about judgment. Lastly, the Museum has always "operated as a museum." Olly has clearly given herself too much credit to claim that success. And to say otherwise insults those of us who have built the Museum, sacrificed, worked long and hard uncompensated hours, and prayed tirelessly for its survival for years.
Subject:
Date: Nov 10, 2010 2:53 PM
Carolyn and to the other board members,
I wasn't aware the NVRMI had established email etiquette. This memo could have been provided as an attachment. However, I was concerned that some would not be able to open it and that is why I sent the full memo in the window of the email. I understand that the general rule is for a mother to be bias, but I have spent years trying to make sure that I am not biased towards mine when it comes to the business of the Movement. I have seen far too often parents abusing their influence for the betterment of their children. I do not think anyone can accuse me of that. I did raise my concerns with Carolyn and Felecia. I got no response from Felecia and Carolyn emailed me back saying that she would not discuss it with me. Carolyn since you raised the point about your reputation, then you have to admit that you have a history of discussing NVRMI around your kitchen table with non-NVRMI board members. You talked about Angela Brown at your kitchen table with non-NVRMI board members, and now you are doing the same thing with Olly. The word got back to us about your discussions and with whom. Is that ethical??
I witnessed what happened with the secret meeting. You told Olly you were having a meeting but you did not tell her it was about the IMLS project. She learned about it on our way to attend the wedding of Erica Henry and Scott Muhammad. We turned around when she learned about what was going on,. It caused us to miss the actual wedding although we were able to attend the reception afterwards. If it was not a secret why did Felecia rush out and say it is not what it appears to be? What you did was unethical and undermining, Olly was busy because she planned on going to the wedding and then to Atlanta. Since when does she need approval to travel on her personal time and who is authorized to approve it. This is ludicrous. This is the kind of non-sense that Olly has to put up with.
The Museum was in shambles when Olly arrived. No one could find anything and there were no systems in place except what Afreye was in charge of. This is a result of the way Angela Brown was fired and the remaining staff were not given an exit process. Rather, Angela did it with someone who failed to report it to the staff. It is easy to make accusations, it's entirely another to give point by point examples of your accusations. Tell me specifically anything that I have said that is untrue.
REgarding power, it is about power, the power of management to manage without interference, without that power, you have nothing but a dysfunctional organization.
While I am not a board member, I have worked for less than the industry standard. I volunteer my time over and over again and my relationship with the Museum predates Olly's work here. I think I have the right to speak to the Board, as what you are doing is directly affecting the work that I do.
It is apparently true that you have no defense for over-stepping the authority given you by the board.
