A Strategic Vision for the Esperanto Society of New England
As the incoming President of the Esperanto Society of New England (ESNE), I would like to describe my vision for what I believe the organization should seek to accomplish over the next two years.
I assume the leadership of ESNE during a crisis. ESNE has experienced a serious decline in membership and participation over the past 10-20 years and, over the past year, serious questions have been raised regarding whether ESNE remains viable as an organization. I believe we can reinvigorate ESNE and the Esperanto movement across the region. It will require that we set ambitious goals, however, and work seriously toward accomplishing them.
The first phase of my plan is to reach out to our community activists, redesign our business practices to take advantage of email and other electronic communications, and then begin to develop some consensus about the message of our organization. What does the organization stand for? Why should people join? What is the role of ESNE as an organization? Developing a clear picture of what our organization stands for and how it should work will help us in all of the other tasks to follow.
I propose that ESNE define itself as an umbrella organization of local clubs or "chapters". New England has a number of small clubs that represent true successes in Esperanto organizing over recent years. I will ask the leaders of these local clubs if they are willing to think of themselves as "chapters" of ESNE. As an umbrella, ESNE can become a clearinghouse for sharing information between clubs. As part of this, I'm proposing that the organizers of meetings in Acton, Cambridge, Northampton, etc. begin to call their meetings "ESNE Chapter Meetings". Meetings can otherwise be unchanged, though I will further suggest that all local chapters offer a 15 or 20 minute "What is Esperanto" section at the front of their meetings that newcomers could attend to find out what Esperanto is. As we develop promotional materials about ESNE, we can reference these sessions and encourage newcomers to attend meetings to learn what Esperanto is.
The central mechanism for providing information must be an attractive, modern-looking website that is kept up-to-date on a daily or weekly basis. Our existing site (esne.net) could use a makeover to give it a more attractive fit and polish and bring the information up-to-date. The site should be stylish, but simple with news, basic Esperanto information, links to local chapter meetings, and other Esperanto websites. In addition, I propose that we begin a wiki and use it to start building a set of documentation on how to accomplish organizational goals. These could include instructions on how to publish and distribute the newsletter, create promotional materials, and run a successful chapter meeting. This documentation will become increasingly valuable as new people are brought into the organization and new chapters begin to appear.
As a centerpiece of our new recruitment endeavor, I propose ESNE create a set of promotional business cards that can be easily posted on bulletin boards or put into books in libraries and bookstores. These should include a few brief facts about Esperanto, provide an informational email address, and URL to the ESNE website. These materials should have high production values (glossy, two-color printing) and be generic enough that we can order them in high quantities (5000-10000). In this way, each chapter can receive promotional materials that encourage people to attend local chapter meetings as a way of participating in ESNE. In addition, ESNE should create supporting materials for the information sessions, including a set of speakers notes and possibly some AV materials that local chapters can use to introduce Esperanto to newcomers.
Finally, although most ESNE business will be addressed electronically, I
propose that ESNE conduct two official meetings during the year
(Jarkunveno and Zamenhof Vespermangxo), but that these meetings be
hosted by local chapters. By rotating the regional meetings, we can
distribute the travel and organizational burdens more equitably. In
addition, I propose that the organization offer receptions at the
Internacia Semajnfino Esperantista (ISE) and the NordAmerika
Somera
Kurso (NASK). These would be simple affairs with refreshments and a few
remarks by a representative of the organization. These could be useful
ways to ensure that other regional, national, and international
Esperantists are aware of our organization.
The goal of all of these activities is to build on the successes of our existing local organizations and leverage the strength a regional organization can play in growing the Esperanto movement in New England. Our existing clubs can become models for building new chapters in towns that currently have none. As more people become aware of the role ESNE can play in coordinating information among Esperantists in state, membership will increase, and ESNE can once again become a vibrant, thriving organization.
We have our work cut out for us. Each of the activities mentioned (redesigning our business practices, developing our message, redesigning the website, creating promotional materials, and organizing annual meetings) will require someone taking a leadership role to make it happen. I believe that we can succeed, if we really want to. I hope you'll join with me in creating an ESNE that will work for all of us.