[Dialogue] Fwd: The Last Chapter

[Richard Alton]

Dear Colleagues, below is the ICA Appreciation given by ICA's staff person
Seva Gandhi at Sally Stovall Memorial Service on May 25, 2019. As part of
the Last Chapter work we will be celebrating the lives of our late
colleagues over the next month.
Dick

The Institute of Cultural Affairs exists today because of dedicated people
who decided to live their lives on behalf of something bigger than
themselves. Individuals who decided to operate out of a different value
system than the world was accustomed to, and to demonstrate with their
lives that that which
seemed impossible, was in fact, possible.

Today we celebrate Sally Stovall, a dedicated and fierce leader who helped
ICA realize its mission to ‘create a just and equitable society.’
Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, Sally worked in a variety of roles and places
for ICA - from Development Staff to Project Manager and Director, sharing
her gifts and talents on behalf of the organization in Louisiana, South
Dakota, Washington, New York and Taiwan. In the past decade, as ICA’s
mission was amended to include ‘in harmony with planet earth,’ something
Sally was already so clearly devoted to, she became a key supporter in our
initiative toward Solar energy, and a trusted partner on all things
sustainability-related.

ICA recently went through an exercise to distill the core values of our
organization. I share these, because organizational values do not live on a
shelf somewhere but rather in the actions and souls of those who have
shaped the institution and continue to live out its mission every day.
Sally exemplified these values ICA holds up in a way few others are able.

The value of Continuous Learning – Sally was never afraid to challenge
herself, learn something new, or be honest about what she did not know. She
was curious without being skeptical, and always willing to learn something
new from anyone who was willing to share.

The value of Facilitative Leadership – This value is extremely difficult to
embody - but Sally seemed to do it with such ease and grace. Sally’s
leadership looked so different from being front and center that it might
have been unrecognized to those who weren’t paying close attention. She was
great about being a ‘guide on the side’ instead of a ‘sage on the stage’.
She worked tirelessly to support others to take action on the change they
were seeking as many of you who worked with her have likely experienced.

The value of Equity as a way to create a more just world. Sally had a deep
commitment to inclusion and accessibility, and was on a journey of doing
the hard work of internal inquiry and exploration to understand her unique
role and place in creating a more just system.

The value of Collaboration. Sally seemed to defy the adage If you want to
go quickly, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together-- She was
somehow clever enough to get everyone to go far, quickly, together.

And lastly, the value of Spirit. Of being present and connected to those
around you and giving of everything you have on behalf of something greater
than yourself. Sally shared her spirit, her laugh and her being generously,
and we are forever different because of it. We will always be grateful for
Sally, and her spirit will be with us as we continue her legacy.

The question the ICA posed to Sally over 50 years ago, was ‘What will you
DO with your unique and unrepeatable life’, and we can see Sally’s answer
clearly through her mission and work. And I bet, Sally would like nothing
more than for us all to ponder, what will we do with our unique and
unrepeatable life, and how are we willing to actively, not passively -make
the change we know the world so desperately needs.

-- 
Richard H. T. Alton
One Earth Film Fest ( OEFF)
Green Community Connections
Interfaith Green Network
T: 773.344.7172
richard.alton at gmail.com
**Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2021, March *
http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org

Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2
Won't you be my neighbor?


-- 
Richard H. T. Alton
One Earth Film Fest ( OEFF)
Green Community Connections
Interfaith Green Network
T: 773.344.7172
richard.alton at gmail.com
**Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2021, March *
http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org

Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2
Won't you be my neighbor?
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