Honoring the Past & Marking Your Place
I remember taking my father to see the movie Coco in 2017. We marvelled at the beautiful animation and storytelling that brought to life the celebration of Dia de los Muertos. I asked him if it is celebrated in El Salvador, the country where he was born. He likened the day to the way we celebrate Memorial Day in the United States. People would visit the cemetery and tell family stories, but the tradition of building an ofrenda (altar with photos and remembrances of ancestors) was not something his family did. So, while my sister was inspired to build an ofrenda each year for Dia de los Muertos, I was not. She would bring it to the high school where she works to share it with students taking Spanish classes and set it outside on Halloween for Trick or Treaters to enjoy. With each person she would ask, would you like to meet my family? And stories would flow.
I first built an ofrenda the year my father died. It served as a way to honor my ancestors and the gifts they gave our family: strong faith, work ethic, and a love of learning to name a few. The ofrenda also served as a reminder that I am part of a larger family story that I steward for future generations. Marking my place in this story gives me a sense of responsibility to our past and courage to impact the future. I can help determine where the story goes from here based on the lessons of the past.
There is a certain freedom in understanding my place in the story. I have a responsibility but the family story is not solely dependent on me.
As I have worked with nonprofit organizations, I have seen some hold so tightly to the past that there is no room to grow or change. It is comfortable to have the same programs and events that have carried the organization thus far, so why change? This is especially true of organizations where their founders are deeply involved. They want to honor the work of the leaders who come before us. They hold the legacy of the founding close, fearing a big change because they want to be true to the original vision of the organization.
As we work with organizations to plan for the future, Rooted Strategy often asks what is the purpose of the organization today? Unlike the mission (which describes what we do and how we do it) and the vision (which describes the future we hope for), purpose is why your organization exists today. If you are leading a nonprofit organization, clarifying purpose can help you discover your place in the organization’s story. Purpose also permits leaders to steer the work in the best way for the current time and, as steward of the nonprofit’s story, direct its path forward.
Purpose-filled work is dynamic and ever changing but also has roots strong enough to weather the change. Dia de los Muertos and the building ofrendas is a great reminder to nonprofit leaders that we are part of a larger history. Honor the leaders who precede you. Remember their contributions to the story. Mark your place in the story, and entrust your community to carry it forward.