2020 - A Year in Review

Image description: We keep moving forward (with a right arrow); 2020-A Year in Review.

by Darliene Howell

I think everyone would say that 2020 has been a very eventful year. Although it has been a very tough year for many, we have also seen people connecting in ways we may not have considered previously, giving us hope.

Organizationally, I believe that NAAFA has helped our members and fat community as a whole to deal with the chaos. We have worked to support and combat the negative effects of 2020 with positive change.

• NAAFA's introduction of Spanish-translations of our educational brochures has broadened the outreach of fat acceptance to Spanish-speaking people across the world.

• The Future of NAAFA Committee was formed and has been instrumental in defining and implementing many of our new programs and initiatives.

• NAAFA introduced our new website, naafa.org, making it mobile-friendly.

• We increased the number of programs in the NAAFA Webinar Series. We continue to expand the inclusion of intersectional presenters, which give fat community more options for learning and connecting to others during the pandemic.

• The establishment of the Fat Community Fund Mini-Grant Program encourages individuals to create projects that further educate fat people or the general public about fat rights.

• NAAFA has deepened our commitment to being an anti-racist organization and is working to demonstrate that commitment in our policies and programs.

• We invited the addition of new Board of Directors members and broadened the Board with four new members: Amanda Cooper, Marcy Cruz, Kathryn Hack, and Elaine Lee. Tigress Osborn, NAAFA Community Outreach Director, accepted the position as the Chair of the Board Elect and will assume the office as the Chair on January 1, 2021.

• As an extension of the new website, we created the NAAFA Community Voices Blog and have opened it to guest bloggers from fat community.

We certainly did not do all these things alone. We give our heartfelt thanks to:

• The Future of NAAFA Committee

• Our webinar guests

• The guest writers for our new blog

• All the volunteers who donate time, energy and skills to keep NAAFA going and growing

• All members and contributors to NAAFA for their financial support

The events of 2020 have affected the entire world. Yet we continue to be hopeful for what will come in 2021.

As a reminder, you still have time to receive a tax deduction for 2020 by donating to NAAFA and help us continue to implement positive changes. You may donate to the general fund and/or a special programming fund and help make NAAFA better in 2021. Every gift counts!

[Pic is of Darliene Howell, a Caucasian woman with white hair and glasses shown in a blue and white #FacesOfNAAFA frame with the NAAFA logo at the bottom reading national association to advance fat acceptance]

Darliene Howell is a fat acceptance activist, rabble-rouser and tons of fun! She is a member the NAAFA Board of Directors and has been active in fat community for over 20 years.