2 minute read
Director’s view
Gracie Mae Bradley, Director
It’s a pleasure to write to you for the first time. I’m Gracie Mae Bradley, and I took up the post of Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland at the end of January 2023. Perhaps I should begin at the beginning: I was born in Leicester, with my family roots stretching back to Kibworth, Philadelphia, the Gambia and Antigua. I’ve ended up in Scotland via Oxford, Paris, Marseille and London. I’m a committed, experienced campaigner with several years’ experience in professional NGOs, and grassroots groups, including Liberty and Against Borders for Children I’m also a widely published writer –my first book, Against Borders, came out last summer.
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It’s been a pleasure to get to know the staff team and wider Friends of the Earth Scotland family in my first weeks I’m impressed at how everyone has pulled together over the last couple of years to deliver some brilliant work in challenging circumstances, navigating the logistical and political twists and turns of COP26; caring for one another through the Covid-19 pandemic; weathering the UK’s turbulent economic outlook, and of course, facing the mounting climate emergency head on.
My priority for the next few months is Friends of the Earth Scotland’s new organisational strategy. I’m running a participatory process, recognising that we are one part of a much wider, vibrant movement, and that our work should strengthen and amplify the efforts of our friends and collaborators.
I’m interested in how Friends of the Earth Scotland can make best use of a varied array of campaign tactics, how we centre solutions to the climate crisis and building towards the world that we want and need in our campaigns, and how we can better work at the intersections of climate justice and all the other social movements that are essential to it, including racial and migrant justice.
I’m keen to hear from you, our members, as part of the strategy process – there's more information about this in the letter that you received along with this magazine
It makes a huge difference stepping into this role, and the work, knowing that I have Friends of the Earth Scotland’s membership behind me. Thanks for your ongoing support. In solidarity,
All Friends of the Earth Scotland members
After two years meeting digitally, we are excited to announce that this year, we will be holding an in person event in central Edinburgh. It will also be possible to join online, so you can choose which option works best for you. This event is a chance to introduce our new director, Gracie Mae Bradley, to meet our board members, the staff, learn more about our campaigns and build connections with other members.
Friends of the Earth Scotland is a democratic, grassroots organisation and the AGM is an opportunity for members to influence our direction as well as elect members of our board.
For more information and to sign up, visit www.foe.scot/agm2023
Remember that as a member you can put forward a motion for debate or even stand for the board – information on how to do this can be found through the above link or by scanning the QR code below.