Martha Thompson
IMPACT Chicago
Director and Instructor
November 1988 through November 1990 was a time of building
an organization with a mission and infrastructure. For more about the founding period, see the
May 21, 2012 blog: The Beginning. I prepared the overview of the founding
period and for building an organization for the first SEG conference in 1990. I
also documented the timeline of development. In 1990, I circulated the document
for additions, feedback, and collective
wisdom.
Key Groups
There were three key groups during this organizational
building period: Core Group of Volunteers, Long Range Planning Committee, and
Interim Board.
Key Individuals
Susan Andrews, Joe Connelly, Dianne Costanzo, Debborah Harp, Linda Jedrzejek, Anne
Mason-Guthrie, Theo Pintzuk, Martha Thompson, Joel Winograd, and Becky Yane.Key Individuals
Main Activities
·
Building an instructor team, with regular
meetings, in-service trainings, and an instructor training plan.
Instructor training for Defense Against an Armed Assailant (Martha, Lonna, and Joe trained in Boston with Matt Thomas and then trained the other Chicago instructors).
Instructor training for Defense Against an Armed Assailant (Martha, Lonna, and Joe trained in Boston with Matt Thomas and then trained the other Chicago instructors).
·
Building a volunteer organization to support all
the work that needed to be done. This included monthly meetings.
·
Offering a regular and expanded class schedule,
including a review class, defense against an armed assailant workshop, and a
boundaries workshop.
·
Offered 18 basics courses, 2 defense against an
armed assailant, 1 boundaries, 1 sexual harassment, 2 review, and 1 class
assistant training.
Issues
·
How to build an organization consistent with the
empowerment principles of the program?
Related
issues: decision-making process, division of labor, accountability,
communication, language, and problem-solving.
·
What kind of leadership model do we want to
support?
Related
issues: recognizing the invisible work and the people who do it, avoiding
burnout, figuring out the instructor-volunteer relationship (what role will
instructors play and how to transform instructor-student relationship to a peer
relationship)?
·
How do we determine and evaluate our success?
Do we focus on process or product?
Do we focus on program (women served) or
organizational (office, number of paid people, career lines)?
Key Decisions
·
Martha Thompson became the official coordinator of the
organization in 1988.
· A joint committee of volunteers and instructors
was created to guide the organization in 1989.
·
The Board of Directors was established as a
membership based group in 1990.
The organization was formally established on principles of empowerment and personal growth.
TIME-LINE: BUILDING THE ORGANIZATION
The organization was formally established on principles of empowerment and personal growth.
TIME-LINE: BUILDING THE ORGANIZATION
November 1988
Martha organized the first meeting of the Core Group of
volunteers. A class schedule was set for 1989, Dee organized a recruitment
committee (Susan Andrews, and Janice Guerriero), and other volunteers worked on
t-shirts, stationery, and mailings.
Martha organized the first local instructor retreat. Dee,
Lonna, Carole, Joe, and Martha attended. Martha began negotiations with MMOM to
send an Instructor Trainer to support Dee and Martha in their next stages of
training.
December 1988
Second National Model Mugging Instructor Retreat was held in
Santa Cruz CA. Martha attended. Major disagreements among Model Mugging
leadership came out into the open. Irene resigned and PEC dissolved.
Core Group held its second meeting with members making
specific commitments. Core Group members were Martha (coordinator), Dee, Susan
Andrews, Anne Guthrie Mason, Debborah Harp, Theo Pintzuk, and Becky Yane.
Martha was recognized as the Coordinator of the
Self-Empowerment Group. Her work also included being Instructor Coordinator.
January 1989
Two classes were held with Sarah Longaker in from California
to oversee Dee’s and Martha’s training. Joe was the main instructor for both
classes and Bill the guest. Lynn Fernandez assisted in Dee’s class, supervised
by Sarah) and Sue Albertson assisted the class Martha and Sarah co-taught. Lonna
observed. Ken Olson attended a graduation, the first step for a suited
instructor candidate. Dee was certified and Martha successfully completed her
second phase of training.
The first Boundary Setting Workshop was held in Chicago, led
by Sarah with Dee, Martha, Joe, and Bill assisting. Twenty women, mostly
graduates, attended.
Anne Mason-Guthrie took over organizational finances.
Martha presented a proposal for a volunteer structure and
process to the Core Group of Volunteers. The first long range planning meeting
was held.
February 1989
A review class was co-taught by Lonna, Martha, Joe, and
Bill.
Core Group meeting
March 1989
Dee, Joe, and Bill taught a Basics course at North Park
College. Martha was an assisting instructor and Anne Mason a class assistant.
Ken Olson observed the course as part of his training process.
With the dissolution of PEC, Martha had to find an
alternative to finish her training. With the support of Mary Tesoro, Judith
Roth, Sarah Longaker, and the Chicago instructor team, she designed the final
stages of her training. She assisted with April, June, and July classes, each
time taking on different instructor responsibilities.
Core Group meeting. In addition to regular business, the
group considered a proposal from Becky Yane for getting the most out of
meetings and a proposal from Martha, Theo Pintzuk, and Sue Albertson for
organizational structure and process.
April/May 1989
Lonna, Joe and Mark Frear (Rocky Mountain Model Mugging)
taught with Martha as an assisting instructor. Ken Olson observed.
Core Group meeting. In addition to regular business, Becky,
Martha, and Sharon Bromberg presented a proposal for Core Group Membership.
June 1989
Dee, Joe, and Bill taught a course with Martha as an
assisting instructor. Merry Beth Pietila was the class assistant.
Lonna, Joe, and Martha went to Boston for intensive training
in defense against an armed assailant.
Core group meeting.
July 1989
Lonna, Joe, and Bill taught a basics course at Mundelein
College. Martha was an assisting
instructor and Margaret Vimont, a class assistant. Martha finished her
instructor training.
Final plans for fall courses—2 two-week intensives and one 5
week course.
Core group meeting. In addition to regular business, Becky
presented a fundraising plan.
August 1989
Review course was offered, co-taught by Dee, Martha, Joe,
and Bill
Core group meeting—in addition to regular business, Susan
Andrews presented guidelines for a raffle.
September 1989
A basics course at Northeastern Illinois University with
Martha, Joe, and Bill with Dee as an assisting instructor and Anne Mason as the
class assistant. Martha arranged for the course to be offered for one-hour
credit and over 5 weeks (our first 5 week course).
Core Group meeting. In addition to regular business,
Marjorie Trytten presented a proposal for core group voting and attendance.
October 1989
Theo Pintzuk and Marjorie Trytten organized a demonstration
and presentation for therapists offered by Martha and Joe.
Joe built Ken’s groin protector and Ken put together the
rest of his armor. Joe and Anne worked with Ken for his initial training.
Core group meeting
November 1989
First class canceled in two years. Another offered with
Dee, Joe, and Bill with Ken in training,
and Anne assisting. Joel Winograd observed.
Lonna, Joe, and Martha trained Bill, Ken, and Dee in defense
against an armed assailant.
Core group meeting. Linda Jedrzejek became the Recruitment
Coordinator. With assistance from Susan Andrews and Janice Guerriero, she
started to recruit for the January class. Becky presented a monthly workplan
for the Core Group.
December 1989
The first defense against an armed assailants workshop was
held in Chicago. Seventeen women attended. Dee, Lonna, Martha, Bill, Joe, and Ken
taught.
Bill retired as an instructor.
Core group meeting—in addition to regular business, Martha
provided an overview of the 1989 accomplishments. Susan Andrews hosted a
holiday party for volunteers and instructors.
January 1990
The first class assistants training was held with 12 women
attending. Anne facilitated with help from Martha, Dee, Lonna, and Joe.
Martha, Joe, Ken, with Joel in training offered a basics
course at Northeastern Illinois University. Theo and Becky Fitzpatrick
assisted. The first time we ever had a waiting list
Lonna, Ken, and Joe taught a basics course at Mundelein.
Bill Kratoska (from Minneapolis Model Mugging) was in training. Joe supervised
Bill and Ken. Anne and Debborah Harp assisted. Martha came in for the final
three classes to assist with coaching. Anne became a lead instructor candidate.
Core group meeting
February 1990
Core group meeting. In addition to regular business, Becky
proposed a core group handbook and guidelines for working with student interns.
Susan Andrews went on maternity leave.
March/April 1990
Dee, Joe, and Ken taught a course at Mundelein. Steve
Johnson from Minneapolis Model Mugging was in training under Joe’s supervision.
Anne and Lynn assisted.
Martha, Dee, Joe, and Ken with Anne assisting taught Defense
Against an Armed Assailant.
Martha and Joe developed a sexual harassment workshop which
Martha and Bill offered at the Midwest Sociological Society meetings. 16 women
attended.
Third National Instructor Retreat was held in Washington
D.C., hosted by Carol Middleton. Joe and Martha attended. The possibility of a
national organization to replace PEC was discussed.
Lonna went on maternity leave.
Core group meeting.
May 1990
Dee went to Minneapolis to teach their first course with
their suited instructors.
Martha, Joe, and Joel taught a basics course at Northeastern
with Anne as an assisting instructor. Linda J assisted.
Core group meeting
June 1990
Dee, Ken, and Joe taught a basics course at Mundelein. Lynn
and Linda J. assisted.
Martha, Joe, and Ken taught the first course in
Indianapolis. Suzi Newnum assisted.
Core group meeting. In addition to regular business, Susan
Andrews presented a proposal for a Self-Empowerment Group convention.
July 1990
Martha, Joe, and Joel taught at Mundelein with Margaret
Vimont assisting. Marcus Martin and Mike Kratoska observed.
Core Group picnic to celebrate the work of the Core Group,
to mark its ending, and the transition to a Board of Directors.
Anne attended Instructor Training in Kansas City.
August 1990
Joe participated as an instructor in the LA Instructor
Training. Mike Kratoska attended the Instructor Training.
September 1990
Lonna resigned.
First SEG convention coordinated by Susan Andrews and
Margaret Vimont with assistance from committee members: Dori Conn, Debborah
Harp, Cathy Sneider, Maria Wolchanski.
Over 70 women attended the day-long conference which included
a keynote address by Pauline Bart, co-author of Stopping Rape: Successful Survival Strategies as well as workshops,
films, speakers, informal discussions, and more.
Instructor representatives to the Board were elected: Joe,
Dee, and Ken. Martha stepped down as Instructor Coordinator (remained as SEG
Coordinator) and Joe took on the position. In addition to instructor board
members, others elected were Dori Conn, Demetria Iazzetto, Linda Jedrzejek,
Cathy Sneider, Margaret Vimont, and Becky Yane.
Two basics courses were offered. One at College of DuPage
with Dee, Ken, and Joe Tammy DeBoer and Debborah Harp assisted. Another at
Northeastern Illinois University with Martha, Joe, and Ken and Anne, Joel, and
Mike in training.
October 1990
Three courses were offered: at Niles College, Northwestern,
and University of Chicago. Instructors Dee, Joe, Martha Ken. Anne in training.
Becky, Dori, Julie (didn’t record last name) and Margaret assisted. Marcus
observed.
The first meeting of the new SEG Board was held, facilitated
by Becky Yane.
Accomplishments:
·
An expanded instructor team and class offerings:
In 1989-90, 18 basics courses, 2 defense against an armed assailant, 2 review,
1 boundary setting course, 1 sexual harassment workshop, first class assistants
training
·
A large group of volunteers responsible for
running the organization
·
Board
·
Conference
·
Offered 2 courses out-of-state (Indiana and
Minneapolis)
With the launching of the SEG Board a new phase began.
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