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Why Affirmations? Erspamer Discusses The Future of Michigan's Largest LGBT Center

BY AJ TRAGER

FERNDALE – Seven months ago, Affirmations — Michigan's largest LGBT community center — announced the appointment of Susan Erspamer as the new executive director and leader of the organization. At the time of the announcement, Frank Aiello, Affirmations board president, said Erspamer "has the breadth and depth of experience that Affirmations needs in its next leader." But many within the community were unsure about Erspamer's leadership as she faced criticism for not having strong ties to the local LGBT community.
So, who is she? And why did she choose Affirmations?
Erspamer came out in college, but she remembers navigating early romantic experiences as a senior at Stevenson High School in Livonia in the '80s. Thirty years ago it was uncommon to discuss what it meant to be lesbian or gay, and there certainly wasn't an Affirmations to help bring LGBT people together. Many LGBT brothers and sisters had to go it alone, and Erspamer was one of them.
Much like other LGBT individuals, she tried to "fix" her sexuality by dating men and thought that it was just a matter of finding the right one. Turns out it's not, and shortly after she stopped.
"While in college I had cans and bottles thrown at me. I was on my own for all of it. That was one of the reasons for 'why Affirmations'. I don't want other kids to go through that," she told BTL.
For the past 21 years Erspamer has worked as an executive in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Prior to joining Affirmations she served as the vice president of chapter programs at Alzheimer's Association-Greater Michigan Chapter, which has a $5 million budget and 65 employees. During her tenure she was instrumental in strategic planning, reorganization, diversification of revenue streams and outcome-based programs. She also managed grant funding implementation.

Affirmations

It seemed like a tsunami had run over Affirmations at the end of 2015. Eight months before Erspamer took the helm the board hired Darrious Hilmon to serve as executive director, but Hilmon abruptly left the organization in October without much of an explanation. With his departure went some of the senior staff who he had hired. The leadership team at Affirmations was left small, but definitely committed.
"The staff that stayed, the program staff, they're just exceptional. They stayed because of the mission and they do a great job," Erspamer said. "When the other staff left, it gave me an opportunity to look at what we needed and where we needed to go."
Starting off her tenure short on staff, Erspamer quickly began restructuring the organization, adding in stability via employees. However, until she could hire Katie Koch as director of development and Ryan Fowler as the office and facility coordinator, Erspamer helped cover many responsibilities at Affirmations including cleaning overflowing toilets and other day-to-day responsibilities.
"So out of those challenges was a silver lining that I got to do all sorts of different job functions here. I'm able to understand the organization — what it takes to run it on all levels from first hand experience," Erspamer said.
She has one last hire — the accounting and finance position. Until she can find the right person for the job, the center has hired a temp staff member to cover those responsibilities. According to Erspamer Affirmations has set up a solid grant and foundation schedule for the remainder of 2016 and is looking ahead to 2017.

Getting Acclimated

For the 2016 Spring Bash celebration, an annual Affirmations fundraiser, Erspamer decided to focus her comments on the past, present and future. "You have to know where you've been and embrace it," she said. "We know where we are and what we're doing, but our planning has to involve the future. And that's what I love doing. I like being in the moment, but my head is already in 2017."
In order to get more acclimated with the political and social climate affecting LGBT individuals in Metro Detroit and to better understand the history of Affirmations, Erspamer met with many the community who have been longtime activists and leaders. She has made it a point to speak with volunteers, past and present supporters, current and former board members, and a few former staff members. She's focused on engaging in conversations and has had in-depth meetings with all of Affirmations' community partners including Ruth Ellis Center, LGBT Detroit and Equality Michigan. While Erspamer has met with many people, she said she still hasn't reached everybody.
Just a few months after she took the helm, a community meeting was held at Affirmations to discuss issues with transparency and community concern over the direction the center was taking.
"I felt really good after that community meeting because I heard what the community wants. I know that there was a lot of build up to it. I was a little nervous, but I was excited about it because all these people came to Affirmations because they care about Affirmations," Erspamer said.
The community meeting was tense. Over the course of the past seven months Erspamer has discovered how the passion for the center may differ from the passion for other organizations.
"This passion that we feel — that I feel and have experienced — could be interpreted as negative but like I said, it's positive because there is care about the center, about one another and what the focus should be," she said.
Affirmations provides a safe environment for LGBT and ally folks to come and relax while enjoying the many services the center has to offer. Beyond being a safe space, the center is committed to providing educational, entertainment-based and intersectional programming for all ages and LGBT identities. Affirmations provides opportunities for education at the center, but has plans to extend that coverage outside the center walls.
In the upcoming year Erspamer said the center will focus on expanding its services for LGBT older adults by collaborating with SAGE Metro Detroit. During that time Erspamer wants the center to develop a drop-in center for older adults and expand social and education programs including an LGBT 101 "learning lab" for general education on LGBT identities.
"We are looking at who we are bringing into the center. We want to bring in people for more than just needs-based programming. That's some of the feedback I've heard, too, that the center needs to have a purpose beyond individuals needing assistance. That's very important, but what else can we do for individuals that want to come to the center? We have to come up with a reason for them to come," Erspamer told BTL.
Affirmations has an annual budget of $942,388. A current list of staff and board members can be found on the website {www.goaffirmations.org} as well as the organization's by-laws.
The next community meeting is expected to take place at the end of June.

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