After 15 years of dedicated service in education, I am taking a much-needed sabbatical.
I’m deeply grateful to the BIPOC ED Coalition, the Foundation for Tacoma Students Board of Directors, and our staff for their support in this decision. It is a reminder that rest is not a retreat from purpose, but a way to reclaim and deepen our commitment.
Burnout is often framed as the inevitable cost of nonprofit leadership. Resilience is celebrated as if it were a badge of honor rather than a means of survival, a particularly heavy burden for those of us from marginalized communities. The unspoken mandate to maintain unwavering strength has left little room for vulnerability, for celebration, for breath itself. And I am tired.
As a third-generation Tacoma native, my commitment to this work is deeply personal. It represents a calling to address the very systems of oppression and institutional racism that I experienced firsthand, and to create better conditions so today’s youth don’t face the same barriers that marked my own journey.
Our community continues to grapple with critical challenges: gun violence, housing insecurity, healthcare disparities, surface-level interventions, bureaucratic processes that too often resist meaningful change.
When I look at Tacoma’s youth, I see both brilliant potential and reflections of my own journey. I see children carrying the burdens of premature adulthood, the loss of innocence, and the constant vigilance needed to navigate systems that were never designed for their success.
I now see more clearly how attempting to simultaneously operate within and transform these systems have impacted my effectiveness, challenged my conviction, and tested my sense of purpose. Recognizing this truth has been both humbling and liberating.
Effective today, I will begin my sabbatical, with plans to return gradually beginning March 8, 2025. During this time, Gray Sterling will serve as the Foundation’s Interim Executive Director, working alongside our dedicated team to carry forward the organization’s mission and advance towards our 2030 community goal.
I extend my deepest gratitude for your partnership and trust in this work. Thank you for honoring this period of renewal. I look forward to returning with restored energy and renewed focus, recommitted to our shared vision of a community where every child succeeds.
Gratefully,
Dr. Tafona Ervin
Executive Director
