2023 Nomination and Election of Leadership Positions of the Jamaican Nationals Association of DC Metro Area

LETTER ENCOURAGING MEMBERS TO APPLY  FOR ELECTED  LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
 
Greetings JNA Members and Potential Nominees for Executive Officer Positions,
Introduction – During the height of the pandemic, JNA like  many other organizations,  faced a number of challenges in fully carrying out many of its  functions. For a significant period, mandatory restrictions and safety precautions prevented us from gathering in person resulting in a delay in fulfilling one  of our key activities, the timely election of  Officers by JNA’s members.  To address this, JNA’s Board of Director’s formally  adopted  Resolutions postponing  elections, and with the approval of its members, JNA amended  its Bylaws to add optional electronic  elections to address pandemic driven limitations.  This further complicated JNA’s nominations and elections process and led to JNA,  for the first time, developing  written Guidelines  for the  elections of its officers.  
Our current faithful, elected Officers have served well beyond their initial commitments.   JNA  is excited at the potential for fresh perspectives and renewed commitments which  dedicated  volunteers  bring as  JNA leaders.  If you are interested in making a difference in the lives of others in our local Jamaican community and in Jamaica, and in connecting, supporting, and celebrating our shared Jamaican heritage and culture,  we encourage you to apply for one of these elected positions.   We also encourage you to identify individuals who you believe would be interested in being nominated for an elected position  and sharing their gifts and talents with our community.
What are the Elected Officer positions to be filled? – Currently,  JNA is seeking to fill the following elected positions:
  • President
  • Vice President
  • Executive Secretary
  • Recording Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Assistant Treasurer
  • Parliamentarian
  • Public Relations Officer
What are the duties of these Elected Officers? – There are a number of responsibilities that you will be expected to fulfill, which are detailed in JNA’s Bylaws at Article VI, Section 6.5 through 6.12 available as attachment to the Guidelines, which are being provided to you.
These include attending  meetings, actively participating in discussions, and contributing to the decision-making process. It is important to note that the role of an Officer  is a volunteer position, and we appreciate the time and effort that JNA Officers and other volunteers dedicate to JNA. 
1.         As an Officer,  you will have the opportunity to collaborate with likeminded individuals, exchange ideas, and work towards the betterment of our local Jamaican community and communities in Jamaica. 
2.         Your dedication and commitment will be instrumental in shaping the future direction of  JNA
3.         The term for service as an Elected Officer is two years
What are the requirements to become a candidate for nomination to these  Elected Officer Positions? – To be eligible for consideration, an applicant must be a JNA member.  This ensures that you have an understanding of our mission, values, and goals.  
  1. Applicants for President and  Vice-President must be a JNA member for a minimum of 6 months.
  2. Applicants for other Officer positions must be a JNA member for a minimum of 3 months.
For a full description of other relevant leadership traits and experiences, please see the Guidelines.
How do you apply? – To apply, please complete the Application Form provided and submit it to our Nominations & Elections (N&E) Committee at our confidential email : info@jnaofdc.org . The N&E Committee  will review your Application and follow-up with you  on your interest in serving  to assess your vision and its  alignment with JNA’s  overall values and vision.  We value your commitment and enthusiasm and will carefully consider each Application.  
What is the deadline for submitting your Application? – The deadline for submission of Applications  is September 20th. We apologize  for this short turnaround time.  We understand that this may be challenging. However,  we are working to have all Applications reviewed in September 2023.   Applications received after the deadline may be considered  by the N&E Committee.
What happens after selection  and nomination by the N&E Committee? – After your Application has been reviewed and approved for nomination by  the N & E Committee,  it will be placed on the nominations slate  for election by JNA’s general membership. 
Conclusion  Thank you for considering  becoming a JNA Officer.  We look forward to receiving your Application and potentially welcoming you to JNA’s  Executive Committee and its Board of Directors. Together, let’s create a bright future for the Jamaican community here and in Jamaica and elevate and celebrate Jamaican heritage and culture. 
We  appreciate your understanding and cooperation.