Giving Tuesday is just around the corner. I’m writing to ask for your support at this pivotal time in TNE’s development, but before I get to that I want to share something personal with you. As you may have heard, I am transitioning from my role as Executive Director at the end of the year. Visit this blog post for more details. I care deeply about our mission and community. Why? Because I’ve witnessed and experienced the deep impact of our work in the classroom and through our certification process.  

I’ve heard hundreds of stories of transformation – lives changed. While that’s plenty to inspire me, what gives me the shivers are the ripple effects of a thousand TNE certified teachers and practitioners each facilitating transformation in hundreds or thousands of people, and the ripples beyond that. This is what the world needs, and I’ve been proud to be a part of that the last three years with you.

I am in close contact with our incoming Executive Director, Erlina Edwards, to ensure a smooth transition and strong future for TNE. I’ve worked closely with Erlina over the past year, and she’s a fantastic natural leader and team builder full of passion to carry our mission forward.

We are honored and thrilled that the International Enneagram Association has recently designated The Narrative Enneagram as the first/only “Enneagram School with Distinction.” Check out this IEA video and our blog for more details. We provide the highest quality and most in-depth training available to certify as an Enneagram Teacher or Practitioner, and have been doing so since 1988 as the longest running nonprofit Enneagram school in the world.

In 2022, your support enabled major progress for The Narrative Enneagram:

• We expanded our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Initiative, adding DEIB principles to our curriculum and increasing the diversity of our faculty. We awarded over $50,000 in scholarships to more people than ever before.
• We were excited to begin holding in-person classes again for broader learning choices.  Here’s a video testimonial from a student.
• We launched a powerful new technology platform and website that is transforming TNE’s capacity to meet the needs of our community. Stay tuned for updates on that in 2023.
• We expanded our teaching capacity by welcoming nine new Adjunct Faculty members.
• Our Membership has more than doubled in the past two years, with more member benefits and a newly added Professional Member level. We continue to offer free popular monthly member gatherings.

While pivoting online during the pandemic and making strides in our DEIB program, we built the faculty, staff and tech capacity to do really exciting things. I especially encourage your generosity now to continue our momentum by investing in these key program initiatives for 2023:

1. Expand program offerings well beyond certification, including professional development post certification and numerous applications of the Enneagram in everyday life.
2. Feature and leverage the talents of our certified teacher community to offer new programming.
3. Further expand our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Initiatives, making the Enneagram accessible to everyone.
4. Utilize our new technology platform to offer new ways for interconnection and engagement within the extended Narrative Community.
5. Complete a comprehensive curriculum review and update to ensure our materials and methods of delivery are the most cutting edge and inclusive.

Can we count on your support this year? We’ve raised $162,000 so far this year, with just $21,000 more to reach our goal. You can make a tax-deductible donation at narrativeenneagram.org/donate. Your investment will create a positive and lasting impact to further our shared goal of transforming lives and creating a more compassionate world.

Thank you,

Ed Self, Executive Director