This year has brought us a great deal of change. We wanted to share with you three major updates:
Abraham Alexander Stepping Down as Co-Owner and VIP Director of Next Level Trainings Columbus
Today, we celebrate and honor Abe for his six years of leadership at Next Level Trainings. Since our founding, his contributions lead to a world-class VIP program that people from all over the world fly in to attend. As an organization, we simply could not have reached where we are at today without him. To all of us, Abe is known for his fierce dedication to ensuring the student experience came first, ensuring that every decision be rooted with intention and vision, and his unwavering commitment to stand for every single person regardless of the obstacles.
As VIP Director, Abe was the source of massive results for each student individually and as a collective. Under Abe’s command, Next Level Trainings Columbus raised over $2M for local non-profits, not to mention hundreds of thousands of tangible goods and renovations. We don’t hesitate in claiming that he oversaw what could be considered the world’s most impressive short-term fundraising efforts by volunteers without the support and backing of major corporations. He provided a foundational cornerstone of giving back that will be forever embedded in our work.
While we are excited for his next chapter in life, we will deeply miss his daily presence, as so many of our community members will. Abe, we love you, and we wish you a world of abundant possibilities as you reach for your next level in life.
Please take the time to read Abe’s farewell message at the bottom of this update.
Our Continued Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
We are humbled to announce a Diversity Scholarship, which will be granted to one person for each Ignite Program and each Shift Training. This scholarship will be awarded to an individual who stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a reminder, we also have the Tracy Austin Scholarship, which is awarded to individuals who care for someone with cancer, has cancer themselves, or is a survivor of cancer.
Next Level Trainings also paid for 108 of our students, coaches, staff, and leadership to participate in a two-day Transformation of Race training during June. This training was provided at no cost to the participants. We continue to seek out education and training opportunities to bring more awareness, healing, and transformation to ourselves, our communities, and the world – a world where regardless of the color of your skin, ethnicity, gender, ability, or orientation, there is equal access and opportunity to reach your full human potential. If you are interested in participating in a future training or have suggestions on other programs or trainings to provide to our staff or students, please contact us and share your insights.
We've continued to receive valuable feedback on ways to be a part of creating equality. In order to implement this feedback sustainably, we are proud to announce the formation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force dedicated to putting together tangible action steps on ways we can further this work, as we committed to doing in our initial racial equity statement. Please continue to share your feedback on your experiences and ideas on how we can make our office environment, trainings, alumni community, and more equitable and inclusive.
Operational Strength Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Due to the sustained effects of the COVID-19 virus, we reduced all Columbus staff and leadership compensation to 70% in mid-March. We were able to increase pay to 80% in May, and are grateful to announce that as of today, all staff pay is back to full pay.
The ban of large gatherings remains in place in both Columbus and Philadelphia. Through the ingenuity, leadership, and emotional intelligence exemplified by our entire team, we launched Shift, Accelerate, Velocity, and a special VIP All-Stars program for top-performing VIP alumni. Our online programs continue to show strength, with some of the highest feedback results we’ve ever received. Our online trainings are making massive impacts, in ways that even we didn’t anticipate as possible. We intend to keep these online offerings available well into the future, even after in-person trainings resume. Despite initial physical closings, and while we are still working with much tighter financial margins, our training organization has sustained and is strong.
Our team has begun working proactively on a re-opening strategy for our in-person trainings. We will reveal the comprehensive health and safety plan at the time of re-opening. Know that we are focused on your health as our top priority. We will be making air filtration renovations, ensuring hygiene resources are readily available, checking temperatures, and modifying training exercises to ensure every person can participate without concern for choosing between their health or their transformation.
A Farewell Message from Abraham Alexander
My name is Abraham Alexander, and I am a powerful, passionate, and loving man. I am all the VIPs.
I have chosen to step away as an owner of Next Level Trainings and as the Columbus VIP Director. Chris, Sommer, and I started this journey with a sole mission to share with friends and family the work that profoundly influenced our lives. I never imagined that when we started this in the summer of 2014, we would have made the impact and influence we have. It was, and still is, a miracle that shows me what is possible when you go for something from a place of 100% giving without expectation, with the only agenda being genuinely focused on a vision of how to support others and pay it forward.
Life has dramatically substantially shifted for most of us this year. What used to be is no longer possible in the same way that it was before, and that is okay. We are all making shifts. It is a new season, what is next for you?
I have been blessed to experience such dynamic shifts before in my personal and professional life, although this one may take the cake. What has served me during these transitions in the past, and serves me now, is to follow what calls me forward. I ask myself, "What is the thing that lights me up? What is the thing that I can't even consider not doing?" What is that thing for you?
At this moment, that is focusing my energy on standing for social justice and improving the criminal justice system in America. I am committed to creating something new. I see the possibility, the opening, and I am choosing to be 100% committed to effecting this change.
When I look back on the Next Level Trainings journey we have all been on together, the thing I am most grateful for is you. We have laughed together, danced together, cried together, learned together, and without a doubt, changed the world together. You have over and over again shown me what is possible. You have shown me and given me courage, passion, creativity, and love at the deepest and most profound levels. I would not be the man or leader that am without each of you. You did that! Thank you.
As I close this chapter of transformation to open another, I want to make clear that I am still here for you. If there is any way I can support you, give to you, listen to you, or celebrate with you, please and forever reach out to me. That is my only request.
We will make the world a better place together.
Abraham Alexander