LEXINGTON, MA—The Indian American Forum for Political Education Massachusetts will operate as a separate and independent body from the national Indian American Forum for Political Education, known as IAFPE. The decision to run separately was made because the national IAFPE had lost its non-profit 501c3 status.
At a General Body meeting of the organization held on Sunday in Lexington, MA, life members of the former organization voted that funds from the old organization should be transferred to the new entity, which has been incorporated as a non-profit organization in Massachusetts.
The old organization had about $17,000 in its account.
The organization is also rewriting its bylaws. A draft of the bylaws for the new entity was approved by the organization’s General Body meeting with some recommendations. After those changes are made, the bylaws should be finalized in approximately three months.
The official name of the organization is IAFPE-MA, Inc., an educational and non-profit organization incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with no affiliation to any political party.
One of the key objectives of the organization is “to function as a catalyst in development of civic consciousness and the promotion of political awareness among all individuals of Asian Indian origin.”
Some of the changes in the bylaws include:
1. Creation of a new position of President-Elect and removal of Vice President. “In the absence of the President, resignation, inability or noncompliance of term completion, the President Elect shall fulfill the duties of the Presient.”
2. Make the organization more up-to-date with technology so that emails notices can be accepted as an official way of communication.
3. Removal of the life membership and introduction of two type of members: active member and 10-year active member.
4. Changes in the number of trustees
Earlier, the local chapter was operating under the umbrella of the national IAFPE, the oldest and largest Indian American organization for political education in the United States. Established in 1982, IAFPE had 22 state chapters across the nation. The Massachusetts chapter broke away from the national organizational because the national body had lost its non-profit 501c3 status a few years ago.
Best of luck and keep up the good work.