Processing the USAID Transition: A Virtual Community Gathering for Global Development Professionals
The global development sector is experiencing unprecedented change with the rapid dismantling of USAID. This hour-long virtual gathering creates a supportive space for development professionals to process this seismic shift together.
💫 Why Join Us?
While the transition toward localization and community leadership was inevitable, the sudden stopping of all USAID-related programming has left many professionals and communities reeling. This trauma-informed gathering offers an opportunity to:
Ground ourselves emotionally and intellectually in the current reality
Connect with others experiencing similar challenges
Share worries and hopes in a supportive environment
Begin processing the emotional and professional impact of these changes
📋 What to Expect
Opening grounding exercise and context-setting
Overview of what we know and don't know about the current situation
Facilitated large group discussion on immediate impacts and concerns
Small group breakout conversations for deeper connection
Closing reflections and concrete next steps
🤝 We invite participants to share any relevant resources, tools, or information they've found helpful during this transition. Please email resources to hello@fearlessproject.co. We will curate these contributions along with other materials to share during the event.
📚 Resources You'll Receive:
Tools for ongoing emotional grounding
Curated list of reliable information sources
Career transition resources
Links to related initiatives and support networks
👥 Who Should Attend?
This gathering is for development professionals affected by recent USAID changes, including:
Those managing stop work orders
Teams supporting community partners through transitions
Individuals seeking to rebuild their career paths
Anyone committed to the future of community-led development
✨ Facilitators:
Mahrukh (Maya) Hasan is a senior consultant and partnership transformation expert with over 20 years of experience working across complex environments including Afghanistan, Myanmar, and South Sudan. As the founder of Fearless Project and the Shifting Power Community of Practice, she helps emerging non-profit leaders transform how they approach partnerships and power in global development. Maya brings deep expertise as a trusted advisor to USAID, UN agencies, and leading INGOs, including developing coursework for the Global Executive Leadership Initiative (GELI) hosted by UNOPS, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, and LSE. She holds an MA in International Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University SAIS.
Kate Cummings is a seasoned community builder with 14 years of experience in international development. Her expertise lies in bridging resources and local expertise to facilitate systems change in complex environments. She has extensive experience managing programs in post-conflict and humanitarian settings, working closely with government, civil society, and both international and local stakeholders. Kate brings particular expertise in supporting organizations through transitions, building cross-sectoral innovation hubs, and developing locally-led solutions. Her approach emphasizes inclusive, connected communities and strategic adaptation in times of change.
Together, Maya and Kate bring complementary experience in supporting organizations and individuals through major transitions while maintaining focus on community-centered approaches.
🔔 This is a free event. Recording will be available to registrants.
Note: This space aims to be trauma-informed and supportive. While we'll discuss challenges, our focus will be on grounding ourselves in effective leadership rather than amplifying trauma responses.
♿ Inclusion and Accessibility
At Fearless Project, we're committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for everyone.
When registering, please share any accommodation-related information or requests to make this event as accessible and comfortable as possible for you.
The event will be conducted in English and hosted on Zoom. We will use the live auto transcription feature in closed caption (CC) format.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at hello@fearlessproject.co