A Letter to the RIDC Community From Betsy Rathwell

Dear RIDC community,

As I step away from my full-time role and into a new chapter of supporting this organization, I do so with immense gratitude and confidence in what lies ahead. Over the past five years, the RIDC team and Board of Directors (past and present) have built an incredible engine for change. The RIDC community network is flourishing because of the hard work of so many, and the momentum we carry into 2026 and beyond belongs to the community. 

It has been a gift to work at the RIDC and collaborate with colleagues whose integrity, thoughtfulness, and dedication shape this organization every day. I leave this role with a deeper appreciation for how progress takes shape – through listening more than speaking, accountability to community, and an understanding that solidarity is not an identity but a practice.

Being part of this team and this moment has been profoundly meaningful, and I carry that gratitude with me.

This work is not abstract. It is lived, relational, and transformational, and I have seen firsthand how it takes shape through programs, partnerships, and real community impact.  It has been a profound privilege to contribute to a mission that is led by community, shaped by lived experience, and rooted in the belief that equity is essential, not optional.  

What has made this work so meaningful is not only what we do, but how we do it: with intention, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to our organization’s values even when the work is challenging.

That is why supporting this organization matters.

Your support sustains programs that are expanding access, opportunity, and belonging, helping the running community grow stronger and more representative of all who love it. 

The programs, partnerships, and impact you see today are the result of collective effort, vision, and persistence, and they will only grow with continued support. There are many ways to stand alongside this work: by giving, by partnering, by advocating, and by sharing our mission with others. Your support fuels access, opportunity, and belonging. 

While my role is changing, my commitment remains. I am deeply grateful to continue supporting this organization, and to stay connected to the work as it moves into its next chapter, grounded in its values and sustained by a strong, committed community.

I invite you to continue to show up for this work by staying engaged, taking on its responsibilities, and being part of what carries it forward. 

–Betsy Rathwell