Arlington Independent Media’s floundering finances have left a former employee with significant personal debt.
Linda Lawson, AIM’s former head of production, obtained a credit card to help cover operating funds at the struggling nonprofit in the second half of 2023, AIM Treasurer Amanda MacKaye said in an email to members last week. At the encouragement of AIM’s former executive leadership, according to the email, Lawson racked up a debt of about $15,000.
“Linda was assured that the credit card would be paid in full, by AIM, as soon as the next Arlington County quarterly funding installment arrived,” the email says. “Unfortunately, this did not happen, leaving Linda with a personal debt of $15,000 — which she has been paying on since March 2024.”
AIM is currently undergoing a county audit and faces nearly $100,000 in unpaid bills, rent and salaries. The nonprofit’s current board has voted to make paying Lawson’s debt “an organizational priority,” MacKaye said.
A fundraiser by AIM on Lawson’s behalf had received close to $4,000 by Monday afternoon.
“It’s unfair that Linda, who has given so much to AIM, is now shouldering this financial burden alone,” the fundraiser says. “The AIM board recognizes this and has made it a priority to rectify the situation. We are launching this fundraising campaign to right this wrong and ensure Linda is not penalized for her dedication to the organization.”
Lawson joined AIM’s staff in 2022, MacKaye said. Despite getting furloughed and ultimately laid off with the rest of the nonprofit’s staff this spring, Lawson has helped inventory, organize and secure equipment during several moves.
In recent months, she has also assisted AIM’s current board in locating paper files and credentials for online accounts.
“We call on the AIM community to rally around Linda and help us raise the $15,000 needed to erase this debt,” the fundraiser says. “Your generosity will not only lift this weight from Linda’s shoulders but also demonstrate the strength and compassion of our community.”
As it awaits the results of the county audit, AIM has been attempting to reinvent itself over the past several months.
The nonprofit’s board has created committees for fundraising and recovery. It is currently seeking to move equipment for radio station WERA-FM and AIM’s video operations, including a public access cable channel, out of storage and into a new, county-owned home at 3700 S. Four Mile Run.
“We will have a better sense of timeline to broadcast being restored after once this step is completed,” the nonprofit said in an email earlier this month.
Shake-ups in its leadership have continued, however. Rhonda Snipe, who took over as president in March, announced June 1 that she would be moving to Florida to pursue a career opportunity.
“We are very grateful for the leadership she provided the AIM Board during this transition,” the organization said.
