Pictured Left to Right: Selden Smith (Rising Clerk of PYM), Lucretia Mott (Quaker feminist and abolitionist), Nikki Mosgrove (Presiding Clerk of PYM), Bayard Rustin (Quaker leader in movements for civil rights, nonviolence, and gay rights), Christie Duncan-Tessmer (General Secretary of PYM)
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Our Strategic Directions throughout History
Belonging
- Early Friends experienced the Truth that all people had a direct experience of the Light within. They traveled far and wide, proclaiming that everyone could experience the Inward Teacher, and that all have a place in the heart of God’s love.
- At the 2025 Annual Sessions, PYM Friends’ approval of a minute of support of the LGBTQIA+ community continues to ensure our yearly meeting is welcoming and safe for all people.
Witnessing
- Throughout history, many Quakers were leaders in the abolitionist movement, and PYM knows that anti-racism work is needed today more than ever.
- In 2015, we raised up our corporate witness of addressing racism, leading PYM Friends to not simply lean on the work of treasured Friends of the past but instead discern what concrete steps God is calling us to make today.
Functioning
- In 1955, a new revision of Faith and Practice was published for a reunited yearly meeting, giving Friends the basic framework for functioning in the Quaker movement.
- In 2025, PYM continues to guide and support Friends through regular gatherings of those in leadership in meetings, so that all Friends can learn from one another.
Connecting
- The first Friends gathered at Swarthmore Hall to build connections and foster a growing Quaker movement.
- Today, Quakers continue to build relationships through PYM Connect, a virtual space for Friends to share news and ask questions.
Communication
- Margaret Fell’s writings were critical in communicating Quaker values to the world, such as the importance of the women’s suffrage movement.
- PYM’s recent lawsuit against DHS continues to communicate a clear message that Quaker testimonies mean everyone should feel safe in their houses of worship.
