The world is shifting—above us, within us, and all around us. As the Earth is moving through new regions of the galaxy—drawing closer to the Galactic Center and crossing energetic thresholds—humanity is navigating unprecedented social and technological transformation. These galactic movements are more than astronomical facts; they mirror the profound changes we are experiencing in society today.
Astrologists say that 2025 is the biggest year of transition in our lifetime because multiple planetary shifts will converge all this year. Whether you believe in astrology or not, universal intelligence or not, or whether you are religious, spiritual or an atheist—one thing is undeniable—we are already experiencing severe turbulence, chaos, but this is our call to lead.
On November 19, 2024 –Pluto moved into Aquarius, which only happens about every 248 years. The last time this occurred was during The Age of Revolutions from 1778-1798, where society experienced a period of rebellion, radical social change, technological advancement and empowerment of the collective. There were wars that changed the world, including—The American Revolution, The French Revolution, The Haitian Revolution and the Industrial Revolution. But Pluto entering Aquarius is only one major planetary shift. In 2025, Neptune will enter Aries and Uranus will enter Gemini. The last time Neptune was in Aries was from 1861 to 1875, a period marked also by bold, visionary movements, but also conflict and upheaval. Of course, this was the period of the American Civil War, Emancipation Proclamation, and global shifts around the world such as Italy’s unification (Risorgimento) and shifts in empires like the Taiping Rebellion in China ending in 1864. The last time Uranus was in Gemini was from 1941 to 1949, which was another period of war and rapid technological innovation and massive shifts in global communication. This was during World War II, the birth of the first general purpose computer, ENIAC, was completed in 1945, which marked the start of the digital revolution. It was also the beginning of the Cold War in 1947, and the United Nations was formed in 1945, a new platform for global communication and diplomacy was established.
To have three planetary placements coincide in one year will be unprecedented and it has not happened in thousands of years.
Pluto in Aquarius occurs approximately every 248 years, spending about 20 years in each sign.
Neptune in Aries happens roughly every 165 years, staying in each sign for about 14 years.
Uranus in Gemini cycles every 84 years, spending around 7 years in each sign.
What does all this mean for the nonprofit ecosystem?
The upcoming planetary alignment signals a transformative period for humanity, with themes of technology (Aquarius), pioneering new frontiers (Aries), and radical communication or intellectual shifts (Gemini). Unfortunately, Pluto doesn’t bring gentle social change. Just as our planet journeys through uncharted cosmic territory, we find ourselves propelled into an era of societal upheaval.
Nonprofits that are considered “woke” and support marginalized communities and DEI are under attack. Whether through defunding efforts, legislative attacks or misinformation campaigns. The rise of authoritarianism and anti-democratic movements threatens the very foundation of civil society. I have talked to multiple nonprofit leaders that have lost funding, and leaders that have scaled back their staff as much as 60%.
Today is the time to fortify and support nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations have been a critical force in advocating, organizing, and providing direct services to marginalized communities—filling gaps left by government and private industry, and driving social justice, human rights, and racial equality.
As a long-time fundraiser, I know that nonprofit leaders are deeply concerned with funding, and the sustainability of their programs and maintaining their staff. The need for diversified funding and increased contributions from individuals is real. A part of that process is for nonprofit leadership to bring together key staff and board members through retreats and meetings to strategize, reimagine, readjust, realign, revamp, and make bold decisions. Because there will be rebellion and radical social change. Growing global social movements will push to dismantle hierarchical power structures and there will be massive collective action for justice that challenge oppressive systems and push for equitable societies.
Nonprofit must mobilize for this era of societal transformation
Culture Change
The nonprofit sector cannot operate within the matrix of fear, scarcity, and victim identity. Nonprofits must serve as truth-tellers, holding institutions accountable, and ensuring that marginalized voices are heard. This is the time for nonprofits to shed old, unaligned structures and embrace organizational values-alignment and heart-centered leadership. The culture of many organizations in this social and political climate are fragile and so strengthening the culture of organizations must be prioritized. Organizations must build community and operate through a practice of collaboration and unity consciousness. These are no longer optional ideals; they are essential for navigating the complexities of our time. Nonprofit leaders must set a tone of hope and resilience, leading strategically with both foresight and adaptability. And in this time of profound societal transformation – embracing when to seek external strategic guidance from consultants and coaches is key.
Narrative Change
In today’s fast-moving media landscape, where misinformation and polarized narratives spread rapidly, nonprofits must be intentional about narrative strategy and developing an infrastructure to support this work. There are dominant narratives that hold power over people – reinforcing racist and oppressive systems. Narrative change must be prioritized, and nonprofits must work across like-minded organizations to align messaging. We are seeing firsthand how people hold tight to unethical and divisive stories and use them to maintain control and domination. For generations, the lies in America have shaped culture and polices, and with the power and reach of social media, there are communities that are fair game for hateful and racist attacks.
The practice of narrative change is comprehensive and should be executed through multiple strategies. The most fundamental narrative strategy is being proactive. One narrative reframe that nonprofits should do is strategically put attention on the systems and not on the people. This tactical reframe doesn’t disempower communities, instead it puts a spotlight on the racist and oppressive systems and how they manifest in everyday life. The narrative that DEI is reverse racism is accepted by some people because there is a lack of messaging to educate our society in a strategic way about the continued oppression people of color experience. Narrative change must work to change hearts and minds, and dismantle the notions that equity is preferential treatment, or that DEI focuses on identity politics, or that DEI undermines meritocracy.
In a world where narratives shape reality, nonprofits cannot afford to stay silent or reactive. Narrative change is essential for nonprofits today because it shapes how people understand the world, reframes issues, and mobilizes communities toward social justice, human rights and racial equity.
AI Technology
It has been a journey for me to accept the reality that AI is here to stay and will scale exponentially. There are moments where I feel uncertainty about AI. But at its core, AI is a tool—and like any tool, its impact depends on how we choose to use it. When approached thoughtfully, AI can become a catalyst for unity, clarity, and purposeful action. But one of the first steps for organizations is approaching the integration of AI thoughtfully. Because fear of job displacement or distrust of technology can create internal organizational barriers.
AI should be utilized as a tool to enhance human capacity, not replace it. Nonprofits can harness AI’s potential while remaining deeply connected to their values, communities, and missions. By approaching AI thoughtfully and ethically, and creating systems, processes and policies – nonprofits can navigate the challenges and seize opportunities in this rapidly evolving landscape. AI can take over repetitive, time-consuming tasks, freeing people to focus on creative, strategic, and donor, funder and community relationship-centered work. This allows nonprofit leaders and staff to invest more in mission-critical activities like advocacy, community building, organizing, outreach, relationship building and direct service. Additionally, AI can help with research, fact-checking to monitor the spread of false narratives, language translation, analyze programmatic outcomes for reporting, communications, storytelling, donor analysis and so much more.
Nonprofits that do not integrate AI into their work will risk falling behind in several critical areas –talent recruitment and retention, efficiency, funding, communications and impact. The downside isn’t just about missing out on new tech; it’s about struggling to serve the organization’s mission in this age of AI advancement.
The key for nonprofits is to view AI not as a replacement for human connection, but as a partner in driving social change and mission impact.
This is a defining moment for nonprofits—to embrace transformation, foster unity, and lead with heart-centered leadership and innovation. The convergence of cosmic energy and technological evolution invites us to think bigger, act bolder, and trust that the future is not just coming—it’s ours to co-create.
Comments