Pros
AMAZING co-workers that are extremely supportive, loving, and respectful. They truly care about their clients and AOL’s mission.
Cons
Leadership Compensation & Inequity: - Executive leadership earns six-figure salaries ($130k+) while living in Tijuana, MX—where the cost of living is significantly lower—while many employees make barely $25k a year. - Leadership justifies this disparity through a wage study claiming that “AOL employees in Mexico get paid more than a judge,” which they use to argue their compensation is “fair.” - Meanwhile, their henchmen all earn high salaries ($100k+) which many find laughable given their contributions to the organization. Leadership Behavior & Accessibility: - The Executive Director, Erika is essentially absent—rarely seen or heard from—and seems more focused on media appearances and ego-boosting opportunities than actual leadership. - Passive-aggressive behavior is rampant among all levels of leadership, creating a toxic and disingenuous work environment. - Leadership claims to be abolitionist in values but shows little understanding or practice of what abolitionist work truly means. - Leadership couldn’t care less about their vulnerable clients. Workplace Culture & Management Style - There is an overwhelming culture of surveillance and micromanagement. - Employees are consistently overworked with no meaningful support, only to be blamed for “not doing enough.” - Leadership frequently uses financial insecurity (e.g., “we have no money”) to manipulate staff, even as they post new $80k+ jobs minutes after threatening layoffs. High Turnover & Employee Morale: - Within less than three months, 6–8 employees quit, unable to tolerate the environment. - The culture has become so demoralizing that many, including long-term staff, are left feeling emotionally drained and deeply unhappy. - What once was a place filled with purpose (AOL) has now become unrecognizable—driven by soulless, corporate-style management that has stripped it of its heart.