Workshops

This one-day workshop is for activists and others who want to play a bigger role in their community but aren't sure what's next, or how to get more involved. Participants will:

• Learn about opportunities for public service at the local, county and state level and how they relate to advancing their agenda.
• Hear from seasoned trainers about time commitments, work-life balance, financial costs associated with leadership roles, expectations and overcoming real life obstacles to serve.
• Hone power-mapping, organizing, and communications skills to position themselves for a more public role.
• Leave with a personal plan and timeline to help them step up into leadership.

Talent scouts are an important part of entertainment, athletics, colleges and even business; these are the people on the lookout for the next MVP, CEO, and platinum artist. Participants will:

• Focus on developing "talent scouts" to find the next generation of great leaders from within our communities.
• Discuss the roots of declining voter participation and work together to develop criteria for "hiring" the leaders we want.
• Identify some of the real life barriers that prevent grassroots leaders from stepping up to take a more public role, and how to initiate conversations with prospects.
• Leave excited to scour their communities and armed with the know-how to identify and recruit the next great leaders.

This program is offered regionally and can be tailored for membership groups.

This workshop is a primer on community organizing with a focus on civic and systems change. Participants will:

• Understand levels of change and learn to identify root causes of community issues;
• Understand and apply principles of community organizing;
• Learn about local and state legislative and policymaking processes and how to influence budget priorities and advocate for policies at the local and state levels; and
• Learn easy ways to engage community to improve government service delivery.

This workshop focuses on how community members can advocate for neighborhood schools during school closure and school budgeting process. Participants will learn about the how school closure decisions are made and where the community can apply its leverage. Participants will also learn how to organize as well as tools to help them mobilize their community to challenge School Board decisions.

Geared to parents, grandparents and guardians, this workshop arms participants with information to best position their students for success. Topics include private vs. public education, resolving school-level issues, navigating public school system bureaucracy. Parents will learn how to secure special education resources for their disabled children.

Black families are experiencing extreme levels of mental, physical and emotional trauma, yet mental health care is often a taboo subject. This workshop unpacks the impact of poverty, racism and trauma on the Black community and offers training on how to normalize mental health conversations, identify signs and symptoms, and intervene before a crisis occurs. The course is delivered by experienced public health professionals.

This interactive workshop is designed to break down communication barriers between younger and older generations and foster stronger family and community connections. Multigenerational participants will discuss frustrations, understand communications expectations and practice intentional listening skills. Participants will also learn how to structure conversations to get participation from all members of their family and community.

In some cultures, the idea of building intentional connections is frowned upon, putting some communities at a disadvantage when it comes to business and professional development. This workshop helps to break down the taboos of networking and help participants learn to build strategic relationships in an authentic way. Workshops also cover modern best practices to find success both online and offline.

This workshop is designed to help people get over their fear of speaking in public and with strangers in one-on-one and interview situations. This workshop will focus on deciding what to say, preparing remarks and tools to help speakers stay on track. Participants will build confidence when speaking in public using storytelling techniques, practicing in small groups, and learning to give/receive feedback.

Black communities continue to be undermined by the loss of generational wealth via the loss of family homes and property. This workshop delves into historical policies that have impacted generational wealth and why increasing and protecting property ownership are vital to healing these communities. Participants will also learn how to protect generational wealth through Wills, Trusts, Land Deeds and Titles, as well as local legal resources, and how to access new home efficiency programs.