About the Event

The LCN led the second year of the Formerly Incarcerated, Convicted People & Families Movement (FICPFM) organizing fellowship* aiming at transforming the criminal justice system in the United States. In this second year, LCN trained 69 leaders from directly impacted communities in the organizing practices, out of which 15 leaders undertook the next journey of their leadership development in a training for trainers program.
On January 28th, 2022, we learned how the FICPFM Fellowship Training Team designed the curriculum, created new materials, and facilitated spaces of practice for the participants of the training for trainers program.
*The fellowship was delivered in partnership with the FICPFM and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, aimed to develop new leaders through four programs: organizing training, coaching program, community of practice, and training for trainers.

About the Speakers

Nneka Akubeze (Lead Trainer)
Nneka Akubeze was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, to two incredible parents who taught her the value of faith, education, community, and justice. As a community organizer, Nneka works tirelessly with communities of color to secure collective liberation. In 2019, she launched her law practice, working in criminal law and immigration while earning her Master of Laws degree in Immigration and Nationality. Nneka works as an Of Counsel attorney with The Sparks Law Firm, handling anything from terroristic threats to federal drug charges. She has years of experience in public narrative coaching and often works to prepare clients for testimony in court.
Kortni Malone (Head Coach)
Kortni Malone is a community organizer, strategist, and trainer, hailing from Detroit, MI. She has spent the past ten years fighting for the liberation of Black people in Michigan and across the country. She has worked at the intersection of issue advocacy and electoral strategy with organizations like Color of Change, NextGen America, and Elizabeth Warren for President. Throughout her career, she has trained thousands of folks from teachers in the classroom to professionals in the organizing world to volunteers and community members—always cultivating leadership and building power to fight for change. Currently she is the Director of Leadership Development at Coworker.org.

About the Partners

Three partner organizations collaborated to design and implement the fellowship:
The Formerly Incarcerated Convicted People and Families Movement (FICPFM)
A network of over 50 civil and human rights organizations led by people who have conviction histories and their family members. Committed to transforming society by transforming the criminal legal system, FICPFM advocates legislatively, judicially, and through direct organizing in the communities where we live and serve.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
A philanthropic organization founded in 2015 to leverage technology, community-driven solutions and collaboration to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges. Its mission is to build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone.
The Leading Change Network LCN
LCN’s vision is to meet the challenges to democracy by developing the leadership to organize communities which build power and realize the values of equality, solidarity, and dignity. Its mission is to develop leadership and support organizers around the world through communities of practice, ongoing learning and coaching.

Watch Video

Original audio (English)

Resources

• FICPFM Teaching & Facilitation Workbook – 2021 FICPFM Organizer Training  Fellowship – Phase II, Train the Trainer, Winning Campaigns to Transform the Criminal Legal System during Covid-19 and Beyond
• Introduction to Public Narrative (part 1 – 3) Training Slides
• Facilitating Story of Self Slides
• Teaching Pedagogy for Up-Front Training
• Sample Preparation Meeting Agenda – Training for Trainers Teaching & Facilitating Narrative
• Sample Session Agenda – Training for Trainers: Teaching & Facilitating Narrative

Explore Further

• Formerly Incarcerated Convicted People and Families Movement (FICPFM) – Communities of Practice 2021 (Presentation Slides from 5 Sessions)
• Formerly Incarcerated Convicted People and Families Movement (FICPFM) Organizer Training Fellowship: Winning Campaigns to Transform the Criminal Justice System During Covid 19 and Beyond: Digital Manual
• Formerly Incarcerated Convicted People and Families Movement FICPFM website
• End Mass Incarceration: Powering the Movement, The Formerly Incarcerated Convicted People and Families Movement FICFPM Report