Voices For Racial Justice

VOICES FOR RACIAL JUSTICE WORKS TO ADVANCE RACIAL, CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE IN MINNESOTA THROUGH ORGANIZER AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING, POLICY RESEARCH AND STRATEGIC CONVENING WORK.

RACIAL EQUITY POLICY - POLICY AND RESEARCH STRATEGY:OUR POLICY AND RESEARCH STRATEGY CONSISTS OF CREATING AND USING LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY BASED RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS AS ORGANIZING TOOLS. WE WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, ACTIVISTS, HEALERS, ARTISTS, AND MULTIRACIAL COALITIONS, TO ADVANCE RACIAL JUSTICE IN MINNESOTA.POLICY AND RESEARCH TOOLS:THREE MAIN TOOLS INFORM OUR POLICY AND RESEARCH STRATEGY: (1) THE RACIAL EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT, (2) THE QUILT: POLICY, ART, HEALING, AND (3) PRINCIPLES FOR AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.ORGANIZING AND TRAINING - STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES AND MOVEMENTS THROUGH SHARED LEARNING AND TRAINING THAT UPLIFTS THE ORGANIZING, LEADERSHIP, AND VISIONS OF PEOPLE WORKING TO ACHIEVE RACIAL JUSTICE.OUR TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AT VOICES FOR RACIAL JUSTICE COMES FROM A LONG HISTORY OF INVESTING IN EMERGING LEADERSHIP OF ORGANIZERS IN MINNESOTA. WE OFFER TRAINING IN COMMUNITY COHORTS AND ON A CONTRACT BASIS. FOR YEARS OUR ORGANIZING TRAINING HAS FOCUSED ON RACIAL JUSTICE ANALYSIS, RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES, AND PRACTICAL SKILL-BUILDING FOR ORGANIZERS WORKING FOR RACIAL, CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE IN MINNESOTA. IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WE HAVE DEEPENED OUR COMMITMENT TO AN ECOLOGICAL MODEL OF ORGANIZING THAT VALUES THE IMPORTANCE OF MANY PEOPLE AND THEIR DIFFERING ROLES IN SYSTEMS CHANGE AND MOVEMENT WORK. WE TRAIN INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR TOOLS IN EFFECTING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE FOR RACIAL JUSTICE. OUR COHORT MODEL PRIORITIZES DEEP RELATIONSHIP BUILDING ACROSS BIPOC COMMUNITIES USING CULTURAL AND HEALING STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT LEADERS IN BUILDING RESTORATIVE ORGANIZING. OUR COHORTS HAVE INCLUDED: PARENT EDUCATION EQUITY FELLOWSHIP, GREATER VISIONS DULUTH AND WORTHINGTON COHORTS, YOUTH ORGANIZING INSTITUTE, AND STATEWIDE COMMUNITY ORGANIZING COHORTS. PRISON JUSTICE - ENDING MASS INCARCERATION/CRIMINAL JUSTICE: WE WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED AND FORMERLY INCARCERATED, AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH OUR MANY COHORTS TO ABOLISH MASS INCARCERATION AND TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITIES.WOMEN'S CIRCLE: THIS COHORT EMERGED AS A HEALING SPACE TO CONNECT WOMEN IMPACTED BY MASS INCARCERATION TO COMMUNITY, RESOURCES, AND A SPACE TO SHARE THEIR STORIES AND BUILD RESILIENCE. IN 2020-2021, WE WERE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN ORGANIZING FOR THE HEALTHY START ACT WHICH PASSED, ENSURING INCARCERATED PEOPLE WHO ARE PREGNANT RECEIVE MORE HUMANE TREATMENT DURING AND AFTER BIRTH.