Informed and Involved - October/November
These updates provide your organization opportunities to be increasingly involved and engaged with your community and educated about important issues facing our city, country and world
Read MoreGet Work and Do Justice
Trellis partners with and is connected to many incredible organizations working in justice and reconciliation.
Our hope is to use our networks to provide opportunity for people to get work and help organizations promote open positions
Read More“The church cannot effectively address the ills of poverty and racial injustice based on its limited knowledge and awareness of these issues. While frequent mission activities in urban neighborhoods are helpful, they are no substitute for living among the poor and gaining the unique insight of being up close”
Informed and Involved - August/September 2017
These posts provide opportunities for community organizations to hear from others working closely and purposefully in addressing the needs, concerns and desires of at-risk populations and justice issues.
A VIEW OF FERGUSON FROM THE PEOPLE
Tonight at 7PM, Whose Streets a powerful new documentary, which tells the story of the Ferguson Uprising from the perspective of the activists on the ground is being screened.
The screening will be followed by a discussion with leaders from Brooklyn Community Foundation grantees Movement Netlab and The Center for NuLeadership on Urban Solutions, introduced by our President Cecilia Clarke.
The screening is at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema, 143 E. Houston Street in Manhattan. Tickets are available online and at the box office.
BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE SERVING IMMIGRANT FAMILIES
Mother to Mother is sponsoring a Back to School Supply Drive with Mixteca for the families involved with our English class and Mixteca's other programs. THEY are looking to provide school supplies for 30-45 students, grades K-12, and help set them up for a great start the 2017-2018 school year. You can find out more about how to volunteer and donate HERE
BUILDING SAFE, COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN: RESTORATIVE JUSTICE & TRANSFORMATIONAL GROWTH
Restorative Justice Initiative is bringing Eric Butler and Hannah Bronsnick to do a 2-day circles training in restorative justice. This powerful practice is being used in communities and schools around the country to help bring healing and reconciliation.
They have secured space at Medger Evers College (1534 Bedford Ave., 2nd Floor conference room) for Monday, 8/21 and Tuesday, 8/22from 10AM-5PM.
The trainers can accommodate up to 40 participants.
The per person cost of the training is $200. RJI will subsidize the cost of the training for anyone for whom it would be a barrier to attendance. Contact them for more details
BROOKLYN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
Because of the great work of Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow and through Netflix 13th, more people are becoming aware of mass incarceration and the need for systemic change to the criminal justice system.
With that, the Brooklyn District Attorney election becomes an important way to be involved in change at the local level
THE FAITH COMMUNITY on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND POVERTY
In the midst of our current cultural and political climate, how can the faith community better understand the issues and purposefully engage with those working and most affected?
Consider this event September 9th
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Understanding Generational Poverty
As individuals and organizations learn to think more carefully about poverty alleviation, and supporting people in crisis and need, it's important to start by asking deeper, foundational questions.
Emily Cowan, Intake and Family Coach Supervisor at Safe Families NYC , (a church-based movement training the church to provide care to families in crisis) recently shared this email with her volunteers that is so helpful in reframing and better informing those seeking to help.
As I brainstorm better ways to equip you, I think the best thing we can do is educate ourselves on poverty. What causes it, why people are stuck in it, the challenges one faces when living pay check to pay check, etc.
The best thing we can do because so many of our volunteers have lived and experienced very privileged lives, even if not monetarily wealthy. Most of us come from very strong family and community support systems that even if not affluent, were stable. And some of us and our volunteers will come from very affluent backgrounds and the cultural divide can be wide.
Which can lead to a lot of confusion and frustration as we and our volunteers try to befriend and help these moms. Our goals and expectations may be different from moms and we may not even realize it! And unmet expectations often leads to frustration.
And a big part of our job is to help our volunteers manage their expectations. Our volunteers will often be crossing socio-economic lines, racial divides, faith experiences, and trauma experiences. And a lot of volunteers will come in wanting to fix the problems and we have to gently remind them that we are there for relationship, not problem solving. Though hopefully through the relationship we can get to problem solving.
I'd like to share a story about a remarkable woman that I listened to today. Her name is Susan Burton, she grew up in Watts in LA. She served 6 prison terms before starting her own non-profit to support women coming out of the prison system. Her story is painful, but the way God has used her is amazing!
You can find out more about Safe Families and about how to get your family and church involved in this beautiful movement HERE
Reconciliation Beyond Race
You may have heard of racial reconciliation, a desperately needed movement in the church, which has historically aided and abetted the most heinous racist policies (see: slavery; segregation; lynching; lack of employment, housing, and educational opportunity, and so on). But, Cleveland goes beyond racial reconciliation and works in areas of class and identity reconciliation, as well.
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