This project is a collaboration among AMICUS, The Circle of Peace Movement, The University of Minnesota and Augsburg University. The goal of the project is to prevent people from becoming incarcerated and to support offenders when they return to the outside world. This is an empowerment, character development, and leadership development project for the offenders while they are incarcerated. There is great potential for the Stillwater offenders to contribute positively to the world. Their Public
Narratives are powerful and can be shared with teachers, university students, and young people to provide knowledge for developing strategies for prevention of crimes and the development of positive contributing human beings. The project wants to address the prison pipeline through education and Public Achievement. Public Achievement is an international initiative based at the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship at Augsburg University.
Public Narrative, a tool of Public Achievement, was introduced to the offenders at Stillwater in 2016. They have responded in a powerful way. Each month one or two of them share their story with the group and visitors. The visitors share theirs, along with one question for the men. Powerful conversations happen and much learning has taken place. As of this report 30 University of Minnesota students or Augsburg University students have been visitors as well as two education faculty from Augsburg, an associate dean from the University of Minnesota College for Education and Human
Development, two teachers from Maxfield Elementary School, and the Maxfield School assistant principal.
The men have taught us through their stories and discussions the need for young people to have different heroes, positive role models and mentors, and caring teachers who understand the value of developing relationships with all of their students. Young people need to be recruited into science, teaching, theater, etc, not just gangs, drugs, and a life of crime. Young people need positive experiences.
Before Covid 19 we were preparing to have Zoom meetings with groups of students and educators across the country. Three of our members would share their Public Narratives with the audience and then the audience would ask questions and a discussion would take place This would be a powerful learning experience for everyone. The men would be known as community teachers. Director of Education Ann Dieman was working with us before she left Stillwater.
Russ Belanger and Dennis Donovan would meet with the Community of Work and Learning once a month for an hour and a half. Visitors, usually college students, would join them. This work is powerful for us and those who are incarcerated. We believe this could be an initiative of the DOC and not just Stillwater Prison. This piece includes three testimonies from three visitors.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
- Russel Belanger – 651-387-7731, russel@tcopm.org, AMICUS
Circle of Peace Facilitator - Dennis Donovan – 612-703-4676, donovan@augsburg.edu, National Organizer for Public Achievement Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship Augsburg University
Adjunct Faculty Humphrey School of Public Policy University of Minnesota.
