Upcoming regional meetings, webinars, and Fundamentals 201
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mnallianceoncrime.org
In this issue:
Letter from the Executive Director
November Regional Meetings
Membership Renewals Due
News from the Field and Funding Opprotunities
Upcoming Trainings
Job Postings
I have a confession to make. I am not sure I like the whole “abundance” thing. In many ways, this concept became prominent in the non-profit sector because of our ingrained scarcity mindset, where we are so freaked out about potential lack of funding that we underinvest in everything, leading to poorly paid, exhausted staff who sit on crappy chairs, typing on a 10-year-old computer, with 48 dollars and a dozen Beanie babies as retirement savings.
Because it’s trendy, so many people are using the term abundance all the time. But it’s not really defined. I’m not sure we all have the same common understanding of it. I see some colleagues sprinkling “abundance” in conversations like fistfuls of confetti. Is abundance just about money? Is it about relationships? All of it? At the risk of oversimplifying, here are some of my thoughts on abundance, starting with a few different “spheres” of abundance:
Abundance of money: Being abundant in this sphere means you’re not constantly worrying about resources running out. That doesn’t mean spending carelessly and recklessly. It’s about making wise and thoughtful decisions, such as paying people decent wages, providing paid family leave, etc., knowing that these investments often lead to more resources coming in, not less. It means not hoarding donors or funders. It means foundations increasing their payout rates and giving out more money each year.
Abundance of imagination: Those who are abundant in this area strongly believe that things can change, that we can create a world that’s better, that this reality is not all there is. The ending of the electoral college, the possibility of a just and equitable society—these are a couple of things we can make progress on if we don’t have a scarcity of imagination. This does not mean ignoring the current challenges plaguing society, or basic human inclinations. We can see the world as it is, and yet can imagine the world as it could be, and work toward that vision.
Abundance of trust: Believing that most people will do the right thing the majority of the time. Supervisors who have high abundance in this area don’t micromanage or hover over their teams. Boards trust the staff to do their work. Foundations cut down on the requirements for grant proposals and reports. It also encompasses believing that people are capable of learning, of being thoughtful. For example, when people bring up difficult topics, they trust that colleagues will thoughtfully engage and not simply shut things down. A scarcity of trust makes honesty difficult.
Abundance of equity: This is why many of us got into this sector—because the world is full of inequity and we hope to make things better. At organizations, and among individuals, the scarcity or abundance in this sphere still plays out. When there is an abundance of equity, people genuinely engage with difficult topics like white supremacy, racism, patriarchy, ableism, etc. People of different identities feel safe and an authentic part of the team. There are fewer problems like gender wage gaps, staff of color being on the bottom of hierarchy, maybe there’s not even a hierarchy, etc.
I can go on: Love, hope, time, empathy, integrity, justice, joy, humor, etc. The point is that we’ve been talking about abundance for years now without really defining it or considering what it means and how different spheres of abundance can co-exist or relate to one another.
There are general equity implications of abundance, as people with privilege seems to have different perceptions of and engagement with it. Those with more privilege perhaps can afford to have a more abundant mindset, while those with less privilege, who have experienced trauma, who must constantly navigate an oppressive system, are less inclined to have a sense of “abundance” and are also more likely to be wary of anyone pushing it.
Without deeper conversations, we risk having “Abundance” be another jargon thrown about pointlessly and annoyingly. Or worse, used as a tool to protect the status quo, such as when people from marginalized backgrounds point out inequitable philosophies, systems, and practices, only to be told that they have a scarcity mindset and should learn to think more abundantly.
Abundance can be a helpful concept, and an important counter to the scarcity mindset that much of our non-profit sector has internalized. But let’s agree to be more thoughtful about it. If “Abundance” is something your organization, movement, or you as an individual hold as one of your key values, that’s great. But spend some time examining it. What do you mean by abundance? Does everyone have the same views of it? Which spheres are you thinking about? What does it look like in everyday practice? Are you abundant in some areas but not in others? How does your privilege affect your perception of it? Does abundance look different to people with backgrounds and identities different and similar to yours? What actions do you need to take to actualize true abundance?
I don’t have answers to these questions, but, I do have the desire to surround myself with others who are willing to dig deep and explore what abundance looks like, feels like, and means to all of us.
As always, thank you for all that you do to support those impacted by crime!
In Peace,
Bobbi
November Regional Meetings
Join your regional colleagues to discuss challenges, celebrate victories, and connect with each other. MAC staff will facilitate and help to elevate regional issues to the state level.
Registration is open for Fall Online Regional Meetings:
MAC is committed to making these meetings accessible to all members. If you cannot attend your region’s date/time, please feel free to register for one that works for you!
Annual Membership Renewal
MAC's deadline for membership renewal was September 15th, but if you have not yet renewed, you can still do so for the next few weeks.
The MAC website has been updated with all members who have renewed, so if you do not see your organization's name there, please click the button below to fill out the online form and pay via e-check or credit card.
Establishing the Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls. The Office of Justice Programs is continuing its work to establish the first-in-the-nation Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Office. Hiring a director is the main priority as is supporting the director in hiring their staff. The director and staff will be responsible for laying the foundation for the implementation of the objectives outlined in state statute.
Cost of sexual assault exams now covered by OJP. The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is now handling the costs of sexual assault exams after changes to state law passed by the Minnesota Legislature earlier this year.
The 2023 National Census of Victim Service Providers (NCVSP) is a project of the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The NCVSP is critical to understanding the current landscape of victim services across the country and providing national data on victim service provision and characteristics of victim service providers. To make sure your organization is counted in the census, click here and fill out the simple form.
Earlier this month, Netflix released a new documentary about widespread sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), including the impact of the abuse in the lives of some of the more than 80,000 survivors who have come forward. The Zero Abuse Project’s SurvivorSpaceoffers a new webpage dedicated to survivors of sexual abuse in scouting. This new resource includes links to videos regarding abuse in the BSA, survivor voices, and civil litigation information and tools.
The 2023 legislative session was a busy one, to see all the victim related legislation that was passed this year, click here.
Mending the Sacred Hoop isconducting a community needs assessment. Fill out the survey here. You will be submitted for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
A nationwide Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) will be issued Wednesday, October 4th at 1:20pm CT. These cannot be blocked and can only be silenced by turning off the phone, so please advise any survivors who might have hidden devices to turn them off before the alert goes off.
Funding Opportunities:
Propel Nonprofits- Grants for BIPOC led and serving nonprofit organizations up to $65,000. Applications open October 4th, 2023 and close October 26th, 2023. Click here to learn more.
Press Release: "This session, Governor Walz signed $300 million into law for cities, counties, and tribes to meet their unique public safety, fire, or emergency management needs. The local public safety aid can be used for, but is not limited to training programs, community engagement, personnel or equipment costs, officer wellness, mental health crisis response, and victim services. The aid will be distributed by the Minnesota Department of Revenue through a formula based off city, county, and tribe population size." This money is a one-time appropriation, each local government will be deciding how to spend their share, so be sure to contact your local officials to see how your program can access these funds.
Fundamentals in Victim Services 201
Virtual 2-day training for experienced victim service professionals
October 4th and 5th, 8:30am-4:30pm
The October 2023 Fundamentals in Victim Services 201 Training is a virtual training for experienced victim advocates to expand and deepen their core knowledge and skills in providing victim-centered services. This training is designed for victim advocates who have been in the field for 5+ years. Topics covered in this training include:
The science behind intergenerational trauma, and how to work within family systems
The value of control and how to work with victims to understand how they can use control to empower themselves
Occupational Identity (OI) and how to sustain your work for an entire career
Working with the courts and how to navigate personalities within court systems
Putting inclusion into practice
Engaging with policy work and how to make effective change on a larger scale
Furthermore, training participants will have opportunities to connect with one another and with experienced professionals with a range of knowledge and skills.
Training Schedule:
Wednesday 10/4/23- 8:30am to 4:30pm, one hour lunch break at 12:15pm
Thursday 10/5/23- 8:30am to 4pm, one hour lunch break at noon
The Minnesota Alliance on Crime hosts Liz Richards from the Department of Corrections, Victim Services and Restorative Justice Unit, who will present on the new laws recently passed in Minnesota which aim to reduce the number of incarcerated people. New sentencing guidelines, early release requirements, and other changes to DOC policy will be discussed.
Join us one week later to hear from Healing Justice, a national non-profit that uses restorative justice to provide healing to individuals and families that have been harmed by wrongful convictions. They will discuss the impact of these new sentencing laws on victims, and how victim's needs should be at the forefront when an unexpected early release occurs.
Leave No Victim Behind, the national conference series focused on serving victims and survivors of mass violence, is scheduled for October 3rd through October 5th, 2023, at Texas State University in San Marcos. The 2023 conference theme is "Resiliency in the Midst of Escalating Mass Violence: Effective and Integrated Services for Victims and Community Recovery." CEU's are available for victim advocates. More information.
MNJRC's 2023 Conference: Re-Imagining Justice: Centering Humanity Over Fear. Thurs, Nov 16 - Fri Nov 17, 2023. The MNJRC's annual Re-Imagining Justice Conference is an inspirational convening of a broad diversity of criminal legal system practitioners, scholars, advocates, impacted persons, and community members. Through keynotes, plenaries, and breakout sessions, we create the space to share and learn from efforts to bring the criminal legal system closer to a true justice system. More information.
OVC TTAC recently launched a series of Back to Basics microlearning videos focusing on current and emerging trends and needs in the victim service field. This ongoing series has been updated with four new topics, including: barrier-free intake, culturally responsive victim services, multidisciplinary teams, and social media and reaching audiences effectively. More information.
Building Resiliency in Victim Service Organizations training identifies five core elements of resiliency and examines how they can be implemented within organizations to build resiliency in staff. This training is intended for managers and leaders in victim-serving organizations who can implement changes to policies and procedures. More information.
OJJDP will host its second Preventing Youth Hate Crimes and Identity-Based Bullying Virtual SymposiumOctober 17-18, 2023, from 12 to 5 p.m. EST. “This two-day virtual symposium coincides with Bullying Prevention Month and will focus on how to prevent extremist hate groups from radicalizing youth and provide bullying prevention strategies for young people. Presenters will discuss current research and trends, support for vulnerable youth, and strategies to prevent online radicalization and cyberbullying. OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan will provide opening remarks.”
“The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence will host the National Call for Unity to kick off Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2023 on Friday, September 29th from 3 pm to 4 pm EST. This year's call centers on the theme for DVAM 2023, Heal, Hold, and Center. Through inspiring messages, the speakers will explore what it means to find justice, healing, nurturance, and leadership for survivors of domestic violence.” For more information and to register, please visit here.
Please join the Council on Criminal Justice and Belmont University College of Law for a virtual discussion about “the future of long prison sentences/opportunities and obstacles,” on Friday, October 6 from 9 am to 10:30 am CDT. For more information and to register, please visit here.
Introduction to Technology Safety and Technology-Facilitated Abuse. This free online course is offered by Safety Net. This course is an introduction to technology safety and technology-facilitated abuse (TFA). It is designed for advocates who work with survivors of TFA, with a focus on basic concepts and an introduction to relevant advocacy skills.
Jobs and Fellowships:
The Office of Justice Programs will soon be hiring a number of positions over 3 phases. Sign up for their email list to receive notifications as positions are posted.
The Leadership Education and Advancement for Professionals (LEAP) Project is taking applications for their fellowship training program. The free program is for "emerging leaders of color interested in developing, building, and enhancing their leadership skills in the anti-gender based violence field to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking and intersecting issues." Apply here.
The Minnesota Alliance on Crime connects systems, service providers, and victims to advance the response for victims of all crime. MAC is a membership coalition of more than 90 crime victim service providers in Minnesota, including prosecution-based victim/witness programs, community programs, law enforcement agencies, and individuals committed to supporting crime victims. We support our membership through training, technical assistance, resources, public policy and legislative initiatives, and networking opportunities.
To join our coalition of Minnesota crime victim service programs, click here.
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