This special collaboration team has created a documentary focused on topics of re-entry, causes & solutions to crime, and recidivism entitled “From Tragedy to Triumph.” This documentary gives a platform to six inspiring individuals as they design dialogues and create space for voices that aren’t normally heard or asked to weigh in on these topics. Each of their stories is truly impactful and worth hearing.
For the last 19 years, the Felege Hiywot Center has seen a great success in having many of our Center’s students graduate from high school and become gainfully employed or pursue their post-secondary education. Despite these positive anecdotes, we have also had students who have experienced trouble with the law and faced or are facing incarceration. Additionally, we see some of our students between 20-30 years old begin to have Mental Health and Emotional concerns due to lack or support in dealing with trauma from their past. Currently, with the support of this grant, we are hiring two returning students, helping them get their GED, receiving resume assistance, as well as work at the farm earning income.
Moving forward, and with additional funding from Central Indiana Community Foundation, FHC is expanding its partnerships to include KIPP Legacy High School, Mental Health America Indiana, Mentors of Color, Edna Martin Christian Center, TASC, and others to help our students get the proper support as they continue to mentor upcoming students.
Our aim with this additional funding is to continue the work of identifying and addressing the root causes of violent crime and supporting the wellness of communities with the following supports:
- FHC will engage Youth 13+ years old in discussions focused on identifying and addressing these root causes and hearing what they think solutions could be
- The Blue House will create other short films of these discussions for FHC to offer screenings for the community, town hall meetings, schools, neighborhood associations, friends, and family.
- Discussion meetings will be led by trained facilitators and note takers will capture the causes and proposed solutions to violent crime discussed by the participants.
- Mental Health America Indiana will offer support in the form of training facilitators and offering referral and assistance with access to Mental Health community serving organizations.
- Mentors of Color will assist with one on one mentoring to any student in need and requesting this on-going support.
- Annually, we seek to have 20 graduating high school students join Mentors of Color as both mentees and mentors.
Audrey Martin
Posted at 15:48h, 05 MarchWow- what an inspiring documentary. How does FHC plan on addressing the issues brought up with the youth in the years to come?