Circles of Support and Church of the Epiphany celebrate Raising My Voice-Kin graduation

On Saturday, August 12th, the Church of the Epiphany in New York City affirmed its commitment to criminal justice reform and celebrated the graduation of ten participants from the Raising My Voice-Kin program, a leadership and public speaking skills training for individuals whose loved ones are currently or have previously been incarcerated.

Following an invocation by Reverend Jennifer Reddall and introductory remarks by Deacon Jacqueline Sanchez-Shabbaz and Program Coordinator Linda Steele, two Raising My Voice - Kin graduates gave moving speeches about the challenges of loving someone impacted by the justice system.

Raising My Voice-Kin is a spinoff initiative modeled after the Raising My Voice program, a longer and more intensive leadership and public speaking skills training for formerly incarcerated individuals. The Church of the Epiphany hosted the entirety of the five-week training, offering child support and a hot meal to accompany each Saturday workshop. In hosting, coaching and celebrating Raising My Voice-Kin’s graduates, Epiphany has joined the Church of Heavenly Rest, another Circles of Support partner, in their commitment to supporting men, women and children impacted by mass incarceration.

The ten new graduates are now members of Circle of Support’s Speakers Bureau, and are available to speak at churches, NGO’s, schools, and private events.

For more information, please see our full press release, “On Becoming the Beloved Community” at the Episcopal News Service’s website.
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For questions about booking a speaker, please email Lisa at Circles of Support.