The Fall River School-Community Partnership held another in a series of educational presentations on February 28, 2017, this time with Nwando Ofokansi, Education Programs Coordinator for the Katie Brown Educational Program.  Nwando spoke on "Community Relations and Allyship" to a large group of educators and human service professionals at Diman Regional Vocational High School. Allyship, as defined by the Anti-Oppression Network, is an active, consistent, and arduous practice of unlearning and re-evaluating, in which a person of privilege seeks to operate in solidarity with a marginalized group of people  The School-Community Partnership consolidates all youth development planning and coordination activities for the Fall River Schools has created a single group to oversee all issues that affect youth, including youth substance abuse and violence prevention and any intervention involved in preventing youth risk behaviors. Click here for a two-minute video of part of the presentation. Click here for an Empathy Fact Sheet and here for a Relationship Violence Fact Sheet. For more information, contact Nwando at 508-678-4466.

(Top row) Michelle Machado of St. Vincent's STARR program signs in at the Diman Room 251 Restaurant as Katie Brown Educational Program Education Programs Coordinator Nwando Ofokansi addresses the group on "Community Relations and Allyship" (Row two) Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard, Re-Creation Program Director Annemarie Holly, and Partners Outreach Coordinator Michael Coughlin listen as Nwando speaks. (Row thee) Diman School Adjustment Counselor Michaela Hetzler, Diman Superintendent Thomas Aubin and School Resource Officer James Riley listen attentively as Nwando explains what Allyship is about. (Bottom row) After concluding her presentation, Nwando talks with Diman Health Teacher Cathie Noversa.