Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network

* Strengthening social networks of formerly incarcerated people
* Creating spaces for formerly incarcerated people to share and discuss ideas
* Changing social perceptions of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people
* Changing incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people’s views of themselves
* Promoting and supporting prison and post-prison education
* Demonstrating the value of our lived experience
* Advocating for criminal justice policy change

*Social media and email networking of formerly incarcerated college graduates
*Regional face-to-face networking of formerly incarcerated college graduates
*Gathering and promoting positive stories of formerly incarcerated college graduates
*Providing support to organizations advocating for prison-based and post-prison higher education

We have an extensive network of formerly incarcerated college graduates and online presence for this network. Our collaborations with prison-based and post-prison higher education organizations has been growing rapidly the past year. However, our face-to-face capacity remains an areas that our growth strategy is focused on. Our network is currently an all-volunteer organization with a board and membership committees carrying out the work. These committees are another focus of our growth strategy.

SO FAR
*100% growth in membership each of the past 4 years--current membership is 1000+ members across 43 states
*Development of public social media pages for sharing stories about formerly incarcerated college graduates
*Development of a website for sharing stories about formerly incarcerated college graduates, books written by them, and job opportunities for them
*Development of private social media groups to connect formerly incarcerated college graduates and share information within the network
*Sharing of stories about formerly incarcerated college graduates on our public and private social media spaces
*Development of a listserv for formerly incarcerated college graduates
*Development of national convening and speakers bureau committees to enact strategic goals associated with these committees
*Regional BBQ celebrations of formerly incarcerated college graduates in Washington and New Jersey
*Development of collaborative relationships with organizations that advocate for prison-based and post-prison higher education

NEXT
*Development of additional committees to enact other components of our strategic plan
*Expansion of leadership opportunities for members
*Broadening geographic reach the network
*Development of national speakers bureau
*National convening of formerly incarcerated college graduates
*Expansion of BBQ celebrations to other states
*Expansion of collaborative relationships