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Club Activities
Innovative Safety Conference
Albert Wright V.P. – Education
Capital Toastmasters of Oregon State Penitentiary
On April 19, 2024, Capital Toastmasters crime and violence.
hosted a first ever event within the Oregon
State Penitentiary (OSP). In a collaborative 4. Explore and develop meaningful ways in
effort with District 7 and OSP leadership, 34 which transformed AIC’s can make meaningful
individuals from academia, government officials contributions to outside communities.
(from the Governor’s office and Legislature),
non-government organizations, non-profit 5. Increase access to peer mentors and credible
organizations, restorative justice advocates, messengers.
and victim advocates met with 74 Adults-In-
Custody (AICs) in what was named the TI District The conference was opened by District 7, Capital
7 Community Safety Conference. For a little over Toastmasters, and OSP leadership. Each speaker
four and one-half hours, these individuals sat discussed what this conference meant in terms
with each other to discuss three topics: Beyond of first steps in bringing all together to start the
Rehabilitation – Restorative Justice, Credible process of healing. The first hour introduced
Messengers, and Survivor of Harm. several
speakers, both from outside the OSP walls and
This conference was inspired by a similar from within, on what the vision, mission, and
conference held twenty years ago at the objectives of the conference were: what the
Graterford State Correctional Institution in topics mean; and a little of their personal stories.
Graterford, PA. Like their ideas, the vision and Speakers included a victim advocate whose
mission statements of this conference were: children’s father was murdered, former AICs who
“To promote amends, heal harms, and value all have transformed their lives and were granted
communities” and “To build shared perspectives clemency by former Governor Kate Brown,
and community current AICs who are transforming themselves
partnerships” (respectively). in becoming productive members of society,
and an academia who heads restorative justice
Five objectives: programs. What did each of these individuals
have in common? The courage and willingness
1. Develop working relationships between to openly talk about harms and start the process
Adults-In-Custody (AIC’s) and community of turning challenging, hard conversations into
leaders in promoting the reduction of crime and meaningful dialogue so true healing can begin
violence. within all individuals.
2. Enhance the awareness of the circumstances The next two and one-half hours individuals
by which crimes occur, identify behaviors and broke into smaller groups and conducted
attitudes that predispose individuals to commit workshops. These workshops facilitated open
criminal acts. communication and dialogue in which every
individual’s voice was heard. Additionally,
3. Develop prevention/intervention treatment individuals were able to network and start the
and training strategies aimed at reducing youth collaborative process of bringing resources
18 Voices!
