Birmingham’s Offenders Alumni Association Empowers and Guides Youth to Reduce Violence and Create Opportunities
Birmingham, Alabama, is grappling with a rising homicide rate, but a local organization is working tirelessly to provide guidance and support to young adults and reduce violence in the community. The Offenders Alumni Association (OAA), founded in 2014 in Atlanta and later expanding its work to Birmingham, aims to create a network of justice-involved individuals who can offer mentorship, develop healthy relationships, and provide economic and civic empowerment. Now, with the support of the national Credible Messengers Mentoring Movement and a recent $500,000 grant from the Birmingham City Council, the OAA is expanding its efforts to train credible messengers who can offer support and guidance to individuals in need.
Many members of the OAA have faced significant obstacles when trying to secure employment due to their criminal records. Toni Barnett, a former job seeker who now works as a credible messenger for OAA, shares the struggles she faced in finding employment despite her willingness to work anywhere. However, she eventually found that her ability to relate with others affected by the justice system became an asset in her role as a credible messenger.
The addition of the credible messengers program, supported by the Credible Messenger Mentoring Movement, will provide funding to expand the OAA’s existing work and offer additional aid. Credible messengers are individuals who have firsthand experiences of violence, homelessness, or systemic marginalization and have undergone personal healing and restoration. These messengers will connect with individuals who have been harmed by violence or are involved in perpetrating violence, providing them with educational resources, career opportunities, and mental health services.
Clinton Lacey, the President & CEO of the Credible Messenger Mentoring Movement, emphasizes the importance of authentic and empowered relationships between government leaders and community members. He implemented the Credible Messengers program in New York in 2011 and saw a significant drop in recidivism rates. Now, in Birmingham, Lacey sees the OAA as integral to providing support to those in need and connecting various violence prevention initiatives in the city.
Dena Dickerson, a program director at OAA, serves as an inspiration to those who have faced incarceration. After serving a lengthy sentence for a nonviolent offense, Dickerson worked alongside other formerly incarcerated individuals to restore the communities they believed they had a part in breaking. She highlights the individualized support provided by the OAA, sharing that they go every step of the way with participants until they feel they have what they need to be successful.
By prioritizing community partnerships, the OAA aims to guide young people away from cycles of violence and provide them with the resources and support necessary to make different choices. Building trust, listening to the community, and offering a transformative and restorative approach are key components of the OAA’s work, according to Birmingham City Councilor LaTonya Tate, who chairs the public safety committee.
As Birmingham continues its fight against the rising homicide rate, the efforts of the Offenders Alumni Association, supported by the credible messengers program, show promise in empowering the community’s youth, reducing violence, and creating new opportunities for a brighter future.
