Living Forward & Speak Little Children

Two Houston organizations will be supporting women "with criminal justice histories" and children receiving foster care or whose mother is incarcerated. Both organizations are connected through a commitment to make life better for others, living positively powerful lives, and in the month of November, Dr. Joel Martin.

In Houston Sat. November 6th Dr. Joel Martin will be facilitating a workshop for The Living Forward Alliance. Living Forward Alliance is dedicated to women with criminal justice histories who are on community supervision for drug related offenses and living in a residential facility under the supervision of the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department. To support, donate, volunteer, and/or learn how to get involved with Living Forward click here.

It is a service and education program that gives them a singularly effective way to rethink their histories and rewrite their futures. This one-year program makes real freedom achievable, and it triggers a positive and sustainable shift in beliefs and behaviors that makes it possible for them to obtain work, rebuild their families and reclaim their place in the community. Maria Francis, CEO and Founder of Living Forward Alliance, Certified Effectiveness Coach (CEC)

As part of their program, the women receive Dr. Martin’s book How To Be A Positively Powerful Person. It provides steps and tools leading to an experience of freedom, the power of  choice, and what it takes to make one’s dream/vision a reality. It’s been enthusiastically received by participants.

In Houston, on Tues. Nov. 30th Dr. Martin will be speaking in behalf of The Master Communicator & Associates, No More Victims Incorporated, and Perceptive Marketing who are collaborating to sponsor the 2010 Authors Networking Summit at Houston Community College, 3100 Main St., Houston, Texas 77002 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Aspiring and established authors as well as the general public are welcome.

A commitment to service is aligned between these two organizations. One of the initiatives of the Summit supports the youth in the community who have had the unfortunate occurrence of having a parent who is incarcerated, relegated to the foster care system, experienced homeless or been abused. The Speak Little Children Writers Initiative services children between the ages of 10 – 21.  It was started in 2008. They recruit youth from local support organizations and schools. Recognizing that these children are often the forgotten element in our society  they want to give them a literary voice, because they have something to say that the world needs to hear.

The children are embraced with Houston hospitality and coached by bestselling authors such as ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Michelle Stimpson and Vince Alexander for a three hour workshop. Their lives and those of our literary mentors are never the same as a result. Sharon C. Jenkins, Inspirational Principal

For more information, how to register and/or to be a sponsor for the Summit, contact Sharon C. Jenkins.