Facilitated Community Dialogues Initiative
The purpose of the Facilitated Community Dialogues Initiative (FCDI), a program of JomoWorks, is to strengthen understanding about community leadership through shared learning experiences between foundations, universities, clinical and public health agencies, and community leaders with lived experience grappling with and challenging health inequities. In order to generate new understandings of community leadership in context, FCDI supports a growing network of Learning Initiative Partners (LIPs)- local, community-based organizations engaged in 1) community engagement training and 2) capacity building. FCDI supports capacity building primarily by strategically connecting local organizations with foundation fellows.
Overarching Findings
Organizational Mission vs. Business Operations
Consistently, LIPs spoke about specific challenges pertaining to the intersection of their organization’s mission and the “business side” of finances, governance, and operations. We learned that in many ways, these two “sides” of leadership are not independent, but are instead fused together in the minds of community leaders. FCDI found evidence of organizational programs and outreach activities that were designed specifically with operational challenges in mind.
Internal Decision-making and Organizational Structure
A second theme in community leadership learning involved the approach to internal organizational decision-making and structure. While no two LIP organizations were identical in their approaches, FCDI found a great deal of commonality in the ways that organizations function internally.
High Stakes Credibility
Several of the community leaders that participated referenced the value that community stakeholders tend to place on authenticity, integrity, and reputation. This emphasis on credibility was born out of a sense of urgency and “high-stakes” importance of the work of their respective organizations.
Outstanding Questions
How can individuals with societal success, accomplishment, and access to resources truly partner with organizations led by (and comprised of) individuals who’ve been marginalized
How can effective dialogue be valued? Achieved?
Lead Contact
Brian Sims
Brian Carey Sims is a media psychologist and social entrepreneur invested in African liberation. He is founder and Executive Director at Jomoworks, an education management consulting firm specializing in University / K-12 partnership development. He is Associate Professor and former chairperson in the Department of Psychology at Florida A&M University, where his research focuses on the implications of media for individuals, families, and communities of African descent.
Dr. Sims is a strong advocate for international education and has also led study abroad programs for undergraduates to Senegal, Malawi, and Haiti. His forthcoming book, College Thug Syndrome offers an explosive Afrikan-Centered analysis of Higher Education.
