ALL VOICES • 2024 REPORT
We were delighted to receive many impressive applicants to the first round of All Voices, launched in the fall of 2023—so many, in fact, that we decided to host two cohorts in the inaugural year, rather than one, as we had planned.
And then—just as 2023 was coming to a close—our friends at The Stability Network surprised us by establishing a fund within Living Proof Advocacy to support mental health advocacy.
It just so happened that a number of applicants to All Voices were focused on mental health advocacy . . . so we ended up hosting FOUR cohorts in 2024 for a total of eight participants! (Three individuals had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts and will be contacted for future participation.)
That made for a very busy year, and we are overjoyed that we were able to offer our professional development program to such a diverse group of advocates and advocacy coaches.
Thank you to all on our Advisory Board who helped us design and launch All Voices.
Thank you to leaders from The Stability Network for establishing your fund with us.
And thank you to the eight talented, inspiring and big-hearted individuals we were fortunate to meet and work with this past year. You’ve deepened and enriched our work and we look forward to supporting you in the years to come.
Felicia Brannon, Rebekah Edmondson, Jess Jones, Devane Murphy and Calondra Tibbs– ALL VOICES. Our first year cohorts of the program are advocating in spaces as varied as rare diseases, environmental issues, LGBTQIA+ equity, veterans rights and first-year college students’ success.
Bart Campbell, John Wainaina Mwangi and Sunny Naughton – ALL VOICES MENTAL HEALTH Each of these coaches is focused on mental health advocacy—in three different countries!
• READ MORE BELOW •
FELICIA BRANNON (Silver Spring, MD)
Advocacy focus: rare diseases, environmental issues
Felicia will combine her expertise in government and community relations with LPA principles to advocate widely on behalf of the rare disease community—and locally for healthy housing initiatives that improve indoor air quality.
BART CAMPBELL (Toronto, Canada)
Advocacy focus: mental health
Bart is helping develop a speakers’ bureau and sharing his own story globally, while exploring the intersection of advocacy and WRAP® (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) to establish an advocacy network.
JESS JONES (Albuquerque, NM)
Advocacy focus: LGBTQIA+ advancement
Jess Jones is an educational consultant specializing in LGBTQIA+ affirming practices. Through their work and personal advocacy, Jess helps schools, businesses and organizations become more inclusive and equitable for queer, transgender, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ people.
REBEKAH EDMONDSON (Charleston, SC)
Advocacy focus: Afghani women soldiers, veterans
Rebekah, a veteran who trained Afghani women warfighters, will advocate on behalf of and in partnership with the women who were evacuated to the U.S. after the fall of Kabul.
“I have never felt more supported in a professional development course. It was not just about the excellent training I received, it was having a remarkable team encouraging me to speak my truth and do so in an effective way to accomplish my goals. ”
JOHN WAINAINA MWANGI (Nakuru, Kenya)
Advocacy focus: mental health
John is expanding PDRO-Kenya's (Psychosocial Development & Response Org.) lived experience training and consulting for mental health advocates.
DEVANE MURPHY (Lexington, KY)
Advocacy focus: first-year college students, communication, nonprofits
Devane Murphy is assistant coach of the University of Kentucky debate team and specialist in nonprofit management; As a coach and mentor to college-aged students, Devane advocates for people of all ages from underrepresented communities
“Every time we met with each other, every time I heard what everybody was doing with their advocacy, how they’re talking about their personal stories, it reminded me of another experience that might be really relevant for my own advocacy.”
SUNNY NAUGHTON (Newport, VT)
Advocacy focus: mental health, mental health literacy
Sunny is designing community workshops and building her advocacy personal narratives into "The Story So Far."
“Thank you so much to The Stability Network and to Living Proof Advocacy for this opportunity and for going on this journey together! Working with LPA, having been introduced to the organization in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, has been a seamless and incredible experience. I am so thankful for the opportunity to join their community and to bring the science of storytelling to more people! ”
CALONDRA TIBBS (Atlanta, GA)
Advocacy focus: nonprofits, public health
Calondra Tibbs is a nonprofit specialist and public health practitioner. As a consultant to nonprofits, businesses and government organizations, Calondra advocates for sound public health systems and the stories behind the data.