Expanding Horizons: Inside-Out's Recent Workshops
June, 2026
By Yusef Pierce
This summer, the Inside-Out coaching team has been connecting across digital spaces, bringing people together through virtual workshops and trainings to deepen the conversation around transformative justice and education.
We recently hosted a powerful Zoom session for the Zell Family Foundation called "Reimagining Justice," which brought together six coaches and 12 participants. Moving away from a standard presentation style, everyone jumped straight into collective brainstorming to break down what justice really means to them. Through small-group breakouts, people shared their personal experiences with the justice system, discussed what drives their dedication to reform, and looked closely at the responsibilities that come with access and privilege. We wrapped up the session with a larger group dialogue centered on concrete actions that individuals can take to build a more equitable reality.
This interactive format builds right on the energy of our earlier seminar with the Seattle group (which you can read all about in the next article). That daylong session focused on creating real social change through prison education and dialogue, getting participants to think critically about the core definition of justice. Carrying those same values forward has helped us keep the momentum going as we expand our network of dedicated advocates.
Following this thread, a small Inside-Out group, including three coaches, developed a specialized three-hour mini-training over Zoom for a group of six researchers in Oregon. They are working on a climate change project and preparing to conduct research interviewing incarcerated firefighters inside prison fire camps. They met with us to get a real handle on the specific nuances, precautions, and unique considerations they might not anticipate going into a prison environment. It was a great session for aligning goals and helping them work through the foundational and technical elements needed to build a strong, collaborative vision before their fieldwork kicks off.
By tailoring our approach – which centers the expertise of our formerly-incarcerated coaches – to the unique needs of foundations, regional groups, and research teams alike, Inside-Out is continuing to build spaces where authentic dialogue turns into real practice – even through a computer screen.
