Facilitating the exploration of diverse viewpoints in a safe space
This website serves as a repositoritory of resources for MCLI alumni and other interested parties. Events and other current news will be available on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcleadershipinstitute.
Mission
Strengthen our society’s connective social fabric by creating purposeful opportunities for people to explore important social issues and make new, meaningingful, and diverse connections.
Values
- Respect for all people and celebration of our Diversity
- Inclusion of all people in crafting a just and equitable society into the structures, policies, and society that impact our lives
- Critical Thinking of meeting participants about the source of information and their own perspective, and a willingness to listen without judgement and with an open mind to other participants’ viewpoints
- Courage to take action and Leadership in making meaningful change
Approach
- Build on the foundational legacy of the Mill Cities Leadership Institute (MCLI) and its alumni community.
- Each month, convene a group of widely diverse people who are interested in and open to a deeper understanding of important social issues and facilitate their open and honest discussion in a manner which is both respectful and brave. Provide a regular and repeatable structure for these meetings so that attendees know what to expect.
- Provide resource material for people to read ahead of time which provides a full perspective on the issue but which is authentic primary source material or well vetted research or journalism which is based in science, and fact. Summarize these materials before discussion begins.
- Invite relevant guest speakers whenever possible who are working in the particular area to share their work, their victories, and their challenges. No solicitation is permitted.
- Continually train new group facilitators from among the MCLI alumni population, attendees, and the professional facilitator community so that the program can grow via a Train-the-Trainer model.
- Recruit hosts who are willing to provide or pay for dinner in order to keep costs low and to avoid the need for nonprofit status. Accept suggested donations (not tax deductible).
- Maintain a database of attendees and record their feedback after events. Record key impact data. Maintain a simple website presence. Use a simple volunteer Leadership committee oversight format.
History
From 2012 to 2020, the Mill Cities Leadership Intstitute year provided a year long training program for a diverse group of emerging and established leaders focusing on social justice in Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill.
MCLI began in 2012 as the Sandbox Leadership Institute (SLI), with Todd Fry as Executive Director, in collaboration with UMASS-Lowell largely funded by Desh Deshpande. In 2014 MCLI was established as Mill Cities Leadership Institute under Lawrence Community Work while the Sandbox Leadership Institute went on to become E-For-All. In 2018, Delia Duran-Clark took over as Executive Director of MCLI. In 2020, the Mill Cities Leadership Institute became the MCLI Community Collaborative to better reflect its new mission.
Follow this link to view Delia's opening message from 2018
Alumni
Please visit our Alumni page for class lists and other documents related to each class from 2012 to 2020.
Click Here to Visit the Alumni Page