Maine Inside Out

“Board Meetings”

“Board meetings”

“Guide Star”

“Upon request”

“In 2020, Maine Inside Out paused our usual arts-based community groups in the 1st QTR to undergo an organizational planning period. MIO conducted over 80 individual and group stipended conversations with MIO members to discuss our work, organizational structure, leadership development, anti-racism, and more. Outputs from the planning period were: MIO's purpose, organizational structure, models for community change, and strategic vision. The 3 MIO Models for Community Change are: Art for Social Change, Advocacy and Support, and Transformative Justice. At the onset of Covid 19, MIO activity went completely remote and pivoted to offer MIO Models for Community Change virtually.MIO supported people in the following ways in 2020: MIO supported over 50 young people to navigate system involvement and personal and family crisis. Connected 10 young people to access emergency shelter and currently supporting them to work towards longer term housing solutions. Connected with 20 young people released from Long Creek Youth Development Center or county jails and supported transition home. Connected 25 young people to resources for emergency food and basic resource (diapers, formula). Supported 5 participants with emergency transport in crisis situations. Connected 5 participants with case managers to access housing services, counseling, SNAP, unemployment benefits and other resources. Hired a Director of Advocacy and Support to lead and design MIO's growing capacity to support young people. Connected 8 young people with employment opportunities and/or career advisor services. Provided support and connection to legal aid for 10 young people navigating further involvement with the criminal justice system. In addition to MIO's advocacy and support work, MIO has offered remote art and transformative justice projects. Over 50 youth artists and organizers participated in weekly stipend work projects to create and share original art and develop MIO's community response to harm and conflict. MIO hired 5 youth as part time staff facilitators to design and implement the projects. Collaborated with the ACLU of Maine and the Portland Museum of Art on a digital program to share original art and activism: People. Not Prisons. Shared original art (film, music, poetry) on MIO website, newsletter and social media platforms to engage the public in community dialogue about social justice during the pandemic. "Humble Responders to Harm" was Maine Inside Out's first intentional project focused on building a model for responding to and transforming harm within our community. 10 youth members met weekly for 6 weeks to discuss strategies and structures for responding to harm in our community. Topics included substance use, trauma, forgiveness, conflict resolution, crisis response, de-escalation, self-regulation, nonviolent communication, accountability, vulnerability, healing and more. Held "We Play To Much" a virtual open mic with 25 participants and 100 attendees.”