PHILADELPHIA, June 30, 2023 – Community College of Philadelphia will host the graduation of the third cohort of Change the Narrative Fellows at 6 p.m. on July 6, 2023. The ceremony will be held in the Klein Cube, inside the College’s Pavilion Building, 1700 Spring Garden St. (entrance located on N. 17th St., south of Spring Garden St.)
The Change the Narrative Fellowship, which was launched in 2020 by the WOMEN’S WAY Gender Wealth Institute, trains and empowers women and non- binary people with the lived experience of economic in- security to share their personal stories through professional-level audio, visual, and print mediums. The program generates awareness of racial and gender inequities in economic opportunity and spurs action to improve economic security in the Philadelphia region.
“I learned to not be ashamed of my story and who I am,” said Paula Barnes, graduating Change the Narrative fellow. “My voice matters, and when I am able to tell my story, I can inspire others that anything is possible, and it doesn’t matter where you come from; it only matters where you are going.”
The third fellowship cohort was a six-month program that began in January of this year. All nine fellows were selected from the Community College of Philadelphia in partnership with the College Women’s Outreach and
Advocacy Center. Love Now Media, an empathy-centered media company, partnered with WOMEN’S WAY to provide program design and curriculum. A $100,000 grant from HFGF Foundation enabled WOMEN’S WAY to conduct the fellowship program for the third cohort.
“I feel better equipped at storytelling,” said Nate Fire- all, graduating Change the Narrative fellow. “Specifically, storytelling as a tool to connect personal experiences with broken systems and introducing ways to find love and safety within those systems.”
Students in the cohort received $5,000 scholarships, met with local policymakers, and created videos to tell their stories and chart their advocacy journeys. These videos will be available this fall.
“At the College, we are proud to offer our women and gender-non-conforming students a platform to share their knowledge and stories and build community with each other,” said Melissa Fogg, director of the Women’s Outreach and Advocacy Center. “As advocates and changemakers, we want to empower our students to take control of their own narratives and achieve their goals.”
About Community College of Philadelphia
Community College of Philadelphia is the largest public institution of higher education in the City of Philadelphia. With an open admissions policy, the College serves all who may benefit – regardless of age, income, or ability. For more than 50 years, the College has lived up to its mission and goals by providing educational access for over 700,000 Philadelphians, setting families, businesses, and neighborhoods on the path of shared prosperity and opportunity. For information on the College’s degree and certificate programs, workforce development strategies, and community engagement initiatives, visit ccp.edu and follow us on social media @CCPedu.
About WOMEN’S WAY
WOMEN’S WAY is the Greater Philadelphia region’s leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing gender and racial equity as a key convener, grantmaker, and educator. Formed in the mid-1970s, they hold a unique place in the nation’s history as the first “umbrella” funding federation in the United States that was specifically dedicated to issues such as wage equity, rape crisis, domestic violence, reproductive freedom, and post-incarceration reentry. Since its founding, WOMEN’S WAY has raised more than $24 million to improve the lives of all women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals and provide vital support to the agencies that serve them. To learn more, visit womensway.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
