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Dancing and Advancing – A Snapshot of EDWINS Community Outreach Coordinator, Derrick Speights

by | Jun 2, 2017 | Blog

Chances are if you’ve attended an EDWINS event, you’ve had the pleasure to meet Derrick Speights, our Community Outreach Coordinator.

Derrick oversees events for EDWINS all over the community, whether it’s in schools, prisons, churches, or with our non-profit network.

Here are a few scenes from a typical week for Derrick:

Line dancing at Harvey Rice Library

Good news – you can join Derrick and Eric Eubanks from the Cleveland Public Library every Friday at this line dancing class!

From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. the Cleveland Public Library Rice Branch (11535 Shaker Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44104) brings the community together through the avenue of dance. This group of community members teaches one another line dances to strengthen relationships. Call (216) 623-7046 for more info.

Walk with a Cop, part of the series of Jane’s Walks

You can join a Jane’s Walks, too. The upcoming Kingsbury Run Walk is on June 29 at 7 p.m. Meet at the Fourth District Police Station.

Thanks to the Cleveland Police Foundation, Fourth District (D4), LAND Studio, and the Saint Luke’s Foundation for offering such a great way to experience our neighborhood.

Providing a tour of EDWINS to our friends and neighbors at Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights

Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights hosted EDWINS for a recent Town Hall series on re-entry, and afterward we were glad to return the favor by providing a tour of all we do at EDWINS.

Derrick will be leading several Town Halls series in the month of June including the following:

The Cleveland Public Library Walz Branch:

  • Tuesday, June 13 from 5:30 to 6:30 with featured guest Jewel Jones, Juvenile Parole Officer at State of Ohio – ‎Ohio Department of Youth Services
  • Tuesday, June 20 from 5:30 to 6:30 with featured guest Jennifer Boswell, Parole Services Supervisor at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
  • Tuesday, June 27 from 5:30 to 6:30 with featured guest Monica Bricker-Thompson, United Way Services of Geauga County Program Manager, Community Impact-Income

Holy Grove Baptist Church

  • Saturday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. with featured guest Jennifer Boswell, Parole Services Supervisor at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
  • Saturday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. with featured guest Veronica Robinson, CEO of Hand 2 Hand, Inc.
  • Saturday, June 24 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. with featured guest Mary Kelley of the Cuyahoga County Office of Re-Entry

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend these free events to learn more about the challenges that people face after incarceration and, as importantly, what you can do to help them overcome those challenges.

If your church or community group is interested in working with Derrick to help your audience learn how they can help returning citizens be successful, contact him at Derrick@edwinsrestaurant.org or (216) 744-4309.

Wherever you may see Derrick, be sure to say hi!