Every time I explain what my internship entailed, it piques people's interest and sparks conversations about important subjects.  ..read more

Sharing your personal stories to advocate for change is very different from telling tales around a campfire to scare your friends or to get a laugh ..read more

I've watched it happen for people in real time. Even on Zoom, you can see it. It's that moment where all of a sudden the light goes on—and they see the core of their advocacy come to life ..read more

Academic programs in the arts and humanities are being axed all across the U.S.: visual arts, drama, music, literature, philosophy, foreign languages, history—subjects of study that help us think logically, creatively and critically about the world and the world around us. As two proud products of liberal arts schooling (and cofounders of Living Proof Advocacy) we’re therefore excited to focus this year’s LPA BEYOND pro bono support on organizations in the arts and humanities. We are living proof of the value of the arts and humanities, and are fortunate that we received schooling that did not ..read more

Devane Murphy is the Associate Director of Debate at the University of Kentucky and a diversity expert with a specialty in nonprofit management. Devane was selected to take part in the first 2024 cohort of the LPA All Voices professional development program. I spoke to Devane about the experience and where it may lead him next. What drew you to apply for the All Voices program? The thing that drew me in was that the program’s mission was very much in line with the things that I do in my day-to-day and in the lessons I try to instill in my students. I thought that the skills I’d learn in the p ..read more

In turbulent sociopolitical times, efforts to squelch or silence true stories of lived experience—or to devalue and dismiss them—become more fervent. As a result, the need for and importance of sharing our stories become even more critical. So does preserving historical voices, because one way to obstruct a community's future is to deny or erase its past. That’s why for 2024 Pride Month, we’re celebrating the RADICAL act of supporting and preserving LGBTQIA+ stories. All across the country, in communities large and small, groups are doing this important work. We highlighted three: The Mi ..read more

How important is it to you to feel connected to others?  According to psychological research, an absence of belonging can have negative and devastating effects on people, both physically and psychologically. That’s something that Jeanette Langston, founder of the Vermont-based nonprofit Social Tinkering, knows personally and professionally. She founded the organization to combat social isolation through the creation of community and meaningful relationships.  Jeanette Langston Social Tinkering recently engaged Living Proof Advocacy to explore how community members’ stories from live ..read more

Earlier this year, we launched our free All Voices Professional Development Program—which is open to individuals from groups currently underrepresented in communication and related fields—in an effort to help diversify the pool of coaches trained in helping people share their lived experiences as advocates. Applicants to the program reflected a wide range of advocacy goals, issues and backgrounds, with members selected for the first cohort focusing on LGBTQIA+ educational consulting, nonprofit management, public health and support for first-generation college students. A number of the applica ..read more

We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of the inaugural cohort of ALL VOICES, our free eight-week professional development program open to individuals from groups currently underrepresented in communication and related fields. Led by our co-founders Tim Cage and John Capecci, this career-boosting program left a lasting impression on all participants. The cohort of three included:  Jess Jones (Albuquerque, NM), an educational consultant specializing in LGBTQ+ affirming practices; Devane Murphy (Lexington, KY), assistant coach of the University of Kentucky debate team and ..read more

Here’s what people are saying about their relationship to joy in nature, in response to the prompts Tami Spry is providing in celebration of Earth Day 2024. Enjoy…and submit your own! Prompt 1 What is your first memory of experiencing joy in nature? “My first memory of experiencing joy in nature is from my childhood home in the suburbs of Boston. We lived in front of a swamp with frogs, turtles, snakes, etc. My brother and I would go to the swamp every summer with nets to try and catch a frog. It took a lot of discipline for a seven and twelve-year-old to swiftly catch a frog. When caught, my ..read more