We build pathways for people to tell stories for social change.

Transformative Justice Solutions is a Washington, D.C.-based company offering program development, training, and organizational support for social justice organizations.

TJS holds particular expertise around amplifying voices of community members with lived experiences through storyteller trainings and program building.

We provide consulting and training for organizations that focus on uplifting the voices and stories of people directly impacted by various social issues. Our “Storytelling to Transform Our World” series specifically prepares people with lived experiences to share their stories on advocacy platforms.

In order to build a successful program within your organization, we focus first on nurturing a community where honesty and receptiveness to feedback are possible. Our tailored approach ensures that boundaries and confidentiality are respected, trauma is acknowledged and cared for, and people feel heard.

Founder and CEO Katherine Russell has extensive experience in personal storytelling as a double lung transplant survivor who grew up sharing her own journey with cystic fibrosis in an effort to raise awareness and funds for a cure. A published author with a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University, Katherine has over a decade of experience in training design, program development, and social justice work.

For our training offerings, TJS contracts with seasoned coaches and subject experts to bring in balanced perspectives and to uplift different coaching styles. We also understand the importance of hiring Black and Brown professionals in this work to create safe spaces for BIPOC training participants to discuss their experiences of racism openly, to feel in community and deeply heard, and to combat the “danger of a single story,” as put by author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

We consult on programs that bridge the gap between systems and community.

EJUSA: Trauma to Trust

TJS is working with Equal Justice USA to systematize and expand the Trauma to Trust experience to cities across the country. This program provides the opportunity for community members and law enforcement to gather in the same space to hold human conversations and share stories that build empathy and understanding around historical trauma, community safety, and policing.

NWLC: Sparking Change Initiative

We work with National Women’s Law Center to build and sustain their Sparking Change Initiative, a bilingual storytelling and leadership development program that centers the voices and experiences of women or nonbinary people of color closest to the intersecting issues of income insecurity and child caregiving.

After completing our Storytelling to Transform Our World training in 2023, the first cohort of 10 Sparking Change storytellers joined over 150 speaking and advocacy engagements, sharing their lived expertise with Forbes, The New York Times, Telemundo, Voz de America, Washington Post, NPR Here & Now,  and The Cut by Vox.

Civic Wisdom: Speak Your Vote Campaign

#SpeakYourVote is a nonpartisan campaign to generate the highest Gen Z and Millennial voter participation ever in 2024 and create a more powerful citizen network for years to come.

Through its civic learning labs in September and October 2024, Speak Your Vote mobilized a cohort of social media content creators to tell their civic stories online and educate their peers on what civic engagement looks like.

We have also worked with:

American Civil Liberties Union - DC Crisis Response Coalition

Taproot Foundation

A Chance to Thrive Initiative

Affirm Cares Employee Foundation

Spit It Out: A Storyteller Training for People with Cystic Fibrosis

We are the creators of Activated! An app to mobilize causes through storytelling

Features

  • Free to download and use

  • Explore our curriculum on storytelling for advocacy and organizing

  • Use as a resource to prep speakers for your events and advocacy days

Paid Services:

  • Partner with us to build your own private page with your own curriculum, cause information, and tutorials

  • Build your coalition contact list

  • Directly message your constituents and supporters with calls to action, campaign updates, and news highlights

  • The app remains completely free for your channel subscribers

Coming soon. Visit our FAQ page for more details.

Our Training oFferings

Building Voices Series: Staff Trainings for Inclusive Movements

The Building Voices series works to develop staff awareness around yielding power at the table to people with lived experiences and becoming supportive partners in change. These trainings include exploration of biases, recognizing the effects of reliving trauma, supportive infrastructure and intervention strategies, and norms for building community “on equal footing” as allies. All of these trainings include testimony and co-facilitation from people who have had the experience of publicly sharing their personal stories in order to effect social change.

Sync-Up Session - Centering People with Lived Experience in Your Work
(90 minutes, $1500)

 Ethical Partnering with Storytellers
(90 minutes, $1500)

Building Voices Practicum - Applying Learned Skills to Real Scenarios
(120 minutes, $1500)

Package All Three: $4,000

Storytelling to Transform Our World

Organizations are increasingly relying on people with lived experiences in their focus issue areas to tell their stories on advocacy platforms. TJS helps build supportive infrastructure to ensure community members are prepared and have positive experiences with sharing their personal lives publicly.
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We assist in the development of storyteller bureaus with intensive training and ensuring organizations have proper supportive infrastructure.

Storytelling to Transform Our World is a four-part series (virtual or in person available) that prepares people to share their personal stories for social change. TJS works with participants on self-discovery and empowerment, supportive sessions for reframing traumatic experiences in healthy ways, and presentation techniques such as elocution and confidence. We hold space for participants to find their story and connect it to a larger issue area or call to action, learn about grassroots advocacy strategy, and build convincing narratives for inciting change. With a group of gifted guest facilitators, this series also involves intensive workshopping on presenting and crafting one's story.Participants receive continuous support from TJS as we work to build a sense of community and trust within the group.

Sliding scale pricing available

  • Toni Francis-Bowie, NWLC

    Working with TJS and Katherine has been, in a word, transformative for my team and our work as we’ve built out our storytelling initiative this year. Katherine is incredibly insightful and brought into every conversation her years of expertise building out speaker bureaus and supporting speakers in a careful, intentional and trauma-informed way. Katherine is incredibly responsive, sets ambitious timelines for work delivery that she always keeps, produces wonderful and creative work, and is open to honest feedback, learning, and growing in collaboration with her clients.

  • Lori C., Missouri Prison Reform

    TJS has been so helpful to me in creating a plan for our organization. I began this work out of passion to make change but was feeling overwhelmed and Katherine has already given me tools to know where to get started. She helped me see what changes I can make immediately while also creating a plan for the future. TJS went beyond my expectations.

Ready to Work with Us?

Contact us via email or fill out our contact form to discuss your needs. We’re excited to connect!