Clinton School student Heidi Justice partnered with Wellstone Action!, a national nonprofit organization, to create a curriculum for training groups, organizations and communities to affect public policy aimed at ending discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Wellstone Action! is the largest training and leadership development organization for the progressive movement in the United States, and was founded in 2003 after the death of former U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife Sheila, who died in a plane crash, along with their daughter and several campaign staff, just 13 days before the 2002 elections.
Based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Wellstone Action!’s mission is igniting leadership in people and power in communities to win change in the progressive tradition of Paul and Sheila Wellstone.
Justice researched methods and strategies used in various cities to pass nondiscrimination ordinances at the city and county level. She worked with and interviewed leaders across the country, analyzed campaigns, and wrote case studies and strategic recommendations that will assist Wellstone Action! in this new direction for their training institute.
Justice completed the project as part of the Clinton School Capstone program, the last of three public service projects in the Master of Public Service degree program.
“We are very excited about the collaboration between Wellstone Action! and the Clinton School of Public Service,” said Sarah Scanlon, Wellstone Action!’s Senior Trainer. “Heidi worked extensively on researching and developing a curriculum that will assist us in training activists to fulfill our mission of igniting leadership in people and power in communities in the progressive tradition of Paul and Sheila Wellstone. Programs such as the Capstone Project are instrumental in training the future leaders of our communities and keeping our organizations on the cutting edge of research and practice.”
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