2024 Communications Institute
The Opportunity Agenda’s Communications Institute is one of the nation’s premier social justice communications training programs. For over a decade, the Communications Institute has brought together diverse social justice leaders from across the country to receive intensive training, tools, and support to supercharge the effectiveness of their communications and narrative strategies.
Housed within the Narrative Innovators Lab, the Communications Institute provides Fellows the opportunity to ideate and collaborate with participants from our Culture & Narrative Fellowship on new narrative interventions. The Communications Institute curriculum covers a variety of strategic communications skills, including narrative development, utilizing public opinion and media research, values-based message development, and more. Our hundreds of alumni have gone on to create powerful campaigns and lasting change using the skills and relationships they built through our convenings.
The Communications Institute Fellows will receive in-depth training and support through a six-month long program, including:
- A week-long, in-person orientation with the Culture & Narrative Fellows in NYC;
- Digital learning sessions; and
- A week-long, in-person reflection and closing convening in NYC.
Meet the 2024 Fellows
Enni Aigbomian
Communications & Events Manager, Independence Public MediaEnni Aigbomian leads communications at Independence Public Media Foundation where she supports the foundation's network- and capacity-building efforts and storytelling of community-led media and internet projects in the Greater Philadelphia region
Get To know EnniMonica Andrade
Director of State Policy & Legal Strategy, The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and ImmigrationMonica Andrade is the Director of State Policy and Legal Initiatives for the Presidents’ Alliance, where she coordinates its state policy agenda related to undocumented students and other immigrant populations in higher education.
Get To know MonicaAnthony Baber
Communications & Culture Director, Detroit ActionAnthony Baber is a storyteller, a concert-chaser, a lover of cats, and the Director of Communications & Culture for Detroit Action.
Get To know AnthonyAriana Busby
Network Coordinator, Radical Communicators NetworkAriana Busby is the Network Coordinator at the Radical Communicators Network (RadComms) where she cultivates an active community of practice for thousands of social justice communications workers from around the world by building infrastructure and strengthening the network's offerings to the field.
Get To know ArianaHenry Goss
Communications Director, Mississippi VotesHenry Goss is the Communications Director at Mississippi Votes, a 501c3 nonpartisan youth-centered statewide civic engagement organization. In this role, Henry leads the marketing, advertising, and public relations efforts to advance the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
Get To know HenrySharada Jambulapati
Senior Staff Attorney, Immigrant Justice Practice, Southern Poverty Law CenterSharada Jambulapati is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was raised in the Deep South as her father worked as the only immigrant farmer in the region and her mother shuffled between jobs as a factory seamstress, janitor, and nanny. Growing up on a farm in rural Georgia, Sharada experienced...
Get To know SharadaCarmen Perez-Jordan
President & CEO, The Gathering for JusticeCarmen Perez is an award-winning, internationally-known civil and human rights leader and Chicana feminist. With a 25-year career advocating for civil rights, she currently serves as President & CEO of The Gathering for Justice.
Get To know CarmenMelva Steps
Program Director, Fair CountMelva Steps, Program Director at Fair Count, has been organizing in Georgia for over 30 years with a focus on civic engagement, elections and voting, family violence, substance abuse, and mental wellness.
Get To know MelvaAlaide Vilchia Ibarra
Co-Executive Director, Together LabAlaide Vilchis Ibarra has over 10 years of experience working to protect and expand migrant rights. She is passionate about the intersections of policy, community organizing and mutual aid.
Get To know Alaide