As it is with books, movies provide a unique opportunity to study leadership and how it is or is not exercised in response to society’s challenges. “Just Mercy,” is an inspiring drama that brings one of the most important stories of our time to the big screen. A powerful and thought-provoking true story, “Just Mercy” follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation.
Equally inspiring is the movie’s Executive Producer,Scott Budnick.
Scott is an American film producer, Founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), and is currently CEO of One Community, LLC – a film, television, and new media co-financing company that uses the power of storytelling to encourage and inspire positive global change.
Since 2004, Budnick has been a fierce advocate for social justice and a fairer judicial system. In 2003, he began volunteering with InsideOUT Writers (IOW), a program that brings creative writing into juvenile halls. In 2014, Budnick founded ARC, whose mission is to reduce incarceration, improve the outcomes of formerly incarcerated individuals, and build healthier communities. ARC provides formerly incarcerated men and women with direct services such as housing, counseling, job training and opportunities, mentoring, and education. The organization also empowers and mobilizes its members to play a role in justice reform efforts through direct policy advocacy. 
For his work with youth in the criminal justice system, Governor Jerry Brown named Scott the 2012 California Governor’s Volunteer of the Year. He sits on the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) and was selected to serve as a Board Member for President Barack Obama’s foundation, the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance.
Scott will share his experiences in making Just Mercy, provide insights about crafting his job into a vocation and discuss the personal leadership and courage required to work toward social justice.
Open to members of the FLNSD and the greater nonprofit community, this leadership discussion will be facilitated by Lee Ann Kim. Kim, a former broadcast journalist, is the founder of Pacific Arts Movement.  She is an active member of Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego and will be co-facilitating the Network’s leadership retreat in Alabama in September 2021.
This leadership development opportunity is offered as part of Project Stone Catcher, a program focused on providing opportunities for nonprofit leaders to develop the skills and understanding necessary to lead nonprofit organizations in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion and to advance social justice issues for the broader community. In alignment with our mission, Project Stone Catcher will build a community of stone catchers who trust each other, offer support to one another and provide safe space for exploration and discussion of issues that have historically been difficult to discuss.

Our thanks to Alliant Education Foundation for their sponsorship of this learning opportunity.