Vision >> |
Vision Just Communities envisions an equitable and inclusive Central Coast where all people are connected, respected and valued. Just Communities advances justice by building leadership, fostering change, and dismantling all forms of prejudice, discrimination and oppression. Just Communities Central Coast was established in 2001 as the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ) of California's Central Coast. NCCJ was first founded in 1927 as the National Conference of Christians and Jews, a national non-profit organization whose objectives included promoting harmony among different groups, especially those separated by cultural features such as race, poverty, and religion. Prominent founding leaders included Theodore Roosevelt, Jane Addams, Benjamin Cardozo, and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Charles Evan Hughes.In 2007, Just Communities Central Coast established itself as its own community-based organization and became a founding member of the National Federation for Just Communities (NFJC). NFJC is a coalition of like-minded organizations working across America to bring the values of diversity, inclusion, and social justice to our communities, schools, workplaces and institutions. Today, Just Communities offers cultural competency training to organizational leaders, education seminars for the general public, leadership training institutes for students and teachers, and customized consultation to local agencies for diversity and organizational change initiatives. Just Communities consciously works with people from a diverse cross-section of the community along the lines of race, income, gender, sexual orientation, age, and religious affiliation. Just Communities continues its 82-year legacy as a respected human relations organization and as a resource for the Central Coast community. Our expertise in human relations uniquely positions us to serve people and organizations in the education, health care, non-profit, government, and business sectors. The breadth of our vision statement to "ensure that all people are connected, respected, and valued" does not limit our service to a single constituency. Whether we are training health care providers on cultural competency, facilitating a diverse collaboration of service providers to address youth violence, or empowering at-risk teens as leaders in their schools, Just Communities continues to bridge differences among those of diverse backgrounds and cultures to strengthen the local community and advance social justice.
Jarrod Schwartz, Executive Director Carmela Galvez, Associate Director Alena Marie, Program Manager Raquel Bernaldo, Program Coordinator Maria Zamudio, Office Manager Pearl Lee, Bookkeeper Joanna Ekstrom, Development Intern Genevieve Cook, Program Intern
Chair
Members Angelica Hernandez, Goleta Libby Lok, Santa Barbara Lucky Lynch, Ventura Michaela Simpson, Santa Barbara Kel Slattery, Montecito Lisa Slavid, Santa Barbara Hilda Zacarias, Santa Maria Board of
Advisors
Art Hicks, Lompoc
Bill Reed, Santa Barbara
Henry Rosas, Santa
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