Give SJF Your Just! Desserts
Just! Desserts is our new monthly giving
club. Donating a few dollars a
month can make a HUGE difference, and is both easy and convenient to do.
Your donation of $10, $15, $25, $45, or $___ will be deducted from your credit card every month. Think what you can do for the cost of a latte a week. It's just! the thing to do.
Look for more details on the pledge form in your fall campaign mailing or on the SJF website |
|
|
|
Calendar
Third VC Women's Forum:
Economic Insecurity
Saturday, October 10,
2009, CLU,
TO
Luncheon Speaker:
Lilly Ledbetter
On-line
registration: www.vcwf.org
______________________
Two SJF House Parties:
October 13 - VTA
Doug Halter's house
November 2 - TO
Four Friends Gallery
Great opportunities to introduce someone to SJF. For more information, contact Tricia.
______________________
Don't miss . . .
SJFVC's Grantee Reception & Celebration
Thurs, November 5, 5:30-7:30 pm
Save the date and bring a friend!
|
Making Change: Building a Movement for Social Justice in Ventura County
|
|
SJF is proud to release this report as a gift to our community. While it was compiled and written by its two authors, it relies heavily on the experience and expertise of local social justice practitioners who participated in interviews, surveys and focused discussions, as well as a review of current literature and research.
As it says in the preface, This report is intended as a resource for the community in raising awareness about issues and attracting support for change.
Making Change
- illuminates
social, economic and environmental injustice in our County;
- highlights
the powerful work already being done;
- and
inspires
conversations and actions to make change.
We hope you will take time to read it, share it, use it as a resource, and possibly start some conversations. Look for discussion questions in the "Call to Community Dialog" section.
Thank you to the Marisla Foundation for funding this, and to all those who added their voices to the mix.
(A copy is coming to you soon!) Or you can read it here.
|
"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives
and the dreams shall never die."
Edward "Ted" Kennedy
(Democratic National Convention,
August 1980.)
America has just lost one of its most eloquent, tireless and effective advocates for social justice.
May we honor him by carrying on the work of social change in our own community and beyond.
|
|
|
|
Spotlight on a Grant Recipient:
One Step A La Vez
(Big Brothers, Big Sisters)
I caught up with Lynn Edmonds, the Administrative Contact
for One Step A La Vez, while she was on the run in Washington, DC,
at a Department
of Education Conference for grantees.
Graciously, she made time to talk with me.
As you might
remember, One Step A La Vez, the Fillmore-Piru Mentoring Program is entirely
youth organized and directed. ((One Step website) The
program, serving the young people of Fillmore and Piru in the Santa Clara River Valley,
was started by a small group of young people concerned about the lack of local
mental health facilities for teens, and the need for a space for young people
to gather after school.
Our Social
Justice Fund provided the group's first funding and helped its young Board of
Directors to think about the meaning of social justice and identify how it
applies to their project. SJF has also provided them with valuable contacts
with non-profits and other organizations.
After four years of working hard,
organizing and advocating, in October 2009 the group opened the One Step Center
(Teen Wellness Drop In Center) just two blocks from Fillmore High School. The Center is a welcoming space where teens
(13-19) can relax, explore shared interests, get help with problems, their
homework or college applications. They
can also sign up for time on computers, or join a variety of classes and group
activities including yoga, nutrition, art classes, and even break dancing and
skate boarding.
For a while after
achieving their goal, the Board struggled to figure out what they might do
beyond directing and managing activities at the One Step Center. They have decided to use their energy and
skills to improve other aspects of community life, but what do they want to do
most? After much discussion the group has decided to focus on four issues:
1.
working with merchants to bring fresh,
affordable, locally-grown produce to the Fillmore/Piru area
2.
advocating for improved public and alternative
transportation
3.
collaborating with two new youth groups in Piru
. They call themselves MAD, or committed
to Making a Difference. Both are working
to provide much-needed entertainment and activities for young people
4.
working with the adult managers to improve
conditions at the Rancho Sespe Farmworker Housing community
This summer has also
been a time for One Step's youth to expand their learning and sharpen their
skills. 30 young people, including some officers from the Mentoring Program,
attended a full-day workshop on improving advocacy and communication skills at
the Ojai Foundation. As I write this,
eight young people from One Step are spending the week at the CommUnity
Leadership Institute at Ojai Valley High School. (Just Communities Central Coast) This
intensive program prepares Central Coast youth to become more effective
leaders, change agents and civic activists.
When they return participants will share what they learned and bring
their ideas to the discussion of new goals for One Step's young activists. We cannot wait to see what they accomplish
next.
--Karen
McAuley
|
|
DONOR's Corner ~
Philanthropist, Photographer/Filmmaker
Larry Janss
Larry Janss is a comfortable man who
enjoys conversation, loves photography and filmmaking, and is deeply committed
to making a difference in the world. He
has been involved in social justice for more than 30 years. 
Janss,
an heir to a California real estate fortune, found it difficult to have friends
ask him for money to support their causes.
When he was 26 Sarah Pillsbury approached him about helping to start an
alternative foundation dedicated to financing and educating LA community
leaders working for change and Larry agreed.
The idea not only was congruent with his political beliefs, but it gave
him a good way to redirect those personal requests. In 1976 Larry Janss became of one the
founders of Liberty Hill Foundation. (Find out more about the history of Liberty Hill.)
Liberty
Hill's mission is "to invest in changemakers and equip them with the skills and
relationships they need to build power and advance social justice." Liberty Hill is an inspiration to the Social
Justice Fund for Ventura County, so when Kate McLean, one of our founding members
asked Janss to support our work, her request rang a bell and he was
generous. Larry chuckled and explained,
"I'm like Pavlov's dog."
Larry's passion for photography began much earlier. When he was 5, he met his parents' friend,
Ansel Adams. Years later as a teenager Janss studied photography with the
master at Yosemite and later went on to work for him as an intern and then
provided support on various projects. Janss studied at the California
Institute of the Arts, School of Film & Video and became an
award-winning photographer, film producer and director. The genius of Ansel
Adams continues to inspire him.
Larry is currently chair of small
non-profit group of young filmmakers called Regenerate Films. "We focus on finding specific stories that need
to be told cinematically," Larry explained, "issues of consequence and social
heft. We have a little army of talented
young people looking for stories to tell."
Regenerate Films' mission is "to amplify voices," to help young voices
send strong messages to their peers. Thus far they have made public service
announcements, feature films, curricula, shorts and other media, addressing
such issues as teen driving fatalities, suicides, and violence. (Learn more about Regenerate Films by seeing
their story on YouTube) Janss clearly enjoys his involvement with
mentoring today's young filmmaking talent and feels that this is just another
way to help make this a better world.[Note: Regenerate Films is making a movie about the Social Justice Fund, soon to be released. Stay tuned.]Photo of Larry Janss and son, Andrew, by Mike Donnely |
|
"CREATING CHANGE NOT CHARITY"
Become part of the change and join the Social Justice Fund today!
For more information contact SJF's Administrative Director, Tricia Keen socialjusticefund@vccf.org |
|
|
