IT’S NOT OK!

COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT 2015

“VIOLENCE IS NOT RANDOMLY DISTRIBUTED. THE SAME SOCIAL FACTORS THAT SHAPE HEALTH—INCLUDING EDUCATION, INCOME

AND WEALTH, AND RELATED CONDITIONS WHERE WE LIVE,

LEARN, WORK AND PLAY—ALSO ARE STRONGLY LINKED TO VIOLENCE”-RWJF REPORT 2011

Dear Friends,

In October of 2010, a group of brave souls believed in a vision for a better tomorrow. We believed that through collective work and a clear strategy, we could end neighborhood violence. Many of us have lost children to street violence and others attended many funerals. Collectively, we knew that if change was going to happen it needed to begin with us.

Our mission is to end violence by empowering mothers to be change-makers. Through education and engagement, we break the barrier of isolation and alienation that keep mothers from becoming change-agents in their homes and communities.

The 2015 impact report demonstrates how our theory of change has impacted 100,000 lives over the past five years throughout the country. Our success has come through billboard campaigns, public recognition, media coverage and our free programs and services offered to community residents. We have empowered victims of violence to be leaders and instigators of change in their homes, schools and community. We have established a foundation of learning and leadership for mothers and youth as they move forward with their lives.

I can’t be more proud of the tremendous impact Mothers for Justice and Equality has had in the lives of individuals across the country, but I would be remised to believe that our fight is over when we continue to lose our children to street violence and incarceration. Our families are facing insurmountable levels of mental health issues resulting from the aftermath of street violence.

As we continue to press forward in our mission to end violence, I hope you will join me in our fight for justice and equality for all by visiting us on Facebook and making a tax deductible donation.

Sincerely,Monalisa SmithPresident and CEOMothers for Justice and Equality

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Community violence is a devastating problem faced by neighborhoods across the country. Influenced by social factors such as education, income, and conditions in the home, school, or workplace, violence transcends generations and weakens community structure and stability. According to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation entitled Violence, Social Disadvantage, and Health, youth who experience or witness violence are more likely to carry a

lethal weapon or participate in violent behavior themselves. In this same report, community violence and even the perception alone of community violence is linked to serious health and psychological problems (RWJF 2011).

Mothers for Justice and Equality was founded in 2010 as a grassroots organization determined to end neighborhood violence by empowering community members to make change and restore safety for future generations. MJE developed a strategy to build relationships, teach civic leadership and encourage civic engagement as a way to reach today’s generation and discourage community violence. By reaching youth through mothers at home and creating a fresh dialogue against violence as a norm, MJE continues to combat neighborhood violence that spreads across generations.

MJE works in tandem with similar organizations to spread awareness and advocate for change within the community, and extend its message through anti-violence rallies and public media campaigns. Since its founding, MJE’s work has been recognized by the media continuously, and was more recently featured in the Boston Globe’s articles “Mothers of Slain Looking for Justice” and “Mothers Meet to Find Ways to End the Violence” in 2014. MJE has received numerous awards, including the Boston Business Journal’s Extraordinary Leadership Award, Boston Globe’s Innovator’s Award, The Boston Foundation’s Change Makers Award, the National Community-Based Organization Network’s 2013 Unsung Hero Award, and the Cummings Foundation’s 2015 $100K for 100 grant. Additionally, MJE has received support through funding from the City of Boston, the Boston Foundation, the Eos Foundation, the Hyams Foundation, and the State Street Foundation. MJE believes that mothers hold the key to change, and by teaching them to act as catalysts for change at home and advocates for change in their communities, they can restore a sense of purpose and end violence in their communities.

“In MJE, you are surrounded by people who understand what you are going through. Mothers taking a stand is really important and very powerful. When these young people, caught up in trouble, are asked who had the most influence in their lives, most of them will say their mothers.”

-Janet Connors, MJE member

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“It doesn’t matter whether you have lost a child or not, whether you are a mother or not; if you are a part of our community, and want to see it prosperous, join us.”

- Merveline Chambers, mother

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Our Strategy

MJE has a clear model for impact drawn from past successful social movements. Employing three key components, education, engagement, and membership, MJE empowers community members by cultivating the skills needed to voice a demand for change. MJE has built network relationships with organizations serving advocacy, housing resources, social and health services, and youth services, enabling us to refer individuals in need of these services. Operating through an Education and Engagement model, MJE provides the leadership tools needed to make change, and assists public action and public campaigns, enabling community members to act as catalysts. MJE’s education and engagement model is focused on empowering future advocates to work against neighborhood violence and helping them develop effective skills to create changeMJE’s education is based on the Civic Action Curriculum, offering tailored learning for community mentors and focusing on those individuals who wish to lead community outreach, parent mentoring, and or seek leadership roles in their communities. This curriculum is provided through the Civic Leadership Academy, which hosts a number of programs tailored to different needs.

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With these educational programs, MJE hosts a number of engagement events each year to bring together members of the community and provide them with leadership and advocacy opportunities. These include educational forums, addressing current social issues such as mass incarceration and policies affecting community violence, monthly empowerment meetings, in which community leaders and public officials educate MJE members through presentations and workshops, and a Caregiver Circle, a parent advisory group that works on public policy issues as they relate to the community.

“It (MJE’s youth programs) gives youth the opportunity to get off the streets and have other options than picking up a gun to solve problems…and getting other people’s voices heard in the community.”

- Jadia Pitter, Junior Advocate

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Achieving Our Goals

The year that MJE was founded, there were 72 murders in Boston, over 50% of which were young men between the ages of 14 and 25. Motivated by this high number, MJE developed an educational model that focuses on mothers and youth at risk or affected by neighborhood violence. Graduating the inaugural class in 2013, participation rates for MJE’s educational programs have grown substantially, and a number of students have returned in sequential years. In 2014 alone, MJE membership doubled from 100 to 200. Among MJE’s participants is an especially important demographic: youth. As a developing generation growing up in violent neighborhoods with limited access to resources, these youth are at high risk of becoming violent or losing someone to violence. MJE includes youth in its educational programs, giving them an opportunity to have their voices heard, and providing them with better outlets to create a brighter future. By working with both youth and mothers, MJE is able to promote change within the home and community, developing the next generation of civic leaders.

“Justice, to us, is not catching the perpetrator. Justice is ensuring that we don’t have a repeat of this over and over again.”

- Monalisa Smith, President

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Our Next Steps

In 2012, MJE developed a campaign to honor victims of homicide and spread awareness of neighborhood violence as a growing plague. Designed by surviving families of these victims, the billboards remind the public that these victims are loved ones, not just statistics. 57 billboards were donated to this message by Clear Channel, creating a meaningful opportunity for families to memorialize loved ones while demanding their voices to be heard on a larger stage.

Additionally, establishing the strategy model in high-risk Boston neighborhoods has fulfilled MJE’s short-term goal of combatting neighborhood violence in our own communities. The next step is to extend this model statewide and nationwide. Beginning with the Empowering Women to Action National Conference, MJE has been able to connect with similar organizations and groups across the nation. By identifying and partnering with organizations that share our mission or similar missions, MJE is able to share our model and reach high crime cities and neighborhoods outside of Boston. Additionally, MJE looks to continue developing partnerships with agencies and organizations already focused on target communities. These partnerships contain think tanks, housing developments, service providers, and government agencies. By working with these organizations, MJE can contribute to research and continue evolving our model to reflect changes in society and data. Prioritizing these relationships will enable us to mobilize communities and inspire similar change throughout the United States.

OfficersChair

Mia Alvarado, LICSWPresident

Monalisa SmithTreasurer

Randall DavisSecretary

Eileen Paterson

DirectorsEdna Smallwood

Pam JonesDavid Dolbashian

Eve Mimi Turchinetz, EsquireDebbie WornumBernard JohnsonElizabeth Case

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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SPONSORS ANDPARTNERSHIPS

Join UsWe rely on the generosity of our donors to continue our work. With your help we can realize our vision of a world in which it is never normal or acceptable for children to be murdered. If you wish to learn more about MJE, become a member, or support our work, please visit our website.

IT’S NOT OK!

184 Dudley Street, Suite 109LLRoxbury, MA 02119

617-516-8086mothersforjusticeandequality.org