The People’s Justice Project is an organization across the state that is focused on organizing primarily people of color, young people and people in low income neighborhoods to fight against mass incarceration and to uplift the communities that desperately need it. They believe that the current legal system is one of criminalization and incarceration of young people and people of color and they want to transform it into a system with policies that facilitate healing and growth for individuals, families and communities. Their goal is to incorporate civic engagement, community organizing and direct action in order to build inspire political change in Ohio.
The People’s Justice Project are excited to have a new home located in Linden. The headquarters is a positive result of a tragedy. Linden is a neighborhood that has recently been known for high crime. One manifestation of this occurred this spring when there was a double homicide at the house PJP now calls home. The homeowner was killed and the house was passed on to a close relative who decided to transform the home with a tragic story into a symbol of progress. The home has been renovated and modified to allow it to be a community center and the headquarters for PJP. Since the house’s transformation the PJP headquarters has already made an impact in its community.
When the Sierra Club learned of PJP’s mission to transform their community we were eager to help with their goal. It is our mission to incorporate people of all walks of life. So in mid May we worked with PJP to help organize a cleanup, community outreach and petitioning event at their new headquarters. The goal of the cleanup was to clean up the streets (literally) and to help create a sense of community by empowering locals to make a difference in their own neighborhood. We were very successful in our effort to clean up. We collected more than a hundred pounds of litter from streets, alleys, sidewalks and yards from the area around the headquarters. PJP and volunteers canvassed the neighborhood in order to get signatures to allow a neighborhood block party to happen this summer. The goal of the block party is to revive the neighborhood's sense of community and to create inspire hope in resident’s minds that things can get better. Canvassers also handed out blessing bags that contained toiletries and food to people who seemed in need of a little help. After the cleanup and canvass they invited all participants and members of the neighborhood to attend a cookout which did a great job of tying all of the positive vibes together. The Sierra Club looks forward to working more with PJP because often the environmental issues can play a huge role in social justice issues.
Author: Aaron Acus-Souders