ABOUT US

We are a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. For twenty-three years, we have been one of the leaders of race, public safety, and youth advocacy. This year will be our 17th Greenville Youth Cross-cultural Leadership Council (GYCCLC), the longest-organized youth council in the upstate. Since its inception, the GYCCLC has produced over 280 College Graduates with degrees from 27 different schools. From business majors to nursing, social workers, media, fashion, politics, and health care consultants. The GYCCLC youth-trained cultural and conflict interventionists mentor in some of the most conflict-intense apartment communities. The GYCCLC youth have successfully created positive pathways for these youth to become responsible adults. Our work with youth and management has reduced police-related service calls by over 90% and has a successful high school graduation rate of over 80%.

We are proud that in the service areas that GYCCLC serves, African American boys have stayed out of gangs and with our programs throughout middle and high school. We are proud to enter 2023 with confidence that our 365Life youth initiative is one of the most profound integrated cross-cultural Afro-centric youth-based social education and economic models that will impact youth from middle school to high school and beyond. This year we will host our 15th Youth Summit at Bob Jones University. Our offices and studios have never been busier with people utilizing our services. People who come to discuss issues with staff include topics ranging from police to mental or housing problems. We receive no local philanthropic funding; therefore, we depend on individual contributions and donations. Please give today: justice and economic dignity to all citizens.

SEVEN PILLARS OF JUSTICE

Economic Justice

Environmental Justice

A set of moral principles for building economic institutions, the ultimate goal of which is to create an opportunity for each person to create a sufficient material foundation upon which to have a dignified, productive, and creative life beyond economics.

Environmental Justice

To study areas of gentrification in African American communities that has displaced black, communities of color, and marginalized people. To review local community studies relating too poor, and marginalized people.

Criminal Justice

Environmental Justice

Educational Justice

To establish a local citizen law enforcement review board in Greenville County by creating a local petition that will generate the required number of signatures to enforce a referendum. To review citizens’ complaints of police and judicial misconduct.

Educational Justice

Public Health Justice

Educational Justice

The study of disparities in the local education system and reconcile these disparities with workable solutions around retainment and achievement of students. To investigate in and out of school suspensions as it relates to school-to-prison pipeline. To study the relationship between African American students and teachers around special education as it relates to national special education criteria.

Youth Justice

Public Health Justice

To study and analyze data retaining to youth and adult incarceration. To seek resolution to defy statutory crimes committed by local youth and the percentage of African American youth incarcerated compared to white youth. To formulate a conference on youth and gun violence with other local non-profits and entities. To create a youth and gun violence commission. To implement local non-violent strategies by utilizing the CDC, STRYVE (Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere) Initiative.

Public Health Justice

To study the disparities in the health field regarding systemic racism in practices and procedures of our local hospitals and care providers. To focus on the structures, policies, practices, and norms that assign value and determine opportunities based on the way people look or the color of their skin, results in conditions that unfairly advantage some and disadvantage others, placing people of color at greater risk for poor health outcomes.

Faith Justice

Our current initiative is the “Martin Luther King, Jr., Social Justice Series: A Moral Response of the Church and the Community to Systemic Racism.” An anticipated outcome of this series is to move the faith community into a deeper engagement with community activism. The series centers on study of Dr. King’s speeches, books, and sermons. On Sundays, local clergy have an opportunity to preach a community service on one of Dr. King’s messages, and then on Mondays the clergy will conduct a community panel addressing Dr. King’s message and the ways the community can move forward in developing justice and unity.

INITIATIVES

Other Initiatives

Youth gun violence initiative
STRYVE (Striving to reduce youth violence everywhere)
Community Commission of Systemic Racism

SUPPORT OUR MISSION

Your support matters!

JII is an advocacy organization that focuses on social justice, public safety, and youth development. In August, under the umbrella of the JII, we will launch our 365LIFE initiative.

Capitalizing on our expertise gained through years of working with youth living in vulnerable communities, we will begin working with fifth graders in those communities. We will follow

these youth through high school and will help them find pathways to colleges, trade schools, and entrepreneurship.

365LIFE will incorporate two successful programs developed by Beyond Differences: WeTeach

and STRYVE (Striving To Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere). In the ten-year period when

these two programs were implemented, there was a considerable decrease in youth-related police calls in the relevant communities. There was also a significant decrease in in-school and

out-of-school suspension.

365LIFE will also provide professional social workers, professional case workers, spiritual counselors, and mental health counselors. The long-term goal is to develop in youth ideals of community engagement, skills to deal with chaotic situations that lead to violence, and a concern for their own growth and direction.

ABOUT US

SEVEN PILLARS OF JUSTICE

Economic Justice

Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice

Criminal Justice

Environmental Justice

Educational Justice

Educational Justice

Public Health Justice

Educational Justice

Youth Justice

Public Health Justice

Public Health Justice

Public Health Justice

Public Health Justice

Public Health Justice

Faith Justice

Faith Justice

Faith Justice

INITIATIVES

Other Initiatives

SUPPORT OUR MISSION

Your support matters!

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