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Our Mission

At the Social Justice Learning Institute, we are dedicated to improving the education, health, and well being of youth and communities of color by empowering them to enact social change through research, training, and community mobilization.

Core Values

  • We privilege the ideas, voice, and leadership of our youth and community members.
  • Everyone must be afforded equal opportunity in order to achieve equitable treatment.
  • We do all things in love.
  • No one is hopeless.

Our Vision

We envision communities where education empowers individuals to use their agency for the purpose of improving each other’s lives.

Our Goals

Our goals are simple. We work to:

  • Educate and empower youth and community members to identify and rectify injustice
  • Build capacity for individuals and communities to advocate for their needs.
  • Deliver effective programs, resources and support that help advance our mission
  • Train and build leaders.

Our Impact

Empowering through Education

3810 Students served through Urban Scholars

94 Percent high school graduation rate

40000 Average scholarship dollars raised per year

Creating Thriving Communities

122 Gardens built in
South Los Angeles

4.5 Million pounds of produce distributed since 2020

45 Food justice partners served

Changing Systems

68002 Contacts made with residents about housing rights

100 Million in Measure J funding secured for equity-focused projects in Los Angeles

100 Million secured for Black Student Achievement through student-led initiatives

Where We Serve

With a core focus on South Los Angeles, We’re growing our national impact. Click to view an interactive map of our program locations.

Where We Serve

Our Board

Board of Directors

Omai Garner, Ph.D.

Omai Garner, Ph.D.

Chair

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Linda Baum, M.D., Ph.D.

Linda Baum, M.D., Ph.D.

Director

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Nancy Greenstein, Ed.D

Nancy Greenstein, Ed.D

Director

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Karen Blackwell

Karen Blackwell

Treasurer

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Terri Mosqueda

Terri Mosqueda

Secretary

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David Crippens

David Crippens

Director

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Victor Leung

Victor Leung

Director

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Board of Advisors

Antoinette Mongelli

Advisor

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Ben Allen

Advisor

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Bowe Kurowski

Advisor

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Brian Selmo

Advisor

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Our Staff

Derek Steele

Derek Steele

Executive Director

323.952.7363 x700

dsteele@sjli.org

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Kimberly Upchurch

Kimberly Upchurch

Regional Director - Houston

kupchurch@sjli.org

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Angela Johnson Peters

Angela Johnson Peters

National Director of Programs

323.952.7363 x701

ajohnsonpeters@sjli.org

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Megan Hayward

Megan Hayward

National Development Director

323.952.7363 x501

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Gary Hardie, Jr.

Gary Hardie, Jr.

Policy and Advocacy Director

323.952.7363 x401

Ghardie@sjli.org

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Kevin Lasley

Kevin Lasley

Educational Equity Regional Manager

323.952.7363 x201

klasley@sjli.org

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Ashley Loville-Gray

Ashley Loville-Gray

Health Equity Programs Manager

aloville@sjli.org

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Gabriel Regalado

Gabriel Regalado

Policy and Advocacy Senior Manager

gregalado@sjli.org

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Nicole Steele

Nicole Steele

Health Equity Programs Director

323.952.7363 x302

nsteele@sjli.org

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Jevante Davis

Jevante Davis

Data Coordinator

323.952.7363 x503

jdavis@sjli.org

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Johnston Ford

Johnston Ford

Academic and Career Services Coordinator

jford@sjli.org

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Leiloni De Gruy

Leiloni De Gruy

Communications Lead

ldegruy@sjli.org

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Ricardo Govea

Ricardo Govea

Higher Pathways Manager

rgovea@sjli.org

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Marcus Pickens

Marcus Pickens

Career Readiness Counselor

mpickens@sjli.org

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Molly Katz

Molly Katz

Educational Equity Regional Manager

mkatz@sjli.org

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Tyrone Cutkelvin

Tyrone Cutkelvin

Educational Equity Programs Director

tcutkelvin@sjli.org

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Julius Young

Julius Young

Program and Curriculum Coach

jyoung@sjli.org

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Carmen E. Himes

Carmen E. Himes

Donor Relations and Event Manager

chimes@sjli.org

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Charles Hall, IV

Charles Hall, IV

Program and Curriculum Coach

chall@sjli.org

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Sean Sweeney

Sean Sweeney

Civic Engagement Lead

ssweeney@sjli.org

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Rafael Antonio Sanchez

Rafael Antonio Sanchez

Health Equity Programs Coordinator

rsanchez@sjli.org

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Raichel Franklin

Raichel Franklin

Academic and Career Services Coordinator - Houston

rfranklin@sjli.org

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Georgina Del Carmen Euan

Georgina Del Carmen Euan

College Success Counselor

geuan@sjli.org

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Lonvis Naulls

Lonvis Naulls

Program and Curriculum Coach - Houston

lnaulls@sjli.org

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Dylan Gray

Dylan Gray

College Success Counselor

dgray@sjli.org

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Shelby Richardson

Shelby Richardson

Academic and Career Services Coordinator

sanderson@sjli.org

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Shawnte Porchia

Shawnte Porchia

Academic and Career Services Coordinator

sporchia@sjli.org

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Mayra Vasquez

Mayra Vasquez

Academic and Career Services Coordinator

mvasquez@sjli.org

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Cache Thurman

Cache Thurman

Academic and Career Services Coordinator

cthurman@sjli.org

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Paul Terry

Paul Terry

Produce Distribution Coordinator

pterry@sjli.org

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Layah Willis

Layah Willis

Development Manager of Institutional Giving

lwillis@sjli.org

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Lesly Sanchez

Lesly Sanchez

Academic and Career Services Coordinator

lsanchez@sjli.org

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Miautra Dias

Miautra Dias

Operations and Finance Manager

mdias@sjli.org

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Alisha Holmes

Alisha Holmes

College Success Counselor - Houston

aholmes@sjli.org

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Alyska Malveaux

Alyska Malveaux

Higher Pathways Manager - Houston

amalveaux@sjli.org

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Zola Ezozo

Zola Ezozo

Program and Curriculum Coach

Zezozo@sjli.org

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Rediet Seyoum

Rediet Seyoum

College Success Counselor

rseyoum@sjli.org

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Sky David

Sky David

Academic and Career Services Coordinator

sdavid@sjli.org

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Jon Alexander

Jon Alexander

Program and Curriculum Coach

jalexander@sjli.org

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Leroy Mitchell

Leroy Mitchell

Program and Curriculum Coach

lmitchell@sjli.org

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Corneil Montgomery

Corneil Montgomery

Managing Director of the BLOOM Alliance

cmontgomery@sjli.org

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Leilani Calhoun-Brannon

Leilani Calhoun-Brannon

Academic and Career Services Coordinator

lcalhounbrannon@sjli.org

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Nygel Anderson

Nygel Anderson

Educational Equity Regional Manager

nanderson@sjli.org

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Dasjah Martinez

Dasjah Martinez

Academic and Career Services Coordinator

dmartinez@sjli.org

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Financials + Reports

SJLI’s previous audits and 990’s are provided when SJLI was a project of Community Partners. SJLI current financials are posted reflecting our transition to an independent 501 (c)3 non-profit.

Funders + Partners

To meet our goals, we work alongside youth, residents, local schools, school districts, government entities, foundations and corporations. The following partnerships allow us to develop and manage programs that advance academic, food, environmental, and housing justice.
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