Healing Justice Foundation

MAY ALL BLACK LIVES BE HEALED, LIBERATED AND WHOLE. OUR MISSION IS TO RECLAIM THE INHERENT DIGNITY, BRILLIANCE, AND HUMANITY OF ALL BLACK PEOPLE. OUR WORK IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS FRAMEWORK INFORMED BY THE LIVED EXPERIENCES AND GROUNDED IN THE TEACHINGS OF DR. JOI LEWIS. WE SEEK TO: HONOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES, PROVIDE URGENT AND SUSTAINABLE HEALING SUPPORT, ADDRESS THE DIRECT AND COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES OF RACISM AND ITS INTERSECTION WITH OTHER FORMS OF OPPRESSION, PROVIDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING THAT EMPOWERS ALL THROUGH THE HEALING JUSTICE FOUNDATION.

TIME OF RECKONING: HJF CONTINUED OUR WORK WITH THE TIME OF RECKONING, LISTENING AND HEALING IN RESPONSE TO THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD BY THE HANDS OF MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SURROUNDING EVENTS, WHICH CATALYZED BROAD AND URGENT INTEREST TOWARD STRUCTURAL CHANGE IN POLICING AND OUR LARGER CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE PROLIFERATION OF INTEREST AND ACTIVITY IN TRANSFORMING CRIMINAL JUSTICE CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DRAMATIC CHANGE CENTERED ON THOSE MOST IMPACTED. TIME OF RECKONING CONSISTED OF FIVE CRITICAL COMMUNITY HEALING AND POLICY ACTION ENGAGEMENTS THAT AIMED TO ILLUSTRATE TO THE NATION WHAT COMMUNITY-CENTERED POLICY CHANGE CAN LOOK LIKE. EACH SESSION WAS STRUCTURED LIKE A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING WITH SCRIPTED NARRATIVES FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, QUESTIONS FROM POLICY MAKERS, AND A LIVE WORK SESSION WITH THE GOAL OF DEVELOPING TANGIBLE ACTIONS AND BOLD VISIONS FOR BLACK FUTURES. THE TIME OF RECKONING ALSO HOSTED A HYBRID COMMUNITY GATHERING AND A POLICY FORUM THAT WAS LIVE STREAMED TO ALLOW POLICY MAKERS TO LISTEN TO THE FINDINGS AND MAKE STRONG COMMITMENTS ABOUT POLICY AND HEALING TRANSFORMATION GOING FORWARD. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 5,000 PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THE FORUM THROUGH ZOOM OR FACEBOOK LIVE STREAM DURING 2021.

HEALING PROGRAMS: IN 2021, THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF FOUNDATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS, HJF OPERATED FOUR HEALING PROGRAMS: 1) HOLLERING TO HEALING GRANT: PROVIDES FINANCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO BLACK INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO WORK TOWARD HEALING AND IS GROUNDED IN THE PRINCIPLES OF MUTUAL AID. 2) RADICAL SELF CARE: PROVIDES ACCESS TO COMPLIMENTARY OR DISCOUNTED INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY HEALING SESSIONS. 3) BLACK JOI GRANT (EMERGENCY GRANTS): PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR BLACK FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS HOUSING, FOOD OR BASIC SUPPLIES. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 300 BLACK INDIVIDUALS WITH THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO DETERMINE THEIR OWN HEALING JOURNEY. THIS WAS NOT ABOUT PRESCRIBING WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, BUT LETTING THE WISDOM OF INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES DETERMINE WHAT WAS NEEDED.