Rochester Organizing for Social, Economic, and Racial Justice!

Metro Justice is a member-driven, grassroots organization dedicated to social, economic, and racial justice in Rochester, NY. Founded in 1965, as Friends of FIGHT, in a struggle for equal access to good jobs at Kodak, our organization was born fighting for justice and equality for all people. 

Since that time, Metro Justice has evolved, taking on many important issues and growing as we go. Today, with around 1,000 members our Fight for Economic Justice Campaign works to put an end to the incredible wealth inequality and the poverty that our city experiences as a result of that inequality. 

Fight for 15

In our 50th year, one of our major campaigns is the Fight for 15. We are working alongside fast food workers as they fight for a living wage, respect, and the right to a union without retaliation. We know that the only solution to poverty everyday people organized to have the power to change the world for the better. Fast food workers are doing that, and we're standing alongside them to win!

Join the Fight for 15 in Rochester!

 

Every Child Deserves a Quality Education

The Alliance for Quality Education (AQE)/Metro Justice Education Committee is fighting three major battles for public education.

1. To fulfill the mandate of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, so high needs school districts in New York like Rochester have the state funding necessary to succeed

2. To stop hedge-fund billionaires from destroying public education through high-stakes testing and privatization (charter schools) 

3. To end the School-to-Prison Pipeline by passing better discipline policies, creating more supports for students, and promoting positive school climate

Read Metro Justice's 2014 Report on Breaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline by clicking on the image below:

prison.jpg

 

 Proposed Code of Conduct

To learn more about the other fights we're involved in, click here.

 

Stay updated--check out out blog here.

PRAXIS is our online social justice dialogue. Get involved in the discussion!

 

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    2016 Strategic Planning Process!

    In 2016, Metro Justice will be going through an intensive Strategic Planning Process. There are many great opportunities that lie in front of us as an organization, but only through a clear vision and strategy will we be able to take advantage of those opportunities and move our communities forward towards genuine economic, racial, and social justice. This page is your first stop in understanding how the strategic planning process will move forward and how you can participate in those conversations as a member of Metro Justice.

    Goals of our Strategic Planning Process:

    The responsibility of the Strategic Planning Committee is to inspire Metro Justice’s membership and leadership in the strategic planning process and to elicit their involvement in events and discussions.

    The outcomes of this process will be (clearly identified and written down):

    • Understanding of the political/economical/social moment, giving the organization a common outlook for developing priorities in the next 1-10 years

    • Articulated vision of how MJ cultivates transformational change

    • Identify a few major areas of focus for Metro Justice where we should direct our energy to build the organization

    • Identify the skills, resources and perspectives that we bring to the table to create the change we want to see. Clarify how we should relate to other groups locally, regionally and nationally

    • Establish clear institutional structures necessary to effectively meet our goals, including staff structure and a plan for methods to grow and sustain membership.

    Introduction to the Strategic Planning Process:

    The development of a long-term strategic plan will have several major topics that drive specific portions of the conversation (listed below) to build upon one another. Each topic will last between 1 and 2 months and will include several components. As the topic’s time period comes to an end, the strategic planning committee will write a document on the conclusion of the that topic to help inform the conversation for the next topic.

    The components of the conversation are meant to engage members, leaders, staff, and allies in each topic of the process. The components will include:

    • Suggested Readings for members, leaders, and staff.

    • Small group meetings and presentations to help deepen specific parts of the conversation.

    • Online forum for comment and conversation about readings and presentation. [Join Facebook Group here.]

    • Outside speaker to provide their analysis in larger events and small group meetings.

    • Focus groups for specific groups of members and allies

    • Written conclusion to use for the next topic.

    Calendar of Major Themes:

    Follow each link below for a thorough explanation of each month's activities.

    1. Analysis of the moment (February-March)
    2. Theory of change (April-May)
    3. Major goals (June-July)
    4. Role of Metro Justice (August)
    5. Capacity and structures necessary to achieve our goals (September-October)
    6. Writing and finalizing long-term strategic plan and timeline (November-December)

    Strategic Planning Committee Members:

    • Denise Young, President
    • Jake Allen, Council-member
    • Emily Hartnett-Liefter, member
    • Colin O'Malley, staff
    • Robert Hoggard, staff
    Continue reading →