About US
Social Justice Matters (SJM) is a local grassroots non-profit organization. Our members are committed to active inquiry into matters of race in our society, and to working towards an equitable community. SJM serves as a resource for community concerns, and facilitates truthful and meaningful discussions and action about race and related topics.
Mission Statement
Social Justice Matters works to eliminate inequity and to lift up diverse voices by fostering positive relationships among neighbors through education and advocacy.
Vision Statement
Social Justice Matters envisions a community where all feel welcome, differing perspectives are valued, and systemic injustices and inequities are eradicated.
Value Statements
We are independent and non-partisan.
We value integrity, equity, and fairness.
We celebrate the differences in our community.
We strive to be self-reflective, honor constructive criticism, and continuously grow.
Current Initiatives
Scotch Plains-Fanwood Martin Luther King, Jr Day of Service - We sponsor these annual events in partnership with other local organizations. We also sponsor a program at the event each year.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood Juneteenth Celebration - We organize, sponsor, and host these annual celebrations, which now take place at The Shady Rest Golf Club in Scotch Plains. We work closely with the Scotch Plains Township and Fanwood Borough municipal governments to realize these events.
Education - We organize educational offerings for our members and the community, including film screenings and discussions, guest speakers, and other events.
Community Partnerships - We partner with various organizations locally and from around NJ on different initiatives. Some of these partners include the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, the JCC of Central New Jersey, the Rotary Club of Fanwood-Scotch Plains, the Refugee Assistance Partners, Scotch Plains-Fanwood Ministerium, and the NJ Institute for Social Justice.
Community Building - We organize and host events to foster connection and support for our community.
Our History
SJM was formed in 2009, when an offensive and potentially inflammatory flyer was distributed on the lawns and driveways of residents of Scotch Plains and Fanwood. An effort was made to bring the community together to ensure the seeds of hate would not find fertile soil here. At a meeting convened by the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Ministerium, and led by a representative from the U.S. Department of Justice, a group of approximately 20 members of the community engaged in small-group discussions about our individual backgrounds and personal feelings about race. Following a brief discussion with the entire group, it was decided that the discussion should continue.
Throughout 2010, a core group continued to meet and plan for the future. The committee decided to be organized as Social Justice Matters. The Social Justice Matters steering committee received training by The Beyond Diversity Resource Center to equip them with techniques for facilitating discussions about race. SJM continued to meet regularly between 2011 and 2015, as a small and committed group of local residents.
In January 2015 The Scotch Plains Public Library and the Fanwood Memorial Library co-hosted a series of films and programming, “Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle,” created by the National Endowment for the Humanities to encourage public conversations about the changing meanings of freedom and equality in America. Recognizing the need to bring community discussion to bear upon current realities, librarians consulted with Dr. Linda Caldwell Epps and the leadership of SJM to develop additional programming. The public discussions that followed provided the impetus for SJM to expand its reach into the community.
The murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and the urgent desire for change that followed it brought many new members to SJM. The expansion of the organization was concurrent with a switch from a focus primarily on education and discussion to also include a focus on advocacy.
Our Current Focus
Now, with a growing and engaged membership, Social Justice Matters:
Board Meets monthly
Presents public programs
Maintains an active role in community affairs
Partners with other organizations to promote opportunities for local youth and under-served populations
Now, more than ever, SJM is in a position to strike a chord in our community. Topics we have discussed since our founding are front and center on our national agenda and on the radar of our local officials, neighbors, friends and families. Join us to advocate for equity and justice.
Read about SJM in this 2018 NJ Monthly article