Racial Justice Rising is a small, all-volunteer racial justice organization based in Franklin County, Massachusetts.
The members of Racial Justice Rising are ordinary people who are troubled by the persistent racism that plagues this country. Believing that the damage caused by racism must be repaired before our society can be whole, we work for just and respectful treatment for all.
While much of our work is focused in our local area, we reach out to and are connected with the broader movements in our region and the nation.
The members of Racial Justice Rising believe that:
- White people created racism to rationalize and justify the results of colonization: genocide, enslavement of free peoples, destruction of Indigenous societies around the world, and other inhuman behavior.
- White supremacy is the cornerstone of racism.
- Racism is one of the primary tools of social control in the U.S. and world-wide, embedded in economic, housing, education, judicial, healthcare, and other systems, and in civic and interpersonal relations.
- Racism, which can manifest as internalized racial superiority in perpetrators or internalized racial inferiority in those targeted, causes immeasurable harm to both.
Our mission is twofold: to help build the movement for racial justice by contributing to a deeper understanding of systemic racism and racial justice, and to engage in restorative activities that help to heal the racial divide and bring justice for people targeted by racism.
Our local activities include free monthly programs.
Mass Slavery Apology, the group’s original name, is still the name of the project that started our work — our statement of apology for slavery and commitments to restorative action.
RJR supports Greenfield Racial Justice!
Click here to learn about this new group in our community.
Consider joining our new reparations group!
Interview with RJR members, WGBY Connecting Point 10/28/19
Events
See our Events page for more information.
WEEKLY VIGIL
Every Saturday from 10-11 a.m. on the Greenfield Common, at least through December.
FREE ON-LINE MONTHLY PROGRAMS
Our monthly program series is supported in part by grants from Amherst, Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont-Hawley, Conway, Gill, Greenfield, Heath, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Pelham, Rowe, Shelburne, Warwick, Wendell, and Whately Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
When We Can Breathe Again….. An Update
Saturday, January 23, 2021
1 p.m. online
Link from our Video Gallery
Racial Justice Rising and Musica Franklin present the voices of children describing how they are surviving during the pandemic.
Children from Gloria Matlock’s Twice as Smart program have made two 30 minute videos
during the pandemic. The most recent, made in September, is about COVID.
The videos will include the children talking about how things have changed over the last four months and what their hopes are for the future.
The program will end with a performance by the children from Vicki Citron’s Musica Franklin.