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Non-profit

Journey for Justice Alliance

Website:

j4jalliance.com
Location:

Chicago, IL
Tax ID:

36-2598637
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $2,068,838
Expenses: $1,484,175
Assets: $1,361,715
Type:

Education Advocacy Group
Founded:

2012
Director:

Shannon Bennett

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The Journey for Justice Alliance, also called Journey for Justice, is a network of activist groups across the United States that promotes increased taxpayer funding for government schools and a left-of-center racial and cultural agenda. While the organization claims to be working towards an improved education system for “all children regardless of race,” it explicitly states that it prioritizes backing racial-minority activists and activist groups. 1

The parent organization of Journey for Justice is the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization, an activism and activist-training project founded in 1965 that claims to represent the interests of the low-income, racial-minority neighborhoods of Chicago, Illinois that it is named after. 2 The organization was involved in negotiating with city authorities and the Obama Foundation to secure benefits from the construction of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. 3

Policy Positions

Journey for Justice was founded in 2012 in response to what it called “the growing problem” of school-choice options and increased scrutiny of government-school-system funding in urban areas across the United States. The organization calls for a ban on expanding private-school availability, as well as an end to “zero tolerance” disciplinary measures in government schools. Journey for Justice also supports implementing policies which would mandate equality of outcome in state and municipal education systems, including favorable treatment of teachers from racial minority backgrounds. 4

In addition to advocacy for increased support to government schools, Journey for Justice supports using taxpayer resources on illegal immigrants in schools, including through the expansion of “sanctuary cities” where authorities do not cooperate with immigration law enforcement. The organization also endorses the practice of identifying school-age children by their perceived “sexual orientation” among other characteristics. 5 6

Initiatives and Impact

In 2013, members of the Journey for Justice Alliance organized a protest march for increased government-school funding and more education system jobs in Washington, D.C. The organization claims that some 5,000 people participated in the event. In 2014, Journey for Justice staged another protest in the capital, this time claiming approximately 1,000 attendees. That year, the organization also released a report detailing the perceived negative impact of government education funding cuts. 7

During the Trump administration, the organization’s “We Choose” campaign protested then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s efforts to reform school systems and introduce more private-sector options. 8

Following the 2020 presidential election, Journey for Justice published an open letter congratulating then-President-elect Joe Biden and calling on the incoming Biden Administration to “prioritize” the interests of racial minority groups in its education, housing, healthcare and law enforcement policymaking. 9

As of May 2023, the Journey for Justice Alliance claimed to have member organizations in more than 30 cities across the United States. The organization also alleges that it has reached more than two million people with its messaging through social media and other channels. 10

Leadership

Shannon Bennett is the executive director of the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization, the parent entity of the Journey for Justice Alliance. Bennett is a career left-of-center organizer who, together with his predecessor Jawanza Malone, were prominent advocates for the Obama Foundation’s controversial Barack Obama Presidential Center project in Chicago, Illinois. 11 12

Jitu Brown is the national director of Journey for Justice. He is also the board chairman of the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization. Brown is a career education activist who has campaigned for greater investment in the Chicago school system for more than two decades, with a particular focus on programs intended to benefit racial minority groups. 13 14

Ronsha Dickerson is the national organizer of Journey for Justice. She was the co-founder of the Camden Parents Union, an activist group in New Jersey which pushed for increased government-school funding and special programs to recruit teachers from racial minority backgrounds. 15

Byheijja Sabree is the operations manager of Journey for Justice. She was also involved in launching the Camden Parents Union with Dickerson. 16

Funding

The legal entity behind the Journey for Justice Alliance is the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization, based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2020, the organization received just over $2 million in contributions and spent more than 40 percent of its revenue on employee compensation. As of that year, the organization’s net assets totaled just over $1 million. 17 18

In 2017, the Edward W. Hazen Foundation issued a $15,000 grant to Journey for Justice to assist with activist recruitment and other initiatives. 19 In 2018, the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization received a $48,050 contribution addressed to Journey for Justice, as well as a $15,000 “emergency grant,” from the Schott Foundation for Public Education. 20 That year, the organization and the alliance also received $25,000 each from the grantmaking arm of the Chicago Teachers Union. 21

References

  1. “Who We Are.” Journey for Justice. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/who-we-are/
  2. “About Us.” Kenwood Oakland Community Organization. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://kocoonline.org/about-us/
  3. “Obama Library Southside CBA Coalition.” Kenwood Oakland Community Organization. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://kocoonline.org/current-campaigns/obama-library-southside-cba-coalition/
  4. “History.” Journey for Justice. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/history-2-2/
  5. Who We Are.” Journey for Justice. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/who-we-are/
  6. “What Is The We Choose Campaign?” Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/campaigns/
  7. [1]“History.” Journey for Justice. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/history-2-2/
  8. “What Is The We Choose Campaign?” Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/campaigns/
  9. “Open Letter to President-Elect Biden.” Journey for Justice. November 24, 2020. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/open-letter-to-president-elect-biden/
  10. “History.” Journey for Justice. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/history-2-2/
  11. Mary Mitchell. “Shannon Bennett is a community organizer for these times, as more people soon will see.” Chicago Sun-Times. December 4, 2020. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/12/4/22154495/koco-kenwood-oakland-community-organization-shannon-bennett
  12. “Kenwood Oakland Community Organization.” PayPal. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=info%40j4jalliance.com
  13. “Our Team.” Journey for Justice. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/team/
  14. Mary Mitchell. “Shannon Bennett is a community organizer for these times, as more people soon will see.” Chicago Sun-Times. December 4, 2020. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/12/4/22154495/koco-kenwood-oakland-community-organization-shannon-bennett
  15. [1]“Our Team.” Journey for Justice. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/team/
  16. [1]“Our Team.” Journey for Justice. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://j4jalliance.com/team/
  17. “Kenwood Oakland Community Organization.” PayPal. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=info%40j4jalliance.com
  18. “Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/362598637
  19. “Journey for Justice Alliance.” Edward W. Hazen Foundation. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://hazenfoundation.org/journey-for-justice-alliance/
  20.  The Schott Foundation For Public Education 2018 Internal Revenue Service Form 990 Schedule I. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43457065/201911369349300446/IRS990ScheduleI
  21. Chicago Teachers Union Foundation, Inc. 2018 Internal Revenue Service Form 990. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.ctuf.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/6-30-19-Foundation-Form-990.pdf
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: June 1, 1968

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Jun Form 990 $2,068,838 $1,484,175 $1,361,715 $330,079 N $2,004,301 $2,000 $7 $0
    2019 Jun Form 990 $1,329,789 $1,292,103 $608,228 $161,255 N $1,229,801 $11,406 $18 $0 PDF
    2017 Jun Form 990 $1,071,444 $1,222,881 $1,023,157 $210,518 N $1,058,282 $1,050 $56 $0 PDF
    2016 Jun Form 990 $947,293 $870,982 $0 $0 N $918,464 $2,150 $3 $0 PDF
    2015 Jun Form 990 $1,236,714 $1,451,386 $0 $0 N $1,197,969 $2,465 $100 $0 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $1,077,380 $1,118,670 $826,249 $156,973 N $1,073,128 $4,160 $92 $47,959 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $1,086,325 $938,466 $892,088 $181,523 N $1,084,384 $1,545 $32 $74,730 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $576,332 $713,420 $742,091 $179,385 N $566,554 $1,600 $137 $74,730 PDF
    2011 Jun Form 990 $768,519 $893,719 $888,127 $188,333 N $750,015 $2,895 $1,392 $74,730 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Journey for Justice Alliance

    4242 South Cottage Grove
    Chicago, IL