How We Organize

Detroit Jews for Justice has two, multi-issue organizing teams led by volunteers, known as DJJ Leaders.

THRIVING TEAM	FREEDOM TEAM
We envision a healthy region with an economy that works for everyone. We organize to alter relations of power around issues like Worker Rights, Education, Water Rights, Environmental Justice, Disability Justice and Housing.	We envision system transformation and co-liberation with our marginalized neighbors. We organize to alter relations of power around issues like White Supremacy, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Police Accountability, Criminal Justice and Immigration.

How do you get involved? Mark your calendar and email our Organizer for Campaigns and Education, Allie!

Thriving Team Meetings are the 2nd Wednesday of every month**
- Committee chairs: Kira Appleman and Reva Butensky
Freedom Team Meetings are the 1st Monday of every month**
- Committee chairs: Devin Samuels and Eleanor Gamalski

**For the months of June, July and August 2021, the Freedom Team and Thriving Team are both participating in the Direct Action Summer monthly meetings

FAQs:

How did we get here?

Back in early 2019, Detroit Jews for Justice embarked on a journey to rethink how we organize and started with the goal of developing a dynamic, agile, multi-issue campaign structure and process with multiple clear entry points that seeks to better empower leaders who will show up as respectful and productive partners in coalition.

After interviewing more than 40 DJJ Leaders, creating a new staff position, consulting our sister organizations (JCA, JUFJ and JFREJ), collecting feedback from listening parties, aggregation of data and going through waves of iterations, reviews and feedbacks, we finally revealed the new campaign structure in July 2020, including two teams: the Thriving Team and the Freedom Team.

How does the new organizing structure with the Thriving Team and the Freedom Team fit within the current DJJ structure?

Steering Committee - We think through big picture questions about the direction of the organization
- C.A.T. (Campaign Advisory Team) - We research the organizing ecosystem and vet campaigns and partnerships for values alignment.
  - Thriving Team
  - Freedom Team
- Culture / Resource Organizing - We build power through cultural experiences and resource cultivation for the longevity of the organization.
  - Social / Cultural / Arts, events: Purim and Myra Wolfgang Awards
  - Grassroots Fundraising
  - JOC (Jews of Color) Caucusing

How does DJJ select a campaign?

A DJJ leader brings a campaign with goals, a timeline, a strategy, a coalition and what DJJ's role is to C.A.T.
C.A.T. votes on the campaign.
If yes, C.A.T. will assign to either the Thriving Team or the Freedom Team to enact the campaign.

Detroit Jews For Justice