Networking

Justice begin where one lives

CCJP is committed to the belief that peace and justice begin where one lives and are not likely to be achieved in the world unless they are achieved at home. In response to the needs of the community, we aided in the development of a family non-violence program, worked to improve the school situation in Franklin County for African Americans and for students in general, lobbied to make affordable housing available and helped with housing rehabilitation, and continue to seek ways to increase economic opportunities for low-income people.

Desiring to enhance the efforts of local and regional organizations whose aims are consistent with ours, we have assisted many grass-roots groups. Among these are the Appalachian Women’s Guild, the Community Action Program of Otey Parish Church, the Franklin County Black Community Coalition, the Franklin County Community Services Council, the Haven of Hope, Mid-Cumberland Mountain Ministry and Mid-Cumberland Mountain Housing, the Sewanee Community Council, the Sewanee Lease Holders and Utility District Ratepayers Associations, NAACP, Save Our Cumberland Mountains, Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, Interfaith Colleagues of Chattanooga, Tennessee Coalition to Abolish State Killing, the South Cumberland Regional Land Trust, Sewanee Food Buying Group, Students for a Free Tibet, Tennessee Industrial Renewal Network, Network for Global Economic Justice, Dogwood Alliance, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, South Wings, Sequatchie Valley Institute, Appalachia-Science in the Public Interest, The Lion and Lamb Project, St. Mark’s Community Center, INFACT, Tennesseans for Non-Violent School Discipline, Highlander Folk School, and Campaign for Labor Rights.

In addition, we network with other organizations to support their events, issues, and initiatives. Every year we support and attend a Black History Month Celebration near our town. The Sewanee Community Center originated through our efforts to restore the dilapidated Youth Center building and make the space a welcome venue for community events and activities. Other hands-on networking efforts speak to more far reaching concerns. We organized a showing of INFACT’s video Making a Killing to promote a ban on tobacco companies and their subsidiaries; and we helped host, feed, and lead a non-violent workshop for thirty peace walkers marching against nuclear proliferation.