SOCIAL JUSTICE LEARNING INSTITUTE INC
Learn. Grow. Change
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
SJLI primarily serves the South Los Angeles County population including Inglewood, Lennox, Watts, South Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, Compton, and Los Angeles County’s Second and Fourth Districts. These communities are high-need and fraught with the challenges of high rates of un- and under-employment and under resourced support systems. In California, Black students make up 6% of the student population, but make up 30% of students who are arrested and referred to law enforcement on campus. SJLI aims to break this school-to-prison pipeline by empowering students with educational tool to not only help navigate themselves to graduate high school, but to also graduate college and create healthy environments. We work with youth, residents, local schools, school districts and city officials in these areas to increase educational opportunities and health access through innovative community programs, initiatives, and projects that facilitate the conditions that advance social change.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Educational Equity
At the Social Justice Learning Institute, we know that a quality education is foundational to a prosperous future, and for that reason, education is at our core. We specialize in culturally relevant learning, teaching, and curriculum development, which supports positive identity growth, increases academic competencies, and expands opportunities for civic participation.
Health Equity
At the Social Justice Learning Institute we believe that all communities should have access to fresh whole foods, clean and safe open spaces, and a quality environment. Our organization is committed to addressing health disparities through community development that is not only culturally relevant, but also builds the capacity of individuals to make healthy decisions in their personal lives.
Policy and Advocacy
We build capacity for community members to identify and rectify injustice and to advocate for policies that address their needs.
Where we work
External reviews

Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We work to:
1. build capacity for individuals and communities to advocate for their needs;
2. train and build leaders;
3. educate and empower youth and community members to identify and rectify injustice; and
4. deliver effective programs, resources, and support that help advance our mission.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
To accomplish our goals, we work with youth, residents, local schools, districts, and city officials to increase educational opportunities through innovative programs and sustainable practices. We also develop and manage programs that advance academic, food, and environmental justice. Our theory of change includes three steps:
1. Empowering through education: we use education as a tool to empower communities of color to unlock their creative ability to change their lives and the world around them.
2. Creating thriving communities: we work to transform neighborhood conditions by improving the built environment and expanding access to resources that enable residents to be healthy and thrive.
3. Change systems: we build power within our communities to identify and rectify systems of injustice and to advance policies that directly impact their lives.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
SJLI's demonstrated capabilities include what SJLI has already accomplished. SJLI's Urban Scholars program is currently at high school sites in South LA and Compton. Since 2009, over 500 Urban Scholars have graduated and become alumni that pursued post-secondary education at four-year colleges. There are an additional 1,500 students who, while not enrolled, have benefited from Urban Scholars programming such as seminars, college tours, and field trips.
In terms of our Health Equity programming, SJLI trains over 2,000 community members annually through its Healthy Eating Active Living class series at over 30 local sites. SJLI has built over 103 community, school, and home gardens in our target area. SJLI continues to maintain community and school gardens, and support home gardeners with education, seedling, and supplies. Additionally, SJLI serves nearly 1000 families and distribute over 7,000 pounds of produce every month at its Food for Thought Produce Pickups.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Recently, the Urban Scholars program has been expanded to include young women of color at one of its partnering schools. SJLI also began its expansion efforts to bring its Urban Scholars program to Houston, TX in spring 2018. We have also obtained a contract with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to conduct healthy lifestyle education throughout Inglewood, Lennox, and South Los Angeles communities as part of the County's Champions for Change Initiative.
As part of the Healthy and Sustainable Inglewood Collaborative, SJLI helped craft and finalize the Inglewood and Lennox Greening Plan in 2016. The plan identifies community-driven strategies for urban greening, food and urban agriculture, water, transportation, air quality, land use, energy and waste, and community engagement. SJLI is also working to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, and has partnered with American Heart Association, Assemblymember Autumn Burke, and Senator Holly Mitchell to do so.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
SOCIAL JUSTICE LEARNING INSTITUTE INC
Board of directorsas of 12/01/2022
Dr. Omai Garner
Nancy Greenstein
Linda Baum
Karen Blackwell
Terri Mosqueda
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data