Our mission at BJM is to build pathways for brighter futures for women and girls in urban communities. And to make these brighter futures happen for youth in our dance classes, we aim to partner with God in how He created us to be.  As Christians, we call this “heart, soul, & mind, body. “

Being system-impacted could involve directly experiencing systems such as the child welfare system, the juvenile justice system, or the immigration system. More broadly, these young people could be affected by systems of discrimination and prejudice within society and a lack of connections and opportunities within the larger socioeconomic structures. Childhood instability could involve parental harm or neglect, experiencing life as an immigrant to the U.S., socioeconomic challenges, or lack of neighborhood safety. 

After a lovely Christmas break, we relaunched our programs and we were so excited to see everyone!

As the year winds down, it feels like such a natural time to look back and remember what has happened, as we are ushered into the Advent season with a time of Thanksgiving. I invite you to position your hearts with me in a posture of gratitude. Whether the year was filled with many celebrations and joyous occasions or the year was filled with difficulty and hope that we might pass through as quickly as possible, I want to invite you to be curious about this year in God’s presence

We live in a beautiful city filled with green spaces, however, there is nothing like the redwoods of Northern California!! Stepping into a canopy of redwoods feels like stepping into a cathedral, where your attention is immediately directed to the Creator. We (the BJM staff) had the opportunity to take 17 of the youth in the BJM community on a summer camp retreat into this natural cathedral to consider the Creator.

As we look back to remember and celebrate, we oftentimes realize there was a thread that was stitched into the fabric of a season. The thread of Q2 for our ministry can be summed up in the lyrics of one of the songs our dancers performed at our Spring recital.

Because Justice Matters is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) operating in the Tenderloin since 2008. Our mission is to build pathways to brighter futures for women, girls, and families in urban communities, whose immediate needs are often unseen and unmet

As we end our Hispanic Heritage Month series, we are ending on a sweet note. Latino culture is known for its savory tamales but another spin on this is their sweet Tamales. The intentionality and hours taken to make this dish are a reflection of the resilience, persistence, and love of this culture toward their family and friends. To not give up when things get hard but always be full of faith that God will come through.

As we approach the Thanksgiving season, our hearts fill with gratitude. We look back at the transformation we've witnessed in our community and marvel at the resilience, courage, and strength that women, girls, and families have shown. Bright futures realized often start with this perspective shift. Our gratitude is not just a sentiment; it's our heartfelt response to the change we see, a change that is reshaping lives and communities, one story at a time.

As we continue celebrating Hispanic Heritage month, we celebrate the matriarchs of our communities. These “abuelas,” “tias,” and “madres” not only keep the heart of the home, but historically they are the ones who also participate in passing down the families’ strong heritage of faith.