Our Story.

In May 2020, a group of Georgia-based organizations, organizers, lawyers, and policy advocates  convened to discuss ways to support and flank organizers in Southeast Georgia who were responding to the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. The leak of footage of Ahmaud’s death was followed by rapidly increasing visibility, resulting in interest in the case from a number of national actors. It became apparent that this influx had the potential to overwhelm and overshadow the organizing infrastructure of the local community. As such, led by NAACP Georgia and the Southern Center for Human rights, the JUSTGeorgia Coalition formed as a mechanism to move local and statewide demands, direct national organizations, and strengthen social movements in Southeast Georgia and throughout the state. 

We believe that social transformation begins on the local level.

We pause to listen to the voices within the communities we enter.

We honor the strong revolutionary Black organizing history in Georgia and for that reason we know that rural, city-dwelling and small town Georgians are more than capable of determining for themselves what they need.

We give thanks for the global justice community that generously supports local struggles, and maintain hope that the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect will guide us.

We reject the monetization of our struggle and insist on resources being expended to support the work and people most in need.

We turn away notions that tragedies are an opportunity to be exploited and instead seek to build together, using our pain as a reminder of what is at stake.