Greg Jackson Named as New Executive Director of CJAF
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2021
Contact:
CJAF@skdknick.com
Greg Jackson Named as New Executive Director of CJAF
Founder Amber Goodwin Steps Aside After 5 Years of Leadership and Growth
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Community Justice Action Fund (CJAF) announced that Greg Jackson will become the organization's new Executive Director, marking the first time a Black male gun violence survivor will lead a national policy gun violence prevention organization. Jackson will follow CJAF Founder and current Executive Director, Amber Goodwin after founding and leading the organization for the last five years. Goodwin established CJAF in 2015 after the deadly Charleston, SC church shooting. Since its establishment, CJAF has become the leading gun violence prevention organization in policy and advocacy led by and centered around people of color. CJAF has been instrumental in establishing community- led solutions to aid in gun violence prevention, partnered with politicians to draft legislation, and mobilize voters during election cycles.
“I joined this movement not by choice, but by circumstance and it's an honor to lead CJAF as we fight tirelessly to build power with and for communities of color to end gun violence,” said Greg Jackson, Executive Director, Community Justice Action Fund. “Amber’s visionary leadership brought the impact of gun violence on Black and communities into the forefront in ways other organizations can’t. I remain committed to galvanizing these communities to advocate for policies that invest in community-based solutions, rather than funneling money into policy ideas that leave neighborhoods with a heavy police presence and no other resources. From my first day, I am focused on building partnerships, empowering leaders to take action to prevent gun violence and working with federal officials to invest in and enact policies that save lives and transform communities.”
“Greg Jackson is the best prepared advocate to lead this organization into its next chapter. As a gun violence survivor, gun violence prevention is personal for Greg and his tireless commitment to the movement has resulted in historic progress at the local, state and federal levels to curb gun violence. His decades of experience as an organizer and coalition builder within Black and brown communities will serve him well as the gun violence prevention movement evolves and grows,” said Amber Goodwin, Founder, Community Justice Action Fund. “In his new role, Greg will ensure that minority neighborhoods thrive when the community is engaged and takes an active role in advocating for policies that make a lasting impact.”
Since its inception, CJAF has set out to change the conversation around gun violence prevention by advocating for policy changes at the local and federal level that focus on community and coalition building. These approaches empower communities with increased resources and a holistic approach to gun violence prevention not rooted in increasing law enforcement.
Since 2016, Community Justice Action Fund has:
Testified in the first Congressional Hearing on Urban Gun Violence before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
Worked with President Biden to take a series of Executive Actions, including releasing over $10 billion in funding to community led gun violence reduction strategies and actions to directly support those most at risk to gun violence
Partnered with Congress to advocate for the re-introduction of the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, a historic bill sponsored by 53 Members of Congress to fund $5 billion to community led violence interventions and $1.5 billion in youth employment opportunities for communities hardest hit by gun violence.
During the 2020 election season CJAF trained and mobilized a network of more than 1,000 volunteers reaching 1.6 million voters in the campaign against gun violence.
Initiated the Police Violence is Gun Violence campaign in response to the brutal police murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, advancing solutions to prevent gun violence against people of color across the nation.
Started the “This Is Our Ground” campaign in partnership with Amnesty International to organize against destructive Stand Your Ground policies that encourage the use of lethal force against and within communities of color
CJAF is a founding member of the Invest in Us Coalition and Fund Peace campaign, two grassroots movements that empower local communities to advocate for gun violence prevention solutions that invest in the community and not solely law enforcement. In addition to supporting legislation like the recently introducedBreak The Cycle of Violence Act, CJAF has drafted sample legislation that lawmakers can adopt to create an office of violence prevention and grant programs at any level of government. CJAF launched the Policymakers for Peace Initiative to engage policy leaders to advance gun violence prevention strategies.
For high resolution headshots:
Greg Jackson, please click here
Amber Goodwin, please click here
Greg Jackson, Executive Director
Greg Jackson, Executive Director of the Community Justice Action Fund, is a community organizer, political strategist and issue advocate.
Prior to becoming the organization’s Executive Director, Greg served as the National Advocacy Director for 2 years. In this role he worked with communities, elected officials, community leaders and impacted residents to advocate for proactive and preventive solutions to end gun violence. Greg led the effort to build political power through electoral participation, spearheading the 2020 Elect Justice Campaign that mobilized over a 1,000 volunteers and connected with over 1.6 million voters across the country.
As a gun violence survivor, gun violence prevention is personal for Greg. While being questioned by law enforcement in his hospital bed, Greg remembers being treated like a criminal and not like a victim. This experience and his recovery propelled Greg into action, becoming a vocal and leading voice on gun violence prevention for Black and brown communities.
Following his recovery, Greg became an avid mentor to local at risk youth and built multiple youth engagement movements like #WeReadDC that empowered hundreds of volunteers to support Washington, DC area youth through monthly reading events.
As the youngest member of Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration, Greg served as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services. Greg then went on to lead Community Engagement and Communications for the Washington, D.C.’s Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement (ONSE). At ONSE, Greg oversaw community events, outreach activities, policy development, violence reducing programs and direct engagement of residents most at risk to gun violence.
Before dedicating his life to gun violence prevention, Greg worked as a community organizer through various roles, including the Co-Chair of DC for Obama, the Obama for America, North Carolina - Field Director, the Southern Regional Director at Organizing for Action and the National Field Director, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, where he ran the largest mid-term election voter registration program in U.S. History.
Greg, an avid runner that has completed 5 half marathons, enjoys recreational sports and created a citywide organization offering recreational sports activities for thousands of young adults throughout the D.C. area.
Amber Goodwin, Founding Director
Amber is the Founding Director of the Community Justice Action Fund (CJAF) and the Community Justice Reform Coalition (CJRC). CJAF is the nation’s leading gun violence prevention organizing working on policy, education, leadership development, and building resources centered on communities of color. CJAF is the only national gun violence organization led by a woman of color, and is proud to be led by a governing board made up of 100% survivors of color.
Under Amber’s leadership, CJAF is filling a critical role in advocating for solutions and leadership roles for marginalized communities of color. CJAF believes that data and evidence-based solutions led by those most impacted by gun violence and the criminal justice system will result in transformational change. CJAF focuses on alleviating gun violence in communities of color by educating stakeholders on ways to advocate for solutions that will reduce gun violence, without targeting or further harming communities of color. CJAF also amplifies the voices of people in disproportionately impacted communities and works to support new and existing leaders of the gun violence prevention movement through their intergenerational Speakers Bureau Program.
Prior to founding CJAF, Amber served as the first National Advocacy Director for Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS, now Giffords), the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly. During her time at Giffords Amber worked with state legislative chambers across the country to successfully pass broad based legislation to close the gun show loophole, and strengthen our country's domestic violence laws. She also helped found the Women's Coalition for Common Sense, a multi-sector group of national women leaders who joined forces to reduce gun violence, and leads the National Gun Violence Prevention Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force.
Amber has spent the last 20 years working for advocacy, grassroots, and electoral campaigns. Previously, Amber was the National Deputy Director for Government Affairs at Enroll America, the nation’s leading health care organization that enrolled over 20 million consumers into the Affordable Care Act. Amber has held political positions and appointments at the Wendy Davis for Governor Campaign, SEIU Justice for Janitors Campaign, Obama for America, the Texas State Legislature, Grassroots Solutions consulting firm, and Mobilize.org. During her time at Mobilize.org, Amber founded and built a groundbreaking youth-led civic engagement public speaking training program, and was the lead author for Mobilize.org for the release of the 2013 report “Millennials Civic Health Index” in partnership with the Harvard Institute on Politics, National Council on Citizenship, and CIRCLE. She started her career working on legislative affairs for Congressman Robert Menendez and Congressman Donald Payne.
Amber was named to the 2018 Essence Magazine “Woke 100”, the 2017 Root 100 List of the most influential African Americans, the 2016 Women's "Power50" list for Walkers Legacy, and is a Next Gen Fellow with the University of Texas Strauss School for International Security and Law. She has been profiled in Forbes, Cosmopolitan Magazine, The Grio, Newsweek, and various other news outlets. She serves on the board of Annie’s List and Our Future Texas. She was awarded the 2012 Google PDF Fellowship award, and has traveled as a delegate to both Taiwan and Vietnam on behalf of the United States for bi-cultural exchanges. Amber is a 2021 graduate of Mitchell Hamline School of law, and holds a Masters Degree in Social Policy from St. Edwards University.
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The Community Justice Action Fund, a project of Tides Advocacy, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization building power for and with communities of color to end gun violence.