2013 Justice within Reach: This is What Social Justice Looks Like!

Justice within Reach had it all — beautiful singing from the incomparable Toni Hill, an awe inspiring dance performance by Kieraqmil Brinkley and Uriah Boyd which was choreographed by Yulia Arakelyan, dancing to the incredible Afro-Cuban music of Virginia López and Malao de Cuba.

And, what made it truly special was celebrating with more than 350 social justice seekers including grantees, donors, and community leaders from around the state who were there to acknowledge, affirm, and to get down for justice. And, that we did! You can see for yourself what a socially just party looks like in these wonderful photos from our fabulous photographer Izzy Ventura. Check out our Facebook page to see all the beautiful pictures.

As I stood on that stage, I wish you could have seen what I saw. Looking out over the sold out crowd, I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for MRG’s role in funding racial, economic, environmental, and social justice communities who are creating zest, joy, and goodwill for all of Oregon. I was joined by former MRG Board Chair, Ramon Ramirez, who asked the crowd to dig deep and help fund the social justice organizing that makes a real difference in our communities. And the crowd responded – we raised more than $50,000 to pay it forward for social justice.

We all appreciate the support from our sponsors, table hosts, staff, volunteers, and Justice Within Reach Committee for another inspirational evening. We also want to thank Jeannie La France who brilliantly directed our grantee skit and Danielle Bradford who was our captivating sign language interpreter for the evening.

Stay tuned for news about upcoming MRG events that you won’t want to miss!