“Through the guidance and direction of C2C, I have been able to take leadership, not only in my community, but also at a regional and national level,” -Joaquin Martinez, C2C youth leader
From the Director…
Community to Community Development (C2C) is a place-based, women-led grassroots organization working for a just society and healthy communities. We are committed to systemic change and to creating strategic alliances that strengthen local and global movements towards social, economic and environmental justice.
Our work is based on the belief that everyone should have equitable access to the fundamental democratic processes affecting their everyday lives. C2C is led by women of color who have lived the reality that U.S. history reveals: that people of color, women, and poor and low income communities have been excluded from the promise of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” so eloquently expressed in our great country’s Declaration of Independence.
C2C’s projects come from and are led by people from the communities that most need change. We identify common goals and actions among people from marginalized communities and those that believe in sustainability with social justice as a way of life. We strive for solutions with dynamic participatory processes that will guide us towards true system transformations.
Our social justice work focuses on: empowering under-represented peoples to have an equal voice in processes that affect their lives; developing and strengthening cross-cultural awareness; restoring justice to our food, land and cultural practices, promoting self-reliance and solidarity with organizations working for human and civil rights. Youth are a central voice in our work and we dedicate ourselves to mentoring and training our future leaders.
Youth Voice
In the past few years, I have learned a lot and have been growing into the person that I am today. Every opportunity and experience that I have participated in has helped me gain more knowledge and wisdom. Community to Community (C2C) has given me these opportunities for learning, along with a special focus on the empowerment of all peoples—myself included. Through the guidance and direction of C2C, I have been able to take leadership, not only in my community, but also at a regional and national level.
Community to Community has trained me to be able to step into leadership roles that I would not otherwise have been able to embrace. Whether that be facilitating a workshop, or listening to the community, I am comfortable with – and constantly learning more about – providing leadership when it’s needed. Sometimes that also means knowing when to step back – an important part of being a C2C leader is to step back to allow for others to grow into their own leadership roles. That is the focus of C2C’s training: to identify and develop new leaders in the farm worker community.
– Joaquin Martinez, Community to Community Development youth leader; Rooted in Community Youth Organizer
Community to Community Development
203 W. Holly, Suite 317
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 756-2478
www.foodjustice.org
