Journey to Justice is a human rights organisation who's aim is to:

'inspire people to take action for social justice through learning about human rights movements' 

Alongside our visionary Director Carrie Supple and with the support of the fabulous NE Steering Group; I  coordinated the organisation's pilot project 'Footsteps to Freedom' in the North East. The role was an incredibly diverse one including the design, development and delivery of an extensive exhibition programme; a month long array of educational events, training courses, lectures, walks, talks, art exhibitions, film screenings and music events accompanying the travelling exhibition (hosted by the Discovery Museum, Newcastle during April-May 2015).

Newcastle was especially chosen to be our exhibiton launch place due to it's rich heritage and because of the fact Newcastle University (one of our partners) awarded Martin Luther King a honorary doctorate in 1967. As part of the pilot exhibiton, we created a smaller exhibiton hosted by the Great North Museum, depicting King's visit and screening a film documenting his acceptance speech (discovered whist working at Newcastle Unviersity by our friend and partner, Professor Brian Ward of Northumbria University).

The exhibition tells the stories on the unknown and unsung heroes involved in the US civil rights movement, details Martin Luther King's trip to Tyneside in 1967 and tells the stories of local Tyneside social justice struggles. 

Through education, music and the arts, Journey to Justice illustrates historical and contemporary human rights struggles from around the world to show how grassroots movements can bring about profound and sustained social change. The exhibition is now touring the UK after its launch in the North East - look out for it in your area sometime very soon! 

For more information on Journey to Justice 'Footsteps to Freedom' please click HERE

Please read on for further information and photographs of the various elements of the programme and education projects I delivered as part of my role...

My journey began in June 2014 when I recieved an email 'out of the blue', asking for musicians and community choirs to join a fledgling volunteer organisation 'Journey to Justice' with it's crowdfunding campaign. I recruited the North East Socialist Singers and together in unison with singers on London's South Bank, we sang for social justice and Journey to Justice was born!

A couple of months later as director Carrie Supple was visiting Newcastle to explore potential exhibition venues out paths crossed again. Soon I was engaged as regional coordinator to oversee the development of the organisations' first pilot programme and exhibition launch - no small feat in this current climate!

With the support of comrades and colleagues alike and deeply inspired by the stories and songs of struggle of the exhibition's history, we worked incredibly hard; fundraising night and day, creating partnerships, forging friendships, nuturing networks, attracting audiences - all of our hard work enabled the fruition of Journey to Justice: Footsteps to Freedom.

As I watch the legacy unfold, I reflect on the many lessons learned, the invaluable experience I gained and I see the true value of it all - we educated, engaged and excited people, what can be more valuable?

As the JtoJ motto states our aim to 'inspire people to take action for social justice through learning about human rights movements' - and that I think we certainly have.

I remember a friend warned me when I told them of our plans "that's ambitious" - but we have to be, don't we...?

If we want to change the world... 

THE JOURNEY BEGAN one Saturday in January... after setting up the online ticketing system I quickly realised knew that we had already SOLD OUT of tickets for the screening, still I was godsmacked to see lines of people queueing outside the cinema in hope of gaining entry!  Slowly but surely more seats were created, from cushions, kitchen chairs, all manner of equipment, people sat on the floor, the stairs (all whilst staying within health and safety regulations, obviously!)... I knew then we were off to a good start! The first fundraiser a SELL OUT? HOORAY!  I invited local musicians Ladies of the Midnight Blue to share a song, along wiht local MP Chi Onwurah and Professor Brian Ward, instrumental in discovering the film of King's speech... 

I opened the event with a rendition of 'Birmingham Sunday' and would like to share with you some of my speech... 

"...That was a song written by Richard Farina, depicting events in Birmingham Alabama. In 1963 the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed killing 4 black girls who were attending Sunday School. This was the same church Martin Luther King and other USCRM activists had recently attended to launch a campaign to register African American voters. A week before the bombing Governor George Wallace had told the New York Times that to halt racial integration Alabama needed a “few first class funerals”…

The music and arts of social justice is one of the key themes of Journey to Justice. We are an alliance of volunteers, activists, educators, artists and academics who’s mission is to inspire and empower people to take action for social justice through learning from human rights movements.

In the last year JtoJ has been quite a journey itself, following incubation by the Centre for Innovation in Voluntary action and a successful crowd funding campaign we have begun to create our first project, an exhibition. This will pilot at the Discovery Museum in April 2015. Newcastle was chosen to be the pilot city partly, as Newcastle University gave MLK an honorary degree – 5 months before he was assassinated.

The exhibition will focus on the stories of some of the less well-known men, women and children involved in the USCRM, people of all ages and ethnicities, whose voices are not often heard but without whom it would not have happened – people like ‘us’. The story of a child from Birmingham Children Crusade will in fact feature in the exhibition… 

It will examine what leads people to become and stay active in campaigns. We will highlight factors which make a human rights movement succeed e.g. motivation, vision, courage, tactics, empathy, organisation, understanding power, allies, leadership, persistence, sacrifice, publicity, training and funding.  There will also be a section telling the story of a local campaign for justice to be chosen by a team in whichever community we visit. In Newcastle this will be created by young participants of the Space 2 project in Newcastle city center.

In London, consultations with community groups and the development and piloting of volunteers training courses is leading to a showcase event at the House of Lords at the end of this month. In Newcastle and Sheffield steering groups have been established and partnerships are fast developing. We also have links with Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester, Belfast, Glasgow, Birmingham, Norwich, Newport and Bradford.

THANK YOUS - Now to the important part – Thank you all for coming today - 100% of the proceeds from today’s SELMA preview screening will go towards funding social justice education projects in Newcastle, as part of our month long planned programme of activities, courses and events in April 2015. 

As I mentioned earlier, JtoJ is predominantly volunteer ran; ‘a labour of love’ and I’d like to thank our wonderful Steering Group, volunteers, advisers, our Northumbria University Work placement Students and supporters. We are delighted to have been awarded HLF to deliver local history projects. I’d also like to thank Newcastle University for their generosity in awarding us a grant and in kind support and Unison’s Newcastle Local Government Branch for giving us office space within the Civic Centre. Finally, I’d like to thank Pathé Films and Star and Shadow Cinema, especially Arto who is a valued member of our Steering Group, If you would like to become involved in the project – please get in touch, we offer full volunteer training...

Our Northumbria Unviersity partner and expert in American Studies, Professor Brian Ward spoke to introduce and contextualise the film - for those unfamiliar with Martin Luther King and the US Civil Rights Movement. He spoke with his usual eloquence and expertise.

I invited Ladies of the Midnight Blue to perform at the event and instead we had another debut! Hannabielle screened the debut showing of the new video to her 'Protest Culture' music - the audience loved it!

Finally, Journey to Justice - Footsteps to Freedom had began!