OUR VALUES

The National Federation for Just Communities is an association of member organizations working across America. NFJC is governed by an inclusive board of directors; each member organization has an equal voice and a seat on the board of directors. The Board of Directors is accountable to our membership, respectful of our colleagues and committed to growing our members’ work. We strive to be the living embodiment of our mission.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Dear Friends,
It is meaningful and rewarding, yet humbling, for me to lead the National Federation for Just Communities as its first board chair.

Our country has become more than the “melting pot” of old. We are a nation with many races, ethnicities and cultures, a nation which will shortly be a majority of minorities. We believe America can be a “tapestry “of brotherhood and sisterhood for the greater good of all.

The Federation’s mission and work grows out of the social justice movement of the early 20th Century. With the passage of time comes change and with change comes opportunity.

The meaningful change is that our communities and institutions are on a journey; an evolution as our population changes and becomes more diverse. The focus of our members’ work is to help lead our communities and the many aspects of our civic life during this continuing journey, to ensure that we, above all, remain just and inclusive.

Working across America, our member organizations are committed to helping their communities make this journey positive and respectful of all, recognizing the value which each of us brings to those with whom we are in contact.

Whether it is in our schools, workplaces or communities, the National federation for Just Communities is dedicated to social justice, inclusion and respect, values that many of our member organizations have held so dear during their long history of work across America.

Inayat K. “Ike” Malik, M.D.
Chairman of the Board
National Federation for Just Communities

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Officers

Chair
Inayat Malik, M.D., Board Member
Bridges For a Just Community
Ohio
Serving Greater Cincinnati, Ohio & Northern Kentucky

Vice Chairs

Donald Bland, Board Chair
Just Communities, NW Arkansas
Arkansas
Serving Northwest Arkansas

Diane Schwartz, President & CEO
American Conference On Diversity
New Jersey
Serving New Jersey

Jeffrey Spence, President
Virginia Center For Inclusive Communities
Virginia
Serving Virginia

Secretary
Ruth Shepherd, Executive Director
Just Communities Central Arkansas
Arkansas
Serving Central & Southern Arkansas

Treasurer
Victor Begg, Board Member
Michigan Roundtable For Diversity And Inclusion
Michigan
Serving Michigan

Board of Directors

Michael Baker, Chair
Charlotte Coalition For Social Justice
North Carolina
Serving Charlotte Region

Joyce Lavery, Executive Director
CommunityNashville
Serving Nashville & Middle Tennessee

Barbara M. Angelillo, Executive Director
Conference for Inclusive Communities
Serving Nebraska & Western Iowa

Jack Focht, Chair
Diversity Kansas
Serving Kansas

Allan Goldner, Board Member
Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
Serving Northeast Ohio

Carol Suter, Executive Director
Harmony
Serving Greater Kansas City Area

Kilo Zamora, Executive Director
Inclusion Center For Community And Justice
Serving Inter-Mountain Area

Jack Rivas, Co-chair
Just Communities Central Coast
Serving Santa Barbara, Ventura & San Luis Obispo Counties

Donald I. Bierman, Esq. Chair
Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews
Serving Greater Miami

Margaux Kohut, President
National Conference for Equality and Justice of Southern California
Serving Southern California

Alphonso O'Neil-White, Board Member
National Federation for Just Communities of Western New York
Serving Western New York

Adrienne Watt, Board Member
Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice
Serving Oklahoma