Tea with the ED: Justice In Action - Beyond one evening of celebration.

At our 2026 Impact Awards Dinner, I asked guests in the room to consider a question:

What is one thing you can commit to tonight and follow through on tomorrow?

As we recognize October’s Youth Justice Action Month, I want to extend that invitation to our entire Avenues for Justice community.

A three-minute email making introductions might seem minor, but it can connect a young person with their very first job interview. An invitation to host an AFJ HIRE Up group at your corporate headquarters can introduce a Participant to a fulfilling career path they never knew existed.

Progress doesn't happen in a vacuum. It takes people who follow through—the ones who make the introduction, open the door, and keep showing up long after that initial conversation.

At last week’s Impact Awards Dinner, we debuted our new Justice In Action video. In it, April Walker, CEO and Founder of Walker Wear LLC, perfectly captured this mission:

“Lateral cooperation creates vertical movement.”

“And because of this AFJ Team, I am here today.”

~ AFJ Program Graduate Jily Bonilla
2026 Angel Rodriguez Award Recipient

I am so proud of Jily. She has worked for what she has accomplished, and it was powerful to see our guests celebrating her effort, growth, and future.

Her words also spoke to something at the heart of AFJ: the importance of having people who keep showing up. A Court Advocate who stands beside you through your mandate. A team who show up to cheer you on at your graduation. Our Job Developer who helps you prepare for an interview and checks in afterward. Facilitators who give you space to process what you’re carrying and support as you take your next step.

If there was a single, defining theme from the 2026 Impact Awards Dinner, it was a sense of shared amazement. Many of our guests were stunned to discover that everything we do is driven by a passionate team of only 13 staff members. Hearing reactions about the scale of our impact reminded us why your generosity is so vital. Your belief in our mission is what amplifies our small team's reach and makes this critical work possible.

Youth justice takes all of us.

Make a connection.
Introduce AFJ to an employer, potential partner, or someone who wants to support our young people.

Open your workplace.
Host Participants for a visit, share a career path, or explore an internship opportunity.

Share your experience.
Help a young person practice interviewing, strengthen a résumé, or learn a new skill.

Use your voice.
Share AFJ’s work and help more people understand what young people can accomplish with consistent support.

Make a gift.
Your generosity helps keep our programs running and gives our staff the time to build relationships young people can count on.

You do not need to have every detail figured out. Reply to this email with what you can offer, and we will work out the next step together.

I Want to Get Involved

This has been a challenging year. But as I tell our young people, challenging is not the same as impossible.

Our Participants are doing the work of building their lives. Their futures matter. Their goals matter. Having someone to turn to when things get difficult matters.

During Youth Justice Action Month and every month after, let’s keep showing up for them.

With gratitude,

Liz Frederick
Executive Director
Avenues for Justice