About The Center
A Community Institution, Not A Program Office.
The Center for Community Justice and Advocacy works alongside Detroit residents to build power, transform places, and imagine what comes next.
Who We Are
We are a Detroit-based community development and community justice organization. Our work sits at the intersection of neighborhood revitalization, civic engagement, arts and culture, environmental stewardship, wellness, and resident leadership.
We work block by block: listening first, building with neighbors second, and handing the keys to the people who live there. That means gardens and stages on land that was written off, civic conversations over plates of food, and programming shaped by the people who show up.
We don’t just provide programs. We help communities build power, transform places, create connections, and imagine what their neighborhood can become.
What We Stand On
Self-Determination
Residents are the authors of their neighborhood's future, not the audience for it.
Culture As Infrastructure
Art, music, and food are not extras — they are how community gets built.
Place Matters
The land around us shapes what we believe is possible. So we change the land.
Everybody Belongs
Elders, youth, artists, organizers, newcomers, and lifelong Detroiters.
Impact You
Can See.
Our work is designed to create visible change: stronger relationships, activated land, more opportunities, greater participation, and spaces where people want to gather.
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Residents Engaged
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Community Events
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Volunteer Hours
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Vacant Lots Activated
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Artists & Creatives Supported
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Community Partners
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Programs Delivered
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People Connected to Resources
Metrics are managed by The Center and updated as our work grows.
Transformation
Takes Partnership.
The Center collaborates with residents and organizations that believe communities should have the power and resources to shape their own future.