In February 2006, the Nashville Peace and Justice Center launched Justice in Action, a pilot project designed to give citizens with little or no previous experience in legislative issues the chance to come together and become a force for social change at the Tennessee State Legislature. It was such an enormous success that we plan to make it an annual program.
Justice in Action is a three-day training event for grassroots leaders in the workings of Tennessee’s state legislature, with a focus on specific social justice bills in the legislature.
In 2005, Justice in Action brought together:
- Five non-profit organizations each working on a separate legislative issue:
(1) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights
(2) A moratorium on the Death Penalty
(3) Immigrant and Refugee Rights
(4) Restoring TennCare
(5) Voting rights for Ex-Felons
- Fifty-five citizens from a broad array of racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds
- Experienced trainers and legislative coaches, including professional lobbyists
- Sixteen middle Tennessee legislators to hear concerns and opinions directly from their constituents in a total of twenty-two legislative visits over the course of two days.
