Mission
Justice + Joy National Collaborative’s mission is to advance social, economic, and political justice with and for girls, young women, and gender-expansive young people of color.

About
Justice + Joy National Collaborative is an intergenerational gender and racial justice organization engaged in advocacy, organizing, and research with and for all girls, young women, and gender-expansive young people of color.

At Justice + Joy National Collaborative, their goals are to achieve collective power to advance justice, establish affirming social narratives, and build ecosystems of support with and for girls, young women, and gender-expansive young people of color.

They are acutely aware of the invisibility of girls, young women, and gender-expansive young people—particularly those of color—as a social justice priority for the United States. This is driven equally by a lack of value placed on their needs and potential and by the absence of data detailing their exclusion and the barriers they face. In the United States, there is both passive and active resistance to investing in and supporting girls, young women, and gender-expansive young people of color. National conversations and efforts focused on race, ethnicity, and gender justice do not center them.

History
Justice + Joy, formerly National Crittenton, was co-founded by Charles Crittenton and Dr. Kate Waller Barrett. Rooted in a social justice mission, their work focused on securing equal rights for women and girls, to support their families, and achieve self-determination. They believed that addressing social issues effectively required action tailored to the unique culture, needs, and context of each local community. They also recognized that local organizations would be stronger by collaborating with sister organizations, creating a network to drive meaningful social change.

In 1898, their advocacy led to the establishment of the National Florence Crittenton Mission. It became the first charitable organization formed under a Congressional Charter, serving as a national umbrella to unite Crittenton agencies. Since then, the Crittenton family of agencies has been dedicated to supporting the needs and potential of girls and young women across the country.