a reflective journal about social action from JustDane
Dear Friends: Each year at JustDane we accept anywhere from 5 to 10 student interns from UW Madison, Madison College, and other colleges in Wisconsin. Interns serve in all programs: marketing, advocacy, and of course direct service. For many years we have been the internship of last resort; because, still, too many non-profits don’t accept students who have criminal legal system involvement. Interns are vital to our work at JustDane because they bring new ideas and new focus on evidence-based practices, on social systems and systemic injustices. Interns help keep us focused on the future- the future of our community and the future of our organization. This includes as we expand our initiatives and grow our understanding of how to change with the changing needs of our community and participants.
Some of JustDane’s interns from the past year: Maddie, Abbi, Anthony, Danielle, and Will
One of the reasons JustDane has been here for 50 years is because we have never been satisfied with the status quo. We believe in challenging ourselves and our community to do better. We’ve never believed that there isn’t more to learn and more to do in our community. We envision a community in which everyone has an opportunity to succeed. That requires advocacy, it requires speaking up and out on issues. This includes budgets that undermine racial equity and justice and a proposal in the City Budget to either greatly reduce or entirely cut the Office of the Independent Monitor and the Police Civilian Oversight Board. (The final scenario depends on whether the City referendum passes). Reducing or cutting these programs is a step backward to a time when the community- particularly individuals who distrust the police, who have been marginalized and discriminated against by the system - felt ignored and unsafe filing a complaint. To be honest, these individuals were largely ignored and unsafe. We oppose those cuts because we envision a future where residents see more, not less transparency in policing; where residents feel safer bringing a complaint forward; where residents feel seen and heard; and feel that they can trust the police and the system to treat them fairly. Our advocacy looks to the future, pushing the needle toward greater equity and justice. That’s why we are supportive of the proposed referendum, to continue to fund vital services and initiatives in our City and to continue the progress we’ve made in so many areas.
Fall 2024