JLA Inside Out

Advocacy Across Generational Poverty - A Panel Discussion through the lens’ of Public Health, Housing, and Education

Join Laura Wagner, VP of Advocacy & Initiatives for a conversation around generational poverty, including Mindy Binderman, Executive Director at GEEARS (Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students), Katrina Dantism, Director ofPartnerships and Volunteer Services at Atlanta Mission and Cassandra Martin Frazier, Health Scientist/Senior Evaluator at the Center for Disease Control. The panel will look at and discuss the issue of generational poverty through the lenses of public health, housing as well as education.

Meet Zena Martin, newly appointed member of the AJLI Governance Committee

Throughout her time in the Junior League, Zena Martin has served with 4 different Junior Leagues around the world, including leadership positions in many. Recently, she was appointed to the governance committee of the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI). AJLI helps to facilitate the efforts of not just the JLA, but all 295 league chapters in 4 countries. 

Hear from Zena Martin and Marschelle Weeks to learn more about AJLI, how it influences the JLA and Zena's experience with moving into leadership. 

Learn More about the JLA Public Stands and Our Advocacy Efforts

For over a century, the Junior League of Atlanta, Inc. (JLA) has served as a powerful advocate for women and children in the city of Atlanta and within the wider state of Georgia. The JLA’s nonpartisan advocacy takes a variety of forms, and is guided by the League’s annually approved Public Stands, a series of affirmative position statements that provide a framework for the League’s advocacy.

Learn more about the JLA's public stands and what the Political Affairs Committee is looking at during this year's Georgia legislative session in this conversation with Laura Wagner, VP Advocacy & Initiatives.

Be sure to check out our public stands.

Are you a member of the JLA? Register to attend Capital Day on March 8th.

Meet Our Community Partner - The Grove Park Foundation

The Grove Park Foundation is committed to revitalizing the Grove Park neighborhood and improving the quality of life by working with local partners, leaders and residents to create a healthy, equitable and vibrant community. With a history going back to the civil war, the Grove Park neighborhood has seen many changes over the decades. While a vibrate neighborhood through its early founding, Grove Park began to see a drain with districts redlining and suburban growth. Through the turn of the 21st century, the entire area witnessed a steady decline in population, property conditions and the local economy. In October 2015, the Grove Park Foundation was founded to help create a purpose built community in the area to revitalize this historic neighborhood while respecting the legacy of the area and its current residents.

Hear from Karen Rose, Director of Development to learn more about the Gove Park Foundations efforts. 

Not sure where Grove Park is? Check it out on Google Maps and visit the Grove Park Foundation website to learn more.

Meet Our Community Partner - Everybody Wins!

One Child. One Mentor. One Book at a time.

Since 1997, Everybody Wins! Atlanta has been devoted to improving the reading skills and developing a love of reading in students who are reading below grade level, giving them a greater chance for success in school and expanding their life horizon. Hear from Tiffany Tolbert, Executive Director and JLA's Deanna Anderson to learn more about early childhood literacy and the efforts of Everybody Wins! in the fight to improve literacy rates amongst Atlanta's youngest residents.

Learn more at https://everybodywinsatlanta.org/ and follow at @EverybodyWinsGA. 

Learn More about Georgia Gives on Giving Tuesday

Led by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits (GCN), Georgia Gives on GivingTuesday is Georgia's biggest generosity movement, designed to connect Georgians to its nonprofits. Since launching in 2012, the GAgives movement has helped raise more than $90 million for the benefit of thousands of nonprofits. In this special Giving Tuesday episode, hear from JLA's Deanna Anderson, 2016-2017 JLA President and Karen Beavor, CEO at Georgia Center for Non-Profits for a conversation around Georgia Gives.

What is the JLA Program Journey to Literacy?

Journey to Literacy is a hands-on literacy program presented throughout the community. Developed by the JLA in 2009, Journey to Literacy helps raise awareness within the community on the importance of early childhood education and teach parents effective methods to develop and increase early literacy skills. The program is presented at local libraries and special events presented by community partners. JLA's Colleen Cote joins Lauren Parkerson and Elizabeth Gauf for a conversation on Journey to Literacy.

 

Consider registering for the JLA 2nd Annual Literacy Walk this weekend November 19th.

Register here - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-jla-literacy-walk-tickets-416921632827.

 

Use the code Litwalk10 for $10 off the registration fee.

Meet Our Community Partner - GEEARS

The Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (also known as GEEARS) is a nonprofit providing leadership for a statewide movement on quality early learning development for all children from birth to age 5. Established in 2010, GEEARS has helped business, civic and government leaders maximize their return on the state's investment in early care and learning. JLA's Kat Reynolds joins Brittany Collins for a conversation on GEEARS and how JLA's partnership is part of their story.

Meet Our Community Partner - Motherhood Beyond Bars

Motherhood Beyond Bars is the only nonprofit organization in the state of Georgia offering pregnancy and postpartum health education and support for justice-involved women, new mothers and caregivers in the state of Georgia. Founded in 2013, they've designed and delivered programs inside two state prisons, launched a statewide caregiver support program, built reentry services for parents and launched a pregnancy health and support program for women on probation and parole. They ensure a healthy start for infants born to incarcerated women by providing a network of comprehensive support for mothers and caregivers. JLA's Colleen Cote joins Amy Ard, Motherhood Beyond Bars Executive Director, for a conversation on Motherhood Beyond Bars and how JLA's partnership is part of their story.

A Conversation Around Equity in Education

During our fall General Membership Meeting, we discussed equity in education. Hear as moderator, Yvette Dupree discusses education in the city of Atlanta with Felisa Ford, Instructional Technology Specialist for Atlanta Public Schools; Michelle Neeley, President, State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia; Alvin Glymph, Vice President, United Way of Greater Atlanta; and Comer Yates, Executive Director, Atlanta Speech School.