Pillars of the Community

Grant Type: General Operating

Duration: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

Organization Overview

Pillars of the Community (POTC) builds community through organizing, leadership development, and strategic partnerships while striving to counter the criminalization of marginalized people.

Summary

Based in San Diego, POTC’s programs integrate direct action, research, political education, civic engagement, and asset-based organizing. POTC’s Criminal Justice Accountability programs use a bottom-up approach to community organizing and train those closest to the pain to become community leaders. POTC’s core programs revolve around police harassment, gang documentation, cash bail, sentence enhancements, racial profiling, felony voter enfranchisement, and challenging cruel and unusual punishment in sentencing. Information gleaned and shared from these programs is used to put pressure on local elected officials, boards, and commissions to be accountable to the communities they serve. At the same time, the process teaches participants where power lies and how to create sustainable change. Through shared knowledge and experience, community members work collectively to decrease the criminalization of the community and move into influential positions.

Year founded: 2012

Location: San Diego, CA

Website: https://www.potcsd.org/