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The Social Justice Initiative (SJI) designed and offers a unique Praxis II course for Bryn Mawr College undergraduates that engages students in learning about: Racial Equity Tools and Diversity, Equity, and Belonging practices; the dynamics of system-wide change; and the impact of transformative and restorative justice on individuals, organizations, and communities. Dr. Darlyne Bailey and Graduate Assistants Gwenn Prinbeck and Sarah Spath partnered with the Bryn Mawr College Career and Civic Engagement Center to create and co-teach the inaugural class in Fall 2022. In addition, the Racial Justice Impact Fund supported engaging students with Philadelphia area community-based organizations committed to achieving racial justice through practices of restoration and transformation within the organizations and/or in the neighborhoods of those they serve.

Fall 2024

Advancing Racial Justice (ARJ) was offered again in Fall 2024 from its new home as part of the core offerings in the College’s Africana Studies Program. The specific content continues to reflect the input of the students each year and the SJI instructors. The SJI teaching team included Darlyne Bailey, Sarah Spath, and former ARJ student and current Graduate Assistant Jasmin Diaz.

All ARJ students completed projects with , a nonprofit organization that serves as a continual source of support to some of the most vulnerable residents in Lower Merion Township and the immediate vicinity. NHN is made up of local volunteers, who are dedicated to creating racial equity and unity within our community. ARJ students worked in 3 key areas to assist with NHN's work: supporting changes to Internal Process structures, creating Content to support marketing and fundraising, and Data Collection to support program evaluation. At the end of the semester, all students enrolled in Praxis courses participate in a poster session.

Fall 2022

Students in the first ARJ course engaged in projects with 3 community organizations:

1. The advocates for the Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) in the greater Philadelphia area though education, outreach and advocacy. ARJ students advocated for including the history of in K-12 curriculum by educating the public about House Bill 1917.
2. Neighbors Helping Neighbors on the Main Line (NHN) has become the soft landing of solutions for those who fall between the cracks of standard safety net systems. ARJ students developed a database to support connecting school-age students at NHN with community mentors.
3. , a youth-led movement dedicated to ending the practice of trying and incarcerating youth. One group of students worked with YASP’s Healing Futures Program to divert youth from the incarceration system to a restorative justice process. A second group of students worked with the Participatory Defense Hub Program to educate and support individuals, families and communities impacted by the incarceration system.

Visit the 2022 for more information about the amazing work done by ARJ students with these wonderful community organizations!!