OC Justice Initiative aims to empower youth activism

Following the death of George Floyd and the growth of the BLM movement, Chapman alumnus Justice Crudup created the Orange County Justice Initiative with the goal of empowering youth to fight injustices in their community. Panther Archives

Protestors flock the streets, carrying megaphones and poster boards, chanting for those whose voices have been historically underserved. With pain and passion, they cry out, “Arrest the killers of Breonna Taylor,” “I can’t breathe” and “Black Lives Matter.”

In the summer of 2020, with the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many other Black Americans at the hands of police, discussion and outrage spread over systemic racial inequalities within U.S. communities. Suddenly, everyone had the capacity to be an advocate — but most did not know how to become an activist.

“I had seen so many individuals go out and demonstrate and get their voices across, but when it came to legislation, I saw a void,” said Justice Crudup, a 2017 Chapman alumnus. “There were a lot of people who wanted to use their voice, but didn’t know how to put their voice into writing policy.” 

Carrying that observation, Crudup formed the OC Justice Initiative in June 2020, with the goal of empowering others unsure how to get involved with social justice by providing them a community within the organization that works to turn protests into legislation.

“I took it upon myself to create an organization with a mission to not only motivate the next generation (in) using their voice to call out injustices, but also having the youth empower themselves by instituting legislation that could lead to everlasting progress,” Crudup said. 

Although the organization was initially created in response to the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, the Orange County Justice Initiative operates with a broader lens, focusing on all injustices relating to race, gender and sexual orientation. 

“We welcome all types of people — white, Black, Asian, Indian, transgender or cisgender — to come and join our team and fight for social injustices,” Crudup said. “We aren’t just saying that it's a Black issue or a white issue or an Asian issue. We are fighting for all injustices.”

This differentiates the organization, Crudup and others feel, from those that primarily focus on one sociopolitical issue. 

“Orange County Justice Initiative is a blessing to our community because it allows a safe space for marginalized groups to be able to come together and express their identities,” wrote Lulu Alshami, an Orange County resident, in an email to The Panther. “Not only that, but it also allows for people to be supportive of other movements outside the groups they identify with.”

For example, in recent weeks following the April 5 massage parlor shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, the OC Justice Initiative focused on issues related to AAPI violence. They supported the Chapman Activist Coalition and activists are planning and executing a march in Orange and Irvine, respectively, lending a hand with sound and megaphones and providing support to help lead the rally. 

The traditionally conservative history of Orange County has made the group’s efforts difficult at times, Crudup said.

“A lot of people do not want to speak out,” Crudup said. “They may have an employer or coworkers who they feel (are) frightened (they) may treat them differently if they speak out against the norm.”

In current collaboration with larger organizations such as the NAACP, the OC Justice Initiative hopes to create what they feel is a more inclusive culture in Orange County. Meanwhile, Crudup has suggestions for those outside Orange County looking to become catalysts and advocates for change. 

“Encourage your friends or your peers to speak out with you,” Crudup said. “When I was at Chapman, I would always invite my friends to come with me and listen to me when I was speaking at events. Also, look locally and see where these organizations are located in Orange County, such as the NAACP and the (American Civil Liberties Union), so that you can gain confidence and get more involved.”