Women’s Justice Circles partner low-income women with women collaborators from parishes, health care, educational settings and other community groups for the purpose of empowering low-income women to take action on an issue important to them and their families.

Each Circle meets for 8 weeks once a week for two hours, during which the low-income women and their women collaborators progress from community building and naming the issues to developing communication and leadership skills and planning a course of action.

Each gathering includes the following: ritual and song, reflection and sharing, and basic grassroots organizing skill-building.

There is no fee to participate; the Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center (IPJC) provides all the materials, training, support, and childcare if needed.

Lupita Zamora, Multicultural Radio presenter, interviewed Giselle Cárcamo and Nieves Casqui, WJC participant from Peru, for her weekly program Conexión Contigo (Connection with You).

Circle 1: Creating Community for Change

Get acquainted, name women’s justice issues.

Circle 2: In the Company of Powerful Women

Build relationships, claim our power.

Circle 3: Building Blocks and Stumbling Blocks

Explore diversity, choose a justice issue.

Circle 4: Collaborative Power

Learn techniques for collaboration, choose an action for justice through a consensus-building process.

Circle 5: Leadership in the Team

Learn about leadership skills/styles in the group, plan strategies for action.

Circle 6: Working like a River

Organize and rehearse for the action, share personal and group goals.

Circle 7: Stand Up, Sisters

Take action! Talk to a legislator, write letters, organize an event.

Circle 8: Celebration!

Celebrate the work, look at ways to use women’s organizing energy.