John, I wanted to reach out and say thank you.

Since Amber announced her plans to step down as Executive Director and named me as her successor, I’ve been blown away by the generous welcome you and the rest of our Community Justice family have given me.

I wanted to take this opportunity to share a bit about my background and what led me to this incredible organization.

Like so many others, I joined this movement not by choice, but by circumstance.

In 2013, I was walking home with family when we walked down the wrong street and came across two guys arguing. When they saw us, one of them pulled out a firearm and started shooting.

That night, I was shot. But as I was wheeled into the emergency room, bleeding to death, I was immediately met by police investigators -- not doctors.

During what could have been my last moments, I was treated more like a criminal than a victim of gun violence.

Unfortunately, I -- like so many others -- know firsthand that this issue is not just a political talking point. Ending gun violence is life or death for my community and millions of others throughout this country.

I’ve spent my entire career working to improve our communities. I started out as an organizer for Barack Obama, ultimately registering thousands of voters as the North Carolina State Field Director.

Since then, I've worked to promote economic empowerment within communities of color, and to strengthen neighborhoods that have been historically forgotten. And, for the past four years, I’ve worked with the Community Justice Action Fund to center communities of color and community solutions to gun violence as the national advocacy director.

Now, I’m excited to take the reins and bring my experience as a survivor, organizer, and lifelong community advocate to lead the Community Justice Action Fund and build power for Black and Brown communities to end the gun violence epidemic.

As Executive Director, I'm committed to putting survivors and the communities that have been most impacted by gun violence first. To me, that means pushing policymakers to invest in our communities that for too long have been ignored or forgotten.

Additionally, I’m committing to:

Changing the narrative that gun violence is exclusively a criminal challenge;
Putting survivors first to ensure the best access to resources for those most impacted and;
Advocating for ongoing and substantial investments in communities that have been neglected, overlooked, and under-resourced for too long to combat gun violence, intimate partner violence, and violence against those most at risk.

I’m so grateful to follow in the footsteps of an amazing leader and founder like Amber Goodwin. Amber has been a pillar in our community, and as a leader in this movement, she has stood by my side and empowered me to fight for survivors just like me.

Together, I know that we will build on Amber’s legacy and make meaningful and real progress to end gun violence in our communities.

- Greg

Greg Jackson Jr.

Incoming Executive Director

Community Justice Action Fund