Certification in Social Justice & Community Organizing

The Social Justice and Community Organizing Certification program equips participants with political education and practical skills to effectively organize for social change. Participants are equipped with the knowledge and skills to bring together their communities around areas of common concern, build power, influence community decisions, and create just outcomes in the various personal and professional contexts in which they work and live.

January 2027 Cohort

Cohort Four will take place in Fall 2026. It will include:

In-Person Opening Retreat (eight hours)
Online Meetings – Tuesday nights from 7:00-8:30 p.m. for 12 weeks
Culminating In-Person Graduation & Community event – Thursday evening, 5:00-9:00 p.m.

The Cost: The full cost of this certification is $2,500, but thanks to foundation funding, we can offer this certification at a deeply discounted sliding scale of $0 to $2500 with a $100 registration fee (that can also be waived based on need).

Our twelve-week program includes:

An Opening In-Person Retreat focused on theories and roles in social change.

Locally and Nationally Recognized Speakers – Each week, participants learn online from experienced BIPOC speakers who are leaders within the social justice & community organizing space.
Praxis Organizing Project – Participants engage in self-directed organizing projects of their choosing.
Praxis Micro-Internship – Participants connect with local organizations to collaborate on a specific aspect of their organizing efforts.
Microgrants – Overseen by a BIPOC decision-making body, this microgrant fund serves as an equity measure embedded in the SJCO Certification program, shifting financial resources to local, grassroots, neighborhood, and BIPOC-led organizing for social justice in Charlotte. Awardees applied for community groups to stimulate community action, lead community organizing, and short-term projects. These are bottom-up efforts that support great grassroots ideas!
Mentorship – Participants are matched with experienced mentors who, through group and one-to-one meetings, support participants in discerning how to integrate the praxis project or micro-internship into their learning and connect them with additional opportunities in organizing.
Culminating Event – A culminating in-person seminar and final event. As part of our praxis, participants organize a public event to apply and demonstrate the skills learned in this course.

Community Courses

Our Fall Signature Jewish Studies Course is inspired by the Shalom Hartman Institute summer curriculum. Through Jewish wisdom, contemporary thought, and rich discussion, participants will explore some of life’s most enduring questions: What does it mean to be human? How do we navigate our responsibilities to one another? What values should guide our lives and our communities? This course reflects the very best of Jewish learning — thoughtful, relevant, challenging, and deeply connected to the world we inhabit today.

Designed as one of our popular concierge courses, Being Human will be offered on six Wednesday afternoons from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. starting September 30 through November 11 (with October 14 off for Spring Break) at the Queens Athletic Complex on Tyvola, with participants welcome to attend in person, join via Zoom, or watch recordings later. The flexibility allows learners throughout the region – and beyond – to participate in this rich educational experience.

To register: Fall 2026 Signature Jewish Studies Course

First Tuesdays of each month, October through May
Beginning Tuesday, October 6, 2026
12:00–1:00 p.m. | Zoom

With Boaz Avraham Katz, Educator for Elon Jewish Life
Rabbi Judy Schindler, Sklut Professor of Jewish Studies at Queens University of Charlotte

Dive Into the Ocean of Talmud

Join us for a new Monthly Talmud Club exploring one of Judaism’s most remarkable collections of wisdom, debate, storytelling, and ethical reflection. On the first Tuesday of each month, bring your lunch and join us on Zoom for an hour of learning that will nourish both mind and soul. Together, we’ll build community, deepen our connections with one another, and embark on a shared journey into the rich and fascinating world of Talmud.

No previous Talmud experience is necessary. Whether you are opening a page of Talmud for the first time or have studied for years, this welcoming series will explore some of the Talmud’s “greatest hits” — its most beloved stories, memorable debates, influential rabbis, surprising questions, and timeless ideas.

Discover wisdom that remains remarkably relevant nearly two thousand years later.

To register: The Collab @ Elon/Queens Monthly Talmud Club

Sponsorship Opportunities

Our SJCO Certification program cannot happen without community support. Please consider sponsoring a community changemaker or sponsoring an entire cohort.

Donate today

Select “other” for funds and write “Social Justice Initiatives” in the notes. Thank you!

To learn more about our program or sponsorship opportunities, contact Rabbi Judy Schindler (schindlerj@queens.edu).

Contact Us

If you are interested in future cohorts, please contact Rabbi Judy Schindler (schindlerj@queens.edu).

Celebrating our Alumni

Spring 2023

Our first cohort of fifteen participants in our Certification in Social Justice and Community Organizing Program graduated in late Spring 2023. Congratulations to our inaugural cohort: Connie Bonebrake, Judith Brown, Linda Carr, Cate De Mallie, Padydeh Doroodchi, Morgan Hinton, Shakieta Maloye, Diane Means, Camellia Nixon, Seth William Pilz, Kenny Robinson, Pamela Terry, and Jesca Yiska-El.

Spring 2024

Our second cohort graduated in late Spring 2024: Kawana C. Davis, Melanie Dunston, Donna Fair, D’Asia Feaster, Jessica Foster, Nicole Fulwood, Jessica Gibson, Rozelle K. Gipson, Tyshameka Hollins, Shaguana Hunt, Kendra Hunter, Maritza Ortiz, Blanche Penn, Addie Russell, Sylvia A Smith, Jessica Summers, and Alicia Torres.

Fall 2025

Our cohort three graduated in late Fall 2025: Amy Anderson, CJ Bailey, Jr., Sofia Bartholomew, Patrice Brown, Shara Clark, Keneal Clarke, Juanetta Covington, Vickie Craighead-Davis, Juanzia S. Dewalt, Doc Dillard, Shandra Falks, Tamara Glover, Boris Henderson, James Bradley Lee III, Quija Marshall, Jasmine Pinn, Judy Schindler, Taylor Smith, Tawanna Wilson, Mentors: Jimmeka Anderson, Holly Roach, LaDarius Thompson, and Stefan Weathers, Sr.

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Certification in Social Justice and Community Organizing