By: Rebekah D. Mason Barrera Justice Through Joy was never just a name for a passion project. It's always been a commitment. An intentional plan to create community, a space for women of color and gender queer people of color who engage in the U.S. legal system to connect authentically. I created Justice Through Joy, this community and storytelling project in support of women of color and gender queer people of color, even though no one asked me to. It was born of my desire to be of service and in community outside of the church walls that no longer held me in. A space where celebrating our joy is just as welcome as recognizing the world in which we are othered. This Justice Through Joy project, which stirred inside of me for years, has always been a call to action in solidarity—one that acknowledges the weight of the work which remains to be done. At a time of mounting threats to our communities, and the world, Justice Through Joy offers sanctuary for truth-telling, joy-sharing, and the collective healing that comes from being witnessed and heard. The U.S. legal system was not built for us. Yet we navigate it, survive it, and reshape it every day. How do we keep going in these systems that were designed against us? In a world that has always taught us to survive by becoming small, invisible, or silent, eventually I began to think, what if we could create a space to tell stories of triumphs through tragedy, and laughter during heartache, dancing in the rain and living, and loving, through it all? Our stories deserve to exist in spaces that see us as worthy, as whole—not just as survivors of injustice, but as living testaments of joy, cultural memory, and resilience. This is what every Justice Through Joy offering has been these last three years. Each intentional gathering, every single conversation, they were dedicated to uncovering and discovering our truths, remembering our power, and refusing to make ourselves or our stories small. And even more than telling our stories— we were returning to our authentic selves, creating community, and uplifting one another. Each time we have gathered has been a quiet act of rebellion against the white supremacist legal systems that we survive, work within, and push against. We tell our stories, we bear witness to the stories of others in community. We write our stories down, we speak them aloud, and we reclaim our rightful places. We reimagine the possibilities, lay foundations for the future we deserve, we honor the sacrifices of those who came before us. I am tired. I imagine you are too. We are all tired. But we are not done. Because we who believe in freedom will not rest until it comes. Your story matters and so does mine. You are radically welcome here. I hope you choose to tell your story, to witness others and to connect with each other in community. I hope you'll stay a while. In solidarity & love, Rebekah D. Mason Barrera