Chas Moore & Austin Justice Coalition
“These new privileges and opportunities did not come without somebody suffering and sacrificing for them”
It’s no secret that the past few years have been difficult for African-Americans when it comes to the topic of justice. It’s a big reason why I decided to create the #2017BlackList in order for people who look like me to actually see more of our people who are changing our communities for the better.
Chas is definitely one of those people who is improving the city of Austin, Texas. He was among the first group of people I met here in town, and I quickly became interested in his activities surrounding activism. As the Co-Founder and President of the Austin Justice Coalition, Chas organizes events around town like marches, meetups, clothing/food drives and festivals. He also represents the Coalition almost everywhere from SXSW Panels, the Austin Police Department, local churches, film screenings and more.
I will admit that I haven’t been as involved with the Austin Justice Coalition as I should be, but I have kept up with their events and help to spread the message about their mission to my network here in Austin. The organization is doing amazing work here in town, and I want to make sure as many people know about them, and Chas, as possible.
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First & Last Name
Chas Moore
When did you decide to start the Austin Justice Coalition?
Although I’ve been in advocacy and activism for the past 10 years now, Austin Justice Coalition was created in March 2015.
What does the Austin Justice Coalition mean to you?
Austin Justice Coalition means the world to me. It was initially created to be a space for millennials to have a voice in the fight for justice, on any front, because younger voices are normally silenced by the older generations and incumbents in the community. Its been truly amazing to see AJC grow into this living, breathing thing of its own.
What have you had to overcome in order to achieve success?
Self-doubt and fear of failure is something I have to constantly overcome. I think anyone that gets involved in the arena of social justice and advocacy often worries about if they’re doing or saying the right thing on behalf of the people or groups of people they represent. I often have to remember that we’re just one group and I’m just one person that’s hopefully a part of the collective solution.
What does it mean to be a black business owner?
The fact that I had the opportunity to create a non-profit that explicitly focuses on issues of Black, Latino, and marginalized communities is pretty awesome. I also think it’s awesome that we’ve created a space where this generation in particular can lead the way to the world that we want to see and in our own way.
What advice do you have for people who are ready to follow their dreams but are hesitating?
Three words: Just do it. I constantly encourage people to do what they want to do. Life is too short to be doing anything that doesn’t fire you up on the inside. Embrace the fact that you will fail, multiple times; learn from those failures, get back back up and on track and consistently press forward towards your dreams. It never hurts to try.
Bragging Rights
Our Higher Learning Saturday Educational Program kicked off earlier this month and we’re really excited about this initiative. We love creating the opportunity to work with black and brown youth and teaching them in detail about their true history and heritage as well as introducing them to things such as holistic health, gardening, etc. More information about Higher Learning can be found on our site via www.austinjustice.org/higher-learning.
Want to contact Chas or the Austin Justice Coalition for more information?
The Austin Justice Coalition’s website is austinjustice.org. AJC can also be found on Instagram via @austinjusticecoalition, Twitter via @atxjustice and Facebook via Austin Justice Coalition. Chas can also be found on Twitter and Instagram via @igiveyoumoore.
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Do you know a Black Creator or Tastemaker? Of course you do! Let me know in the comments so I can feature him or her this year!
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