Who We Are
Justice is Global was founded by a group of organizers, academics, and faith leaders in 2015 in Chicago. Led by Tobita Chow and Jake Werner, the group saw a gap in the post-Occupy Wall Street progressive movement: the need for a grassroots response to the global dimensions of inequality and the rise of authoritarian nationalism. Our problems - as local as they may seem - are global in scope, and must be addressed through organizing in solidarity across borders.
Amid rising right-wing nationalism—from the UK and India to Brazil and Trump’s win in 2016—Justice is Global built local support for progressive internationalism and became a project of People’s Action in 2019. As the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the limits of nationalist responses to global crises—no one is safe until everyone is safe—Justice is Global led campaigns pressuring the U.S. and pharma to share COVID-19 technology worldwide. Our efforts helped win a historic policy reversal when the Biden administration supported a TRIPS waiver at the World Trade Organization to expand global access to mRNA vaccines.
The pandemic also worsened U.S.-China tensions and fueled anti-Asian racism. In response, we launched a series of narrative interventions to counter scapegoating and highlight public support for U.S.-China cooperation. This laid the groundwork for our current efforts to build grassroots support for a progressive U.S.-China policy.
Justice is Global is now housed within the Center for Empowered Politics Education Fund, a movement-building organization committed to training new leaders and expanding infrastructure for long-term power building. Within it, we continue to fight for a just global economy and a multiracial democracy rooted in solidarity, equity and justice.
Who We Are
Justice is Global was founded by organizers, academics, and faith leaders in 2015 in Chicago. Led by Tobita Chow and Jake Werner, they identified a gap in the progressive movement ecosystem in the post-Occupy Wall Street moment with respect to the global economy and addressing our shared problems across borders.
Following news of surging right-wing nationalist victories in the UK, India, Brazil, and eventually Trump’s election in 2016, the movement was able to build popular support for progressive internationalism locally and became a project of People’s Action a progressive network organizing for structural reforms across the US in 2019.
OUR APPROACH
Vision
Our vision is to save the planet from climate catastrophe, to stop our politics from descending into further nationalist violence, and to build better lives for everyone. To do this we need a grassroots movement for global cooperation.
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Strategy
Our strategy consists of three key pillars:
Build a grassroots movement to win material victories for global equity and sustainability
Make global solutions to global problems core to the progressive ecosystem
Advance progressive internationalist narratives to change the debate on global issues.
Read More
OUR APPROACH
Vision
Our vision is to save the planet from climate catastrophe, to stop our politics from descending into further nationalist violence, and to build better lives for everyone. To do this we need a grassroots movement for global cooperation.
Read More
Strategy
Our strategy consists of three key pillars:
Build a grassroots movement to win material victories for global equity and sustainability
Make global solutions to global problems core to the progressive ecosystem
Advance progressive internationalist narratives to change the debate on global issues.
Read More
Meet Our Leadership
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Sandy Shan
DIRECTOR
Sandy has been organizing grassroots movements in the pan-asian diaspora since 2019. Her work is centered around relationship building, healing, and politicization for BIPOCs and immigrant communities that sets the stage for building and exercising power in public space. Previously, she conducted research into the roots of inequality in the political process. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern University. -
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VALENTINA DALLONA
POLITICAL DIRECTOR
Valentina is a labor and community organizer based in Baltimore, MD. Active in the student movements against austerity in Italy and the UK during the global financial crisis, she moved to the U.S. for grad school at Johns Hopkins University, where she founded and led the graduate workers’ union drive. She then became a full time labor organizer, helping thousands of nurses win their union elections.
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BEN LEVENSON
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Ben has led Justice is Global’s grassroots organizing program, most recently spearheading a campaign for global vaccine access during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Princeton University.
MEET OUR LEADERSHIP
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DIRECTOR
Sandy has been organizing grassroots movements in the pan-asian diaspora since 2019. Her work is centered around relationship building, healing, and politicization for BIPOCs and immigrant communities that sets the stage for building and exercising power in public space. Previously, she conducted research into the roots of inequality in the political process. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern University.
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POLITICAL DIRECTOR
Valentina is a labor and community organizer based in Baltimore, MD. Active in the student movements against austerity in Italy and the UK during the global financial crisis, she moved to the U.S. for grad school at Johns Hopkins University, where she founded and led the graduate workers’ union drive. She then became a full time labor organizer, helping thousands of nurses win their union elections.
