United for Justice

An art & activism project sponsored by Media Fellowship House, Media-Providence Friends School, Media Friends Meeting, Providence Friends Meeting & the Sandy Bank Burial Ground Committee

United for Justice Walking Tour

To bring this project to our wider community, all of the project’s sponsors are joined together on November 10 from noon-3:00 PM (rain date Nov. 17) for a Walking/Driving Tour of the Social Justice Trail. Hosts at each site offered visitors many options: provide stories, history, current and past social justice activities, tours, refreshments, open Q&As, and more. 

The United for Justice Walking Trail allows anyone to meditate and self-reflect at any of the five sites. The plaque’s QR Code provides historical information and video linking our organizations, student art, and focused on themes of justice, inclusion, and social change.

United for Justice Map

The Project's Beginnings

A community collaboration began in the spirit of Black Lives Matter following George Floyd’s murder by police in 2020. The purpose of UNITED FOR JUSTICE is to act on issues of Social Justice. With a strong belief in building and caring for diverse communities, we have installations in four Media locations for those who want to reflect on social justice and peace-building. Plaques in each site focused on themes of justice, inclusion, and social change.

“It has been a privilege to bring together four distinct organizations in Media whose missions include working for justice in our community. To connect Media Providence Friends School faculty and students, under the care of two Friends Meetings, with Media Fellowship House has felt deeply rewarding,” writes Laura Taylor, who is one of the project organizers and served as a full-time guidance counselor at Media-Providence Friends School for over twenty years.

Student Work

Grade 8 Humanities class focused on themes of justice, inclusion, and social change. Students explored topics such as the Harlem Renaissance, the United States Justice System, and the challenges faced by marginalized groups. They engaged with texts like Just Mercy, Bronx Masquerade, Stamped and Pet to deepen their understanding of these issues and their impact on individuals and society. To culminate their learning, students created poetry anthologies and wrote fictional autobiographies, demonstrating their ability to express their perspectives and advocate for change.

Grade 6 Humanities class delved into the Reconstruction era and its impact on the rights of Black Americans. Students researched the three amendments to the Constitution that were designed to protect these rights and identified areas where those protections were insufficient. They then argued for the ratification of additional amendments to address issues like voter suppression and segregation, demonstrating their commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable society.

Our History

In 1937, the Media Friends School Committee enrolled a Black child, Lancess McKnight. A school statement made it clear that the Quakers held strongly to the testimonies of equality and the worth of every individual. There was the expected backlash from the parent community but Media Friends stayed true to their beliefs and justice prevailed. 

In 1943, Dorothy Biddle James, a white woman and longtime member of Media Friends Meeting, and a Media Friends School Social Committee Clerk– witnessed another injustice when two Black women, Marie Whitaker and her sister, were not being served at a restaurant on the corner of State & Olive Streets in Media. Dorothy’s grandfather, the courageous abolitionist Thomas Garrett, had passed on his spirit of standing for justice to Dorothy.

 

 

She and her friend chose to leave the restaurant and invite the Whitakers to join them for a meal elsewhere. The next year, these four women founded Media Fellowship House, believing that strength comes from diversity, that opposing hate and racism is critical, and that it is imperative to afford each person respect and dignity. Media Fellowship House and Media-Providence Friends School continue to do the work of social justice to build community.