Our Story
The Alliance for Black Justice in Poland (BJP) is a Black-led initiative that works to support and strengthen Black, African and Afro-descendant people and communities in Poland.
The BJP was created by a group of long-time friends and activists as an emergency response to the need for aid among Black and African people who were evacuating from Ukraine immediately following the full-scale Russian invasion of that country in February 2022. We organized support with accessing safe housing, healthcare, legal aid, and material aid.
Today, the BJP operates as a coalition of organizations and informal groups, most of which are Black-led and focus on issues of human rights, antiracism and antidiscrimination. We work to support and strengthen the position of all Black, African and Afro-descendent people living in Poland regardless of when they arrived to the country, their legal status in Poland, their country of origin, cultural background, religion or faith, or gender identity, etc. Our long-term aim is to foster community and belonging among Black, African and Afro-descendant people in Poland, to advocate for the civil and human rights of our communities, and to consistently provide direct support with access to basic needs such as housing and legal aid.
Our work covers all of Poland. We are integrated into networks of partners throughout the country, who are directly part of our team or affiliated with organizations or initiatives that are in synergy with our work.
Our Vision and Practice
As a coalition, the BJP is united by a vision of Black liberation, wherein all Black, African and Afro-descendant people in Poland, in all their diversity, are able to live safely, fulfil their dreams and ambitions, and fully realize themselves on their own terms.
Black women and LGBTQ+ people are at the forefront of our work at the BJP. Our approach to Black justice is grounded in radical Black feminist philosophies and inspired by an intersectional approach that seeks to find common interests and objectives with partners in feminist, queer and other social justice movements.
In our daily work, we enact radical community care through non-hierarchical, participatory and collectivist practices.
Our Structure and Organization
The BJP Advisory Board
In our day-to-day work, the Advisory Board ensures that our ongoing activities and any key decisions related to them are consistent with our overarching vision and mission. The Board also advises on and informs strategic decisions about issues that give shape and direction to our activities in a longer term perspective. The Board is also a representative body that structurally centers Black, African and Afro-descendant perspectives and voices both within the BJP itself and in relation to the general public.
BJP Advisory Board members are nominated by the Black-led member organizations in the coalition. Board members serve 3-year terms with the possibility of serving multiple terms. The Board can include up to five members, the majority of whom must be Black, African or Afro-descendant.
In line with our commitment to participatory, non-hierarchical and collectivist values and practices, the Advisory Board acts in consultation with BJP member organizations and with the BJP team.
BJP member organizations
As a coalition, the BJP includes both registered organizations and informal groups.
Coalition members share the responsibilities of managing funds and formal obligations on behalf of the BJP. The Black-led member organizations take a leading role in the BJP, which includes nominating Advisory Board members, while the non-Black-led organizations have a consultative and supportive role. As a coalition, we are committed to sharing know-how and skills between members in a way that strengthens and empowers Black-led member organizations in their work, both inside and outside the coalition.
Read more about BJP member organizations here.
The BJP Team
The BJP is organized into several teams that focus on specific activity areas:
- Direct Support Team
- Community-building and Events Team
- Social Media and Communications Team
- Finance and Administration Team
We also run two long-term programs:
Get to know the BJP team members here.
Learn more about our activity areas here.
