Our Mission & Work

For 60 years, the California Conference for Equality and Justice (CCEJ) has been building a world where people live free of oppression and thrive.  Our mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to lead change for equity and justice in our communities. 

At CCEJ, we lead people of all backgrounds in deep examinations of power and privilege at the personal and societal levels, inspiring them to build community across differences and work together to advance equity, inclusion and justice. We create brave spaces for participants to discuss vulnerable topics such as the harmful impacts of racism and discrimination, and to create plans for action and change. Our programs incorporate Restorative Justice practices to support youth and adults to increase their resiliency and ability to address identity-based conflict.

CCEJ believes that everyone has a role to play in transforming our schools, workplaces and communities to be more just and equitable.  We provide experiential, interactive training and coaching on inclusion, equity and Restorative Justice for more than 3,000 adults annually.  Each year, we support more than 1,500 youth and young adults to develop self-awareness and leadership skills through programs such as Building Bridges Camp (a descendant of NCCJ’s Brotherhood Sisterhood Camp), Conscious Classrooms, and Restorative Youth Diversion.

Our History

CCEJ was originally established in 1963 as the Long Beach chapter of the National Conference for Christians and Jews (NCCJ). NCCJ was a national organization founded in 1927 by a group of leaders and activists to address and prevent anti-semitism and anti-Catholic sentiment in the United States.  NCCJ later evolved into the National Conference for Community and Justice to reflect its broader mission to eliminate bias, bigotry and racism.

In 2005, when NCCJ’s national office closed, CCEJ became an independent nonprofit, combining the Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego chapters of the NCCJ.  CCEJ now serves thousands of people annually throughout Southern California and across the United States.

CCEJ’s Values

Click the video below to view CCEJ’s Transformational Work