Our Space
About Our Center
Located on Williamson Street (aka Willy Street), in the heart of Madison’s eastside, the Social Justice Center is a neighborhood hub of social justice organizing, essential supportive services, collaboration and activism. The SJC houses 14 local organizations that work on a variety of issues including housing and homelessness, mutual aid, grassroots organizing, books to prisoners, and cooperative development.
We also have an incubator for new or smaller organizations and provide fiscal sponsorship to help their projects take off. In addition to being a home for our organizations, our facilities also include our Community Resource Hub, the Jackie Macaulay Art Gallery, meeting and event spaces, a free food & essentials pantry and a neighborhood rain garden.
Art & Murals at SJC
“The History of Willy Street in the 70’s – Changing the World through Art” by Sharon Kilfoy, 2009
Mural on Few Street side of building — learn more
"Loved & Missed Every Day"
Mural and mosaic on northwest side of building. Learn more: https://daneartsmuralarts.org/social-justice-center-mosaic
Building Community
More than two decades ago, a group of community organizers and nonprofits came together to talk about finding a place where social change groups could work together under one roof, share resources, and create a future built on social, economic, and personal justice. But without a location this was just a dream.
When the Willy Street Coop was expanding and moving to its current location, their building at 1202 Williamson street became available. It was the perfect opportunity – where better to build this dream but in the heart of Willy street?!
With the financial and moral support of like-minded individuals, organizations and businesses, the founders went out on a limb and purchased the building. Following some renovations, the Social Justice Center opened its doors to its first tenants in 2001 — and we’ve renovated several times since then as the needs of our members and community have evolved!
