Mothers for Justice and Equality

What Mothers for Justice and Equality does

Mothers for Justice and Equality (MJE) is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010 by Monalisa Smith, following personal loss to neighborhood violence, to end community violence by empowering mothers and youth as catalysts for change. The organization delivers trauma-informed programs along three tracks: adult education (You Matter Personal Leadership Training, Financial Literacy Training, Workforce Readiness Training) anchored in an Individualized Service Plan intake; youth development (Youth Peer Leadership, STEM, Second Chance Program, Career Pathways to Employment) serving ages 14–24; and Health Equity Services plus Emergency Resources for families. Services are delivered free of charge at the Roxbury office (2201 Washington St, since founding) and Hyde Park office (1017 River St, since 2022), with multilingual capacity in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese. Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropy and government contracts — not commercial sales — and is anchored by a multi-year Cummings Foundation grant, a statewide Massachusetts Department of Public Health Gun Violence Prevention contract (one of nine), a Department of Transitional Assistance provider relationship, US DOJ VOCA grants, and individual and corporate donations from a broad Boston donor base. Technology footprint is limited: a Salesforce-powered intake and referral portal, a website with multilingual content, an email newsletter cadence, a podcast (Living Room Conversations), and the MAV Learning Community at mavlearning.org — none of which constitute a proprietary technology product.

Name

Mothers for Justice and Equality

Legal name

Mothers for Justice and Equality

Website

https://mothersforjusticeandequality.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mothers for Justice and Equality is a Boston-based nonprofit founded in 2010 that delivers trauma-informed education, workforce readiness, and youth development programs to mothers, youth, and families affected by community violence. It operates free direct services from Roxbury and Hyde Park offices, funded by donations, foundation grants, and state contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Violence Prevention & Family Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAN

Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYEDAAAOAG

Workforce Reentry Programs (Justice-Involved)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Workforce Development Initiatives

SECONDARYBPAGACAF

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAKAMAK

Family Engagement & Caregiver Support Programs (SEL/Mental Health)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health Supports (School-Based)

Keywords

• Community violence prevention
• Trauma-informed services
• Youth development programs
• Workforce readiness training
• Financial literacy education

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: MJE relies on support from generous donors including individuals and corporations. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. The organization offers donor recognition and benefits such as free copies of the Founder's book for donations of $25 or more.
2. Foundation Grants: MJE receives grant funding from foundations including a 10-year grant from Cummings Foundation. The organization has received Gun Violence Prevention contracts from Massachusetts Department of Public Health and VOCA grants from the US Department of Justice.
3. Government Contracts: MJE holds contracts with government agencies including the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Child and Youth Violence Unit and the Department of Transitional Assistance. Revenue stated as $3.5 million annually with $5 million in assets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mothers for Justice and Equality (MJE) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 that delivers trauma-informed educational, leadership, and support programs for mothers, youth, and families impacted by community violence in Boston, Massachusetts. The organization operates through two locations in Roxbury and Hyde Park, offering programs in personal leadership, financial literacy, workforce readiness, youth peer leadership, STEM, second chance reentry support, health equity, and emergency resource assistance. MJE serves as a community-based intervention and prevention hub, leveraging the lived experience of its founders to stabilize families and connect them with long-term economic and personal development pathways.

Product overview

Mothers for Justice and Equality (MJE) operates as a single unified nonprofit service organization offering trauma-informed educational and support programs. The portfolio includes core programs: You Matter Personal Leadership Training, Financial Literacy Training, and Workforce Readiness Training forming the adult education track; Youth Peer Leadership Program, STEM Program, Second Chance Program, and Career Pathways to Employment for youth development; plus Health Equity Services, Emergency Resources, MAV Learning Community, and the Living Room Conversations Podcast. Programs follow a three-step model: Individualized Service Plan (ISP) intake, two-week trauma-recovery and financial literacy training, followed by case management and career readiness support. Services target mothers, youth (ages 14-24), and families impacted by community violence in the Boston area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• You Matter Personal Leadership Training
• Financial Literacy Training
• Workforce Readiness Training Job-readiness and career preparation program providing skill-building, resume support, and placement pathways for mothers and youth pursuing employment.
• Career Pathways to Employment
• Youth Peer Leadership Program
• STEM Program
• Second Chance Program
• Health Equity Services
• Adult Education & Workforce Readiness
• Individualized Service Plan (ISP)
• MAV Learning Community
• MJE Living Room Conversations Podcast
• Emergency Resources Assistance

Quantifiable outcome

• 23 entrepreneurs launched through WeInspire initiative
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Justice Resource Institute (JRI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMJE Founder Monalisa Smith serves on the governing board of JRI, a strategic partnership for the nonprofit sector.
• Boston University Wheelock CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the annual Mothers Against Violence National Conference. William Rodriguez is a senior lecturer at BU Wheelock and supported MJE's program development.
• Brigham and Women's HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMJE Founder Monalisa Smith serves on the Committee for Health and Equity at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
• Boston Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMJE collaborates with Boston Public Schools for STEM sessions and youth peer leadership workshops.
• Boston Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for health equity services and referrals. MJE staff trained new Boston Police Cadets and Boston EMTs for trauma response.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Louis D. Brown Peace Institute: Boston/Dorchester-based nonprofit supporting families and communities impacted by homicide and community violence through survivor-led case management and peace-building education. Highly comparable — same Boston geography, same survivor-led service delivery model, same focus on mothers and families of violence victims.
• Roca, Inc. Chelsea/Boston-based nonprofit delivering trauma-informed intervention, workforce development, and reentry support to young people impacted by violence and incarceration. Most directly comparable peer — same city, same population (justice-involved opportunity youth), same service mix (workforce readiness, case management) and same evidence-based model orientation.
• UTEC (United Teen Equality Center): Lowell, Massachusetts-based nonprofit serving opportunity youth ages 16-24 through workforce development, education, and violence interruption. Comparable — Massachusetts-based, justice-involved young adult focus, workforce readiness programming, and street outreach model.
• Justice Resource Institute (JRI): Needham/Boston-based nonprofit providing behavioral health, trauma, and juvenile justice services across Massachusetts. Comparable — same Massachusetts footprint, overlapping juvenile justice and family services, and existing MJE partnership (MJE Founder Monalisa Smith serves on JRI's governing board).
• The Home for Little Wanderers: Boston-based nonprofit providing child welfare, behavioral health, and community-based services for at-risk youth and families across Massachusetts. Comparable — same Boston metro area, similar trauma-informed and family-centered service portfolio, similar residential and community programming.
• Communities for Restorative Justice (C4RJ): Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing restorative justice programs as alternatives to incarceration, partnering with courts and impacted communities. Comparable — same Massachusetts footprint, focus on justice-involved youth and families, community-based intervention model.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston: Established Boston-based youth development nonprofit offering after-school programming, STEM education, college/career readiness, and leadership development. Comparable — overlapping youth development programming (peer leadership, STEM, career pathways) but broader incumbent scale and youth-only focus rather than family/maternal services.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston: Large Boston-area social services nonprofit operating across family services, refugee resettlement, and community support. Comparable — adjacent social services portfolio but much broader in scope, incumbent scale, and faith-based governance model.

Regional players

• Children's Services of Roxbury: Roxbury-based nonprofit providing early education, youth development, and family support services to Boston's Black and Brown communities. Comparable — same Roxbury neighborhood anchor, similar community-led approach to family services, smaller scale.
• Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program: Boston-based nonprofit providing healthcare and trauma-informed services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness and violence-related trauma. Comparable — Boston-based, trauma-informed services for vulnerable populations, healthcare access focus, but more clinically oriented than MJE.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wesayitsnotokay
• Facebookfacebook.com/wesayitsnotokay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mothers-for-justice-equality
• Instagraminstagram.com/mothersforjusticeandequality

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mothers for Justice and Equality