Thank You For A Successful Jubilee for Justice!

Dear friends, 

Thanks to you, PLA’s Jubilee for Justice was a wonderful success. On June 17th, PLA welcomed clients, friends, supporters, employees, and community partners to the Philadelphia Zoo for an evening of dancing, dining, and fun. Nearly 300 adult guests and around 100 children attended the event. It was such a joy to see so many of our PLA enthusiasts gathered together in celebration.  

Our wonderful and dedicated PLA staff shared information and stories about our work via interactive learning stations. Local artist Maya Wilson debuted three pieces of incredible artwork showcasing the strength and resiliency of PLA clients. Walls for Justice, a local nonprofit that seeks to empower and enhance the platform of social movements, communities, people of color, and all other marginalized groups, through the use of murals, was on site with a specially designed mural representing PLA’s journey over the last 25 years that guests stopped by to paint. The mural now sits proudly in PLA’s office.  

It was joyful to see kids enjoying petting animals in the petting zoo, getting their faces painted, and collecting stamps at the learning stations. A fabulous dinner was followed by a night of dancing and lively conversation. 

I have so many people to thank for their advocacy, their volunteerism, their financial support, and their belief in our mission. 

Our Jubilee for Justice Committee Chairs: Valentine Brown and Melanie Foreman. Your leadership made this event what we all knew it could be. 

Our creative and driving Jubilee for Justice Committee: JP Faunes, Blew Kind, John Lavelle, Mike LiPuma, Aron Minkoff, Matt Olesh, Evan Poulgrain, Shelly Solomon, Kim Takacs, Marisa Tilghman. Thank you for your generosity and hard work in making this event a reality.  

Our day of event volunteers for their dedication and enthusiasm. You truly made Jubilee for Justice shine. 

Thank you to Richard Quinn for his invaluable guidance in bringing this event to fruition. 

Our development staff: Brynn MacDougall and Boston Gordon. Your attention to detail during the months leading up to the event made Jubilee for Justice look effortless. 

And finally, I want to thank the PLA Board of Directors and our amazing sponsors. We originally hoped to raise $200,000 through the Jubilee for Justice. We managed to exceed this goal and have raised more than $280,000 from our generous donors and sponsors. In addition, our friends at the Independence Foundation have awarded us a $50,000 challenge grant in honor of our 25th anniversary. Through the end of this year, the Foundation will match all new or increased individual gifts dollar-for-dollar if we raise $50,000 in eligible gifts. We only need a few thousand more to meet this challenge, and I invite you to help us reach our goal. Thank you to all who have already contributed to this monumental effort. 

We will carry the success of the Jubilee for Justice into the future and look towards another 25 years of centering community and paving a path towards justice.  

Sincerely, 
Anita Santos-Singh