Joi Community Outreach

J.O.I. Community Outreach continues to serve youth and adults by presenting culturally relevant events that educate the community through arts and entertainment. Our organization serves and is accountable to communities that are at immediate risk of cultural erasure and displacement within Austin. Our organization operates from and for the Historic East Austin area, providing community events/festivals, activities, youth advocacy, education through entertainment and is deeply rooted in the African American cultural history in the City of Austin. Our long-term service history has solidified Jump On It as a community institution. We bridge gaps between youth and adults, the community and law enforcement, city officials and residents, and native and new Black Austinites through forums, festivals, and awards ceremonies. Our 26 years of consistency have fostered a sense of belonging and pride among participants, many of whom were youth returning as adults to engage in and support the program.

Jump On It exemplifies "Black Culture 360" by curating educational panels, workshops, and community forums that facilitate dialogue among residents, city officials, and stakeholders. Our year around programming, enriched by our flagship Jump On It Week conference offering diverse cultural experiences, distributes essential resources and opportunities.

Through our youth programming, we have successfully established the Jump On It Radio program. The program's primary goals are as follows: To foster the development of leadership skills and positive attitudes among participating youth; To provide a platform for young individuals to actively engage in problem-solving within their communities, ensuring their input is integral to the solutions rather than having decisions imposed on them; and To offer comprehensive training across six key areas: Communication, Teamwork, Personal Identity, Project Management, Professionalism, and Cultural Competency. These objectives align with our mission to empower youth and promote their active involvement in community development.