2024 was a year of remembering, visioning, and coming together...  as well as AJL's fifth year for participatory grantmaking. Seventeen incredible community organizers, families, youth leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, human service professionals, educators, businesspeople, community lovers and change-makers came together to identify twenty high-impact, community-driven organizations serving Colorado families and youth to each receive a $20,000 general operating support. This participatory grantmaking experience culminated in, and is best expressed through, the  artistic reflection above and below.

Why participatory grantmaking? We believe that by bringing together diverse representatives of all communities affected by our grantmaking to make funding decisions, the collective expertise and experiences of the group will lead to more effective and equitable grantmaking decisions and increased impact. 

Meet the 2024 grantmaking committee here and our 2024 grant partners here.

How does the participatory process work? Read all about it here. 

"Good Thing to Remember"
Produced by 1855World
Directed by Anthony Maes
Edited by Nick Torres
Written and performed by Franklin Cruz

LYRICS
It’s a good thing to remember
The lessons our teachers gave us
Roll them like jade stones in our pockets
Rain pouring over heads and laughing about it

My teachers remind me to edit my work
Ask questions like mortar to sculpt a perspectives I am looking for shy answers
My tias would whisper about when the men are gone

The question “who is this serving”
Is a question my tia Suzi taught me
This money, who is it serving?
This money will it make it to my niece
To Abuelita waiting for clean water

They are/were living books
Then send us on a journey meant for little hobbits
We’re small bodies on a big mountain
Hoping to melt down injustice

Good thing we remember
We remember San Luis Valley
The history of chicanismo and indigeneity
We remember Colfax and Aurora
This memories made on those streets
Remember our immigrant siblings
And the youngins
Both aiming to climb the highest mountains

It is hard to be one who remembers
To stretch time or condense it
We built for conversations most folks fall asleep too
Discussing budgets and visions and alignment
I know siblings of mine who have no interest

So good thing we remember
Back of the house moment like this
Shaping & sustaining movements
Zoom meetings and research
That add more syllables to the song

For those who remember
I gift you water for we remember the acequias
I gift you flowers for we remember the farmers
I gift you scholarships for those young nebulas
I gift you houses for weary families who deserve more
I gift you food to fill the emptiness of money
I gift you wisdom from every community we believe in
Brown, Black, Muslim, Jewish, Queer, Young and old and broke

I was gifted hope I was gifted remembrance
When the spine of the US feels colder than it used to
I am gifted hope for Colorado
When the eyes of this group made me feel seen
When we were mouths for every person
Who arguably deserve a place next to us

It's a good thing I remembered
To thank moments like these
The smallest and most crucial
To chat about who get capital in a capital conundrum

I am glad we remember
For every teacher we’ve had asked us for this
To carry these lessons to every room we’re in
Work to honor those lessons
They aren’t only for us It’s for everyone we remember
It’s for everyone we carry
It’s for everyone whose name comes after ours

I will remember
That in Colorado
People haven’t forgotten
People do remember
That when we return to our teachers
And they ask “did you do as I say”
I will proudly say
Yes ma’am