UNIFIED. UNAFRAID. #UNBROKEN.
We are a grassroots neighborhood revitalization and racial justice 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to uplifting the West End community of Ithaca, NY.
“It’s a long walk to freedom, but it’s our responsibility as a community to come together and embrace every step.”
OUR HISTORY
Ithaca native Jordan Clemons founded Unbroken Promise Initiative while leading Black Lives Matter protests in August, 2020. Over months of solidarity, discussion, and debate between protestors in the Ithaca Commons, Jordan saw an opportunity to bring their energy home to his community in the West End of Ithaca, New York.
As a result of a lifetime spent listening to West End voices, Jordan has come to see community ownership, self-determination, and direct, organized action as sources of justice and dignity for West End people. Whether you’re in Ithaca or not, please donate, join or amplify!
In the News | The Unbroken Promise Initiative: A West End Pledge
By Glenn Epps | July 9, 2020 | The Ithaca Times
"To Jordan, revisiting the West End isn’t just about revitalizing a struggling part of town, it’s about bringing back the due dignity to his home and to his people—his community. His intensity is rooted in a clear-sighted, no nonsense response to addressing the injustices reaped over the West End: fix it."
Areas of Focus
Racial and Economic Healing
Systemic oppression has left intergenerational physical and emotional scars on the people of West Hill. Through mental health services, mentorship, and care, we hope to be a source for strength and healing in the community.
REBUILDING AND RENEWING
Housing on West Hill is in a crisis state, and the Ithacans who live there — parents, children, and elders — deserve better. We speak back to property owners and public officials to continuously advocate for the safety and well-being of West End residents.
Community Self-Governance
We seek to organize the tenants of West Hill Apartments into a Tenants Union to fight gentrification and build collective power. Our work will be done when West End political power allows residents to end a legacy of disenfranchisement and enforced silence.
Economic Development
We help residents build a sustainable local economy by spreading trade skills, financial literacy, and business planning to empower local entrepreneurs. We want West End people to own the West End.
