About Us.
Founded in 2022 in San Francisco's Mission District, Nuestra Causa is a collective of organizers and builders of community-led power in historically underserved communities. Our leadership comes from the same communities we serve.
Our work is grounded in the belief that those closest to the challenges must be equipped to lead the solutions. We operate at the intersection of organizing, direct service, and policy engagement — creating structured pathways for individuals and families to move from survival to stability, and from stability to leadership.
Nuestra Causa organizes and facilitates member-led formations that build collective voice and coordinated action, while maintaining a strong presence in local and state policy conversations. Our approach integrates on-the-ground organizing with a broader understanding of systems, governance, and long-term structural change.
We engage deeply with individuals impacted by incarceration — both inside institutions and within their communities — while supporting the families and networks connected to them. In parallel, we cultivate the next generation of leadership through structured fellowship and political education.
While rooted in San Francisco, Nuestra Causa's work extends across Northern California, contributing to a growing ecosystem of organized leadership, coordinated action, and civic participation.
POWER IN PRACTICE
Our work is measured in action, leadership, and results.
Programs — sustained community work
Sembrando Esperanza
over 8,000 hot meals served annually through our community food program in the Mission District
Justice & Re-Entry
programs, community development, and structured support for the incarcerated and those returning home, led by our Director of Justice & Re-Entry
Food Access & Equity
expanding food access beyond distribution and building systemic change, led by our Director of Food Access & Equity
Men's Groups & Support Circles
peer-led spaces rooted in the Compadres Network tradition, serving men, transitional-age youth, women, and monolingual Spanish speakers
Political Education
community-driven workshops building civic knowledge, advocacy skills, and leadership
Families for Dignity & Justice
organizing and supporting families with incarcerated loved ones in county jail, building collective voice, demanding accountability, and providing a comprehensive toolkit for families navigating the jail system
CAMPAIGNS - FIGHTING FOR WHAT'S OURS
Mission Street Vendors Association
a vendor-led association of 116 members organized in the Mission District in 2023. Nuestra Causa helped organize them and continues to work alongside them in building lasting vendor power.
Food Vendors Committee
a growing coalition of Mission District food vendors fighting to shape San Francisco's implementation of new state vending laws — winning the right to work, afford their trade, and hold space in the communities they have always served. Nuestra Causa helps organize and works alongside them in that fight.
Driving action and systems change
Organizing inside and outside of jails
Active engagement in local and state policy on behalf of the communities we serve
Building the next generation of leaders through structured fellowship and political education
