Meet Yusef Miller | Social Justice Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yusef Miller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yusef, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
I disagree with the advice; that your organization needs to be a 501C to be successful. This idea is base on income(even if by charitable donations) as the oil that makes Social Justice work run. But the real oil, muscle and soul of Justice work is; a sincere heart with a fearless dedicated spirit. That is what moves mountains, and raise valleys. From 2011-2023, I’ve seen miracles performed by people who simply have their hearts in the right place, of course there are some generous people who don’t care about tax right-offs from their donations, and will support your mission. It is an infrequent nicety, and I accepted it with great appreciation, but not as a necessity.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As member of several coalitions through our county, most of which are seen by the obsever as a natural alliance, i.e. The North County Equity and Justice Coalition, Activist San Diego, Exhaling Injustice, North San Diego County NAACP, Showing Up For Racial Justice North County, The Black Panther Party for Community Empowerment; all of these and more support each our on common liberal values. What tends to catch some people off guard is when they see Interfaith Coalitions. The optics of various religious vestments, all working togeter for a common good. They will see a Muslim Kufi next to a Jewish Yamaka, simultaneously seeing a Priest Collar or Nun, with a Buddhist Monk and someone of the Sikh tradition smiling with a Hindu. This captivates the imagination of the onlookers are the way the world ought to be, but generally isn’t. They want to know how did we find common ground, to overcome the theological differences that continue to cause destruction around the world. The answer is far more simple than people were expecting to hear from us. The core of all belief traditions contain compassion for the needy, care for the planet’s land, air, and many waters; its plants and animals. Justice for righteousness sake, through God’s Grace and Mercy from our hands. All the rest of our Religious differences, are simply our specific faith traditions, which identifies the House of Worship and Scripture that guides us individually. But as a Coalition, we love and serve from the common core of our beliefs.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We are in a diverse environment, of people, places and things. But I would show them the San Diego County that I love through my lens. We’d go to the beach to support the wonderful ecosystem’s beauty and leisure; as we support Surfrider’s fight agaist plastics and visit Balboa Park to see the wonderful plants and animals as we learn about how pesticides poison the soil and surrounding animal and insects from Clean Earth for Kids. We would go to Sea World and marvel at the biodiversity in our precious oceans, while lamenting their captivity as we continue on to the land Exibit at the San Diego Zoom, another amazing display of our non-human planetary neighbors, caged for our viewing convenience. Before they leave on their trip back home, we would visit the communities of Carlsbad, Encinitas, Del Mar, and La Jolla, along with their beachs. Then to a reality check visiting South East San Diego, and every site of the Homeless Crisis, in areas where service plans look sweeter on paper than they do to the end user in real time. We will thank and bless the entities that shelter and provide for people, as well the the champions of Social Justice who fight against discrimination based on Racial, Religious, Sex/Gender, Ethnic, Immigration, an Economic status. I would hope that their visit to the Sun and Fun also appreciates, the complexities of a “Civilized” society.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
After God and my parents Naji(Dad) and Naimah(Mom), I would like to recognize the greatest American who has ever lived; in my unashamed opinion. Mr. Frederick Douglass, circa 1817-1895: who fought his way out of Chattle Slavery to become an Abolitionist, Suffragist, Author, Editor, Diplomat to Haiti. Lastly and most importantly Mr. Douglass; as an advisor to President Lincoln; was the breath of life and inspiration to the Emacipation of over 4 Million enslaved people of African descent, plus many others in the United States of America.

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Image Credits
Dario Miller