Pillars of the Community San Diego

Pillars of the Community San Diego Pillars of the Community: A collective movement, based on faith, positivity, and a need to build a be

Pillars of the Community: A collective movement, based on faith, positivity, and a need to build a better world.

The Assata Freedom and Liberation Center is a safe haven for community, for art, for organizing, and for the ongoing wor...
09/11/2026

The Assata Freedom and Liberation Center is a safe haven for community, for art, for organizing, and for the ongoing work of self-determination in Southeast San Diego.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the grand opening, a reclamation of space and an affirmation of the continued work.

All power to the people

The murals on our walls by Ron Ilocos, Chikle!, and complwhy , are a testament to struggle, resistance, and joy.

Last Saturday we had the honor of welcoming acclaimed artist and Black Panther icon Emory Douglas join us for the offici...
09/11/2026

Last Saturday we had the honor of welcoming acclaimed artist and Black Panther icon Emory Douglas join us for the official opening of the Assata Freedom and Liberation Center.

Assata reminded us that it is our duty to fight, our duty to win, and that we owe each other love and protection in that fight.

The center is a safe haven for community, for art, for organizing, and for the ongoing work of self-determination in Southeast San Diego.

We were honored to break ground alongside:
🎨 Emory Douglas — Minister of Art and Culture for the Black Panther Party and visual architect of liberation
🏛️ Monica Montgomery-Steppe — San Diego County Board of Supervisors, District 4
🏛️ Henry Foster III — San Diego City Council, District 4
🎭 Derrick Banks — San Diego Black Arts & Culture District Committee
📚 Dr. Daniel Widener — UCSD Professor & Pillars of the Community Board Member
✊🏾 Professor Khalid Alexander — Founder, Pillars of the Community

The murals on our walls — by complwhy , Chikle!, and Ron Ilocos — are a testament to struggle, resistance, and joy.

In unity and struggle, Pillars of the Community

“A lot of times we don’t file complaints because maybe we’re intimidated, we don’t know how, we don’t think it will do a...
09/01/2026

“A lot of times we don’t file complaints because maybe we’re intimidated, we don’t know how, we don’t think it will do anything,” Mitchelle Woodson, Pillars of the Community Legal Director.

We are hoping the CopStop SD app will empower folks to stand up against police harassment and help us track patterns of misconduct. 

“People are still getting beaten up, they’re still getting stopped because of race,” said Laila Aziz, Pillars of the Com...
09/01/2026

“People are still getting beaten up, they’re still getting stopped because of race,” said Laila Aziz, Pillars of the Community Chief Operating Officer. “So we’re seeing those issues, and we’re looking at them and we’re saying, ‘What are we going to do about this?”

The CopStop SD app could change the nature of police harassment tracking. When a complaint is filed, a Pillars of the Community trained professional will reach out within 48 hours and help guide the person on how to make a formal complaint. 

Read more and download the app at the link in bio. 

Have you ever been arrested for the clothes you wear or the people you talk to? Well you can in California. Last Saturda...
08/24/2026

Have you ever been arrested for the clothes you wear or the people you talk to? 
Well you can in California. 

Last Saturday we held a private screening of CALIFORNIA STORY 🎞️, a documentary chronicling the dangerous effects of gang documentation. The screening was followed by a robust discussion with leaders in justice system reform: 
🎤 Chesa Boudin- Former DA of SF and Founding Executive Director of Berkeley’s Criminal Law & Justice Center
🎤 Dr. Elizabeth Hinton- Author of America on Fire and Professor of History, African American Studies, and Law at Yale University
🎤Alonzo Harvey- Community Relations and Outreach Specialist at the Criminal Law and Justice Center at Berkeley Law
🎤Laila Aziz - Pillars of the Community, Chief Operating Officer
🎤Moderated by Mitchelle Woodson- Pillars of the Community, Legal Director and Chief Administrative Officer 
🎬CALIFORNIA STORY: executive produced by Pillars of the Community President, Professor Khalid Alexander. 
✊🏾Special thanks to our partners at California Black Power Network.

Investing in our people means fighting for human rights in every neighborhood, empowering ourselves with the tools to co...
08/23/2026

Investing in our people means fighting for human rights in every neighborhood, empowering ourselves with the tools to combat oppressive systems, and cultivating networks of support. 

Real change happens when we stand strong together. ✊🏾 

🔗 Learn more about our work and how you can support Pillars of the Community at the link in bio

07/31/2026

People v. Abdul-Hafeez: Officer Adam Schrom took the stand with sworn testimony contradicting evidence from his own body cam‼️

🔊 Sound on for actual trail audio of him contradicting himself!

If he lied in this case, what other convictions have been impacted by his false testimony? An investigation is necessary. 

We’ve filed a formal complaint requesting a full investigation into Officer Schrom’s conduct and testimony — because when officers testify falsely, it’s not just one case at risk. It’s the integrity of the entire system.

Justice shouldn’t depend on your zip code.Every community deserves a fair defense. Yet many California counties don’t em...
07/28/2026

Justice shouldn’t depend on your zip code.

Every community deserves a fair defense. Yet many California counties don’t employ a single defense investigator—leaving critical evidence uncovered, weakening due process, and increasing the risk of wrongful convictions.

We’re proud to celebrate our Legal Director, Mitchelle Woodson, on her appointment to the California Independent Commission on Public Defense.



California is one of only two states that provides no state funding for basic public defense. That isn’t just a policy failure—it’s a barrier to equal justice.

Congratulations, Mitchelle. We’re proud to stand beside you as you help build a stronger, more equitable future for California.



Justice requires investment. It requires accountability. And it requires all of us to demand a system where every community has the resources to protect its rights.

Over the next year, the commission will help advance:
✅ A roadmap to increase state funding for public defense
✅ A five-year funding plan
✅ Statewide standards for funding and compensation

Thank you for your continued leadership, Mitchelle. Our community is stronger with you.

“We can’t afford to be spectators while our lives deteriorate. We have to truly love our people and work to make that lo...
07/17/2026

“We can’t afford to be spectators while our lives deteriorate. We have to truly love our people and work to make that love stronger.” 

Blessed birthday to our revolutionary mother Assata Shakur. ♥️✊🏾

We honor the birth and leadership of a freedom fighter whose example and legacy inspire us to continue the struggle for liberation.

Sister Assata is the inspiration for the new Pillars of the Community center.
We are so excited to unveil the mural of her and open the space to the community this fall.

07/15/2026

A teenage community member was stopped and threatened with arrest over allegedly spitting on the road.

Why is this the kind of encounter police are spending time and taxpayer dollars on? If the goal is public safety, shouldn’t resources be focused on preventing serious harm instead of escalating benign incidents?

Real safety comes from investing in communities, not turning everyday behavior into police encounters.

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6403 Imperial Avenue
San Diego, CA
92114

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