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Chapter One WHAT IS SOCIAL JUSTICE? Social justice. What do you think of when you hear that phrase? Some see social justice as a positive movement that directly correlates to the fight for equity and community empowerment. According to the National Associa- tion of Social Workers, social justice is fair access to economic, political, and social rights and opportunities. To the Center for Economic and Social Justice, it not only involves economic rights but includes economic justice and is a concept of fairness that guides human interactions with institu- tions and each other. On another note, social justice is “a tool that can help us achieve personal, social and economic growth” because it is used to secure fair opportunities for all (Hamilton, 2020). The San Diego Founda- tion states that social justice is equal rights and equitable opportunities for all. Merriam-Webster describes it as “a state or doctrine of egalitarianism,” while the Oxford Reference states that social justice acts as “the objective of creating a fair and equal society in which each individual matters, their rights are recognized and protected, and decisions are made in ways that are fair and honest.” The John Lewis Institute for Social Justice defines social justice as: a communal effort dedicated to creating and sustaining a fair and equal society in which each person and all groups are valued and affirmed. It encompasses efforts to end systemic violence and racism and all systems that devalue the dignity and humanity of any person. Social Justice recognizes that the legacy of past injustices remains all around us, so therefore promotes efforts to empower individual and