How is ESJP structured and who is involved?

Well, the first thing to know is that it isn’t – by design. In the very first conference in 2004 we labeled ourselves counter hegemonic and also organic. Since then, we have grown organically – like rhizomes – never quite knowing where our underground roots will surface. We are constantly reassessing ourselves against our commitments.  ESJP is a loosely joined network of justice-inspired people, a support network, a movement and a liminal space to question the status quo and to consider new alternatives. But we are not a membership organization. There are no fees. There are no structures or systems. And there is a lot of love. 

The first place to go is our ‘About’ page which shares information about our commitments https://esjp.org/about-esjp/our-commitments.

These are our foundations – our key working principles – and we constantly refer back to these to guide us.

You can also see who is currently on our committee. The committee consists of: 

• Founding members  
• The secretary 
• Elected members 

The Founding members (4) are present to maintain the value system of ESJP and uphold the commitments over the years. 

The secretary – currently Leon Santen, is always a remarkably selfless individual who supports us by sharing, building and creating our network through our emails, discord, heartspace and website. 

Elected members (4) There are no terms of reference or times of service, there are no performance metrics. Invitations come when we have a space and when we feel we are missing a particular voice. Self or peer nominations come when anyone is passionate enough about our values to offer their support. Anyone wishing to join the committee must have always attended at least one ESJP conference. A vote will be held where needed. 

An invitation to join our transdisciplinary, intersectional, intergenerational community 

Those who consider themselves part of the ESJP family hail from diverse places and spaces. We are engineers, and we are social scientists, educators, environmentalists, and more. We are community members, and academics, students and professionals of every kind. We have all experienced different kinds of injustices. And we are all oppressors. 

And just like a family: we have our Elders, who have lived through decades of separatism, injustice, protest, war and resistance; we have the next generation – born in the midst of the environmental movement and the rise of neoliberalism; and we have our youngest members, who never knew a life without the internet or capitalism-on-steroids, and who are dealing with climate chaos, pandemics, war and a rising awareness of the oppressive systems that laid the foundations of our privilege. Each of us has so much to share and give. 

Communication across differences is never easy. Language changes, understandings shift, meanings vary. The only way for us to learn together is to share our wisdom and our ignorance, our confusion and our humility. 

We welcome everyone willing to move into this space of love and learning, to share knowledge and experiences and most of all develop the ability to listen to others. 

Caroline Baillie & Leon Santen, 
on behalf of the ESJP Coordinating Committee