Our mission is to invest in Maine's young leaders to create lasting power for their rural communities and the natural environment.
JMJU is rooted deeply in rural Maine.
All of our staff have roots here, and our Rural Youth Organizers work directly in their own local communities. Those connections are strong, and so is the alienation that many rural people feel from civic and political life across the political spectrum. JMJU works in that gap, building genuine relationships in rural spaces and pushing for statewide action to invest in our communities and the infrastructure they need to thrive.
JMJU ensures rural youth are heard on the issues that impact their communities.
Our Rural Youth Organizers lead and design all core programming, creating spaces where young people’s lived experience is valued as their expertise.
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Through local systems change, storytelling campaigns, and legislative engagement, our youth organizers shape decisions at both municipal and state levels, ensuring youth voices are not just heard but are driving conversations on the issues that matter most.
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We hear that time, money, and support matter. That’s why we pay youth for their time, cover travel expenses, and provide paid leadership opportunities to strengthen youth leaders.
For many rural communities, there is a desire to be more connected with our neighbors - across distances, cultures, and political divides.
JMJU is a network of young people across Maine's rural communities who are coming together, across those differences and distances, to build lasting power.
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While geographically dispersed, we meet regularly as a team to support one another and share strategies to bring into the on-the-ground work in our home counties. There, we build long-term relationships that support community-led action on issues like access to healthy and affordable food, mental health, safe and reliable transportation, and Wabanaki self-determination.
Our trust-based relationships are the foundation of this work, allowing us to hold difficult but necessary conversations that build stronger communities in the process.
Where We Work
JMJU is led by young people ages 15-30 across rural Maine in Washington, Hancock, Penobscot, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, Aroostook, Piscataquis, and Somerset counties (highlighted in dark purple).
JMJU is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN: 93-2999628).