Who We Are
Just Making A Change for Families, better known as JMACforFamilies, is a non-profit organization working to dismantle the family policing system while investing in community support that keeps families together. We are a team of impacted people, social workers, advocates, and organizers working towards the ultimate goal of abolition.
JMACforFamilies works towards this goal through legislative advocacy, storytelling and narrative change, and programming for people who have been directly impacted by the family policing system. We also lead the Parent Legislative Action Network (PLAN), a statewide coalition of impacted parents and young people, advocates, attorneys, social workers, and academics collaborating to effect systemic change.
Joyce McMillan | Founder & Executive Director
Joyce McMillan is a thought leader, advocate, community organizer, educator, and the Founder and Executive Director of Just Making A Change for Families (JMACforFamilies).
Joyce’s mission is to remove systemic barriers in communities of color by bringing awareness to the racial disparities in systems where people of color are disproportionately affected. Her ultimate goal is to abolish systems of harm–especially the family policing system (or the so-called “child welfare system”)–while creating concrete community resources.
As the Founder of the Parent Legislative Action Network, Joyce leads a statewide coalition of impacted parents and young people, advocates, attorneys, social workers, and academics collaborating to effect systemic change in the family policing system. Joyce also currently serves on the board of the Women’s Prison Association and on the Advisory Committee for the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School, where she holds a visiting fellowship. As a visiting fellow, Joyce explores ways to strengthen parent voices in child welfare and has led a series of public events where panelists discuss both problems and suggested solutions.
Previously, Joyce led family engagement and advocacy efforts at Sinergia Inc, an organization that works with and to support people with disabilities and their families. Prior to Sinergia, she was the Program Director at the Child Welfare Organizing Project (CWOP), where she created a space for communities of color who have been traumatized by systemic injustices to learn about restorative practices.
Joyce has served as a member of the NYC County Committee and a Supreme Court Judicial Delegate. She has also held fellowships with Law4Black Lives and the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls. In 2024, she was awarded the Trailblazer Award by Brooklyn Defender Services.
Joyce has lectured and spoken at Columbia University, Harvard University, New York University, Hunter College, Montclair University, CUNY Law School, Cornell University, Harlem Hospital, New York City Affairs at the New School, Williams College, and many other institutions. She has also appeared in various media interviews with outlets such as Al Jazeera, The New York Times, ABC Channel 7, The Imprint, ProPublica, and Politico.
Ayami Hatanaka | Executive Assistant
Ayami Hatanaka (she/her) is a passionate advocate and dedicated researcher who seeks to center the expertise, voices, and knowledge of those who have directly experienced the violence of family policing. Her aims include collaboratively working towards abolishing systems of harm and contributing to building community support and resources. After receiving a BA in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Political Science from Williams College, she worked as an out-of-court advocate at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem in the Family Defense Practice, defending and advocating for parents facing allegations of neglect and/or abuse. Ayami has led strategy for organizing campaigns and organizations, as well as advocated for survivors of sexual violence and collaborated with sex worker communities in past research.
Tanitsa Akkaraphanthawee | Intern
Tanitsa Akkaraphanthawee (she/her) is a dedicated master’s student at Columbia School of Social Work, deeply committed to advocating for children’s rights. She earned her Bachelor
of Social Work degree from Thammasat University in Thailand, where her passion for social justice took root.
Tanitsa has two years of experience as a social worker, policy analyst, and administrator at the Department of Children and Youth within the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand. In her role as a civil servant, she successfully led initiatives focused on child safeguarding policies in government institutional care, promoted meaningful participation of children and youth in policy development, and contributed to the Child Consultation on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Tanitsa’s work reflects her unwavering dedication to creating a better systems and policies for children and youth.
Marilyne Njuraita | Intern
Marilyne Njuraita is a graduate student and social justice advocate based in Brooklyn, New York. She is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree with a focus on public policy analysis at Columbia University. Her passion for social justice, particularly for marginalized and systems-impacted communities, is a driving force in her work and advocacy. Marilyne holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Howard University, where she also completed a double minor in Swahili and Community Development.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Marilyne is deeply involved in various professional and volunteer roles that reflect her commitment to social change. She is interested in community organizing, fundraising, and supporting parents and families impacted by carceral and the family policing system. In her internship with JMACForFamilies, Marilyne supports legislative efforts, engages in mutual aid through the Center for Mothers, and other initiatives focused on education, advocacy, and policy reform.
Driven by a passion for social justice, Marilyne's diverse experience spans across various organizations, including the Justice Arts Coalition, Ìpàdé, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Voices for a Second Chance, the ACLU, Together for Girls, On Earth Peace, the Greater Washington Partnership, Street Smart Collaborative, the Vinyl Institute, HBCU First, and Catholic Charities, showcasing her expertise in communications, development, community engagement, and program support. She currently works as a Graduate Assistant at Columbia University, where she coordinates events, manages content creation, and supports the Office of Student Life.