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our mission

Katal is a community organization that works in Connecticut and New York to strengthen the people, policies, institutions, and movements that advance equity, health, and justice for everyone.  We envision a world where all communities have the resources and power to exercise self-determination and participate meaningfully in the democratic process.

We launched in 2016 with three big, interrelated goals:

  • building leadership and organizing capacity of neighborhood residents, as well as organizers, advocates, and community groups, to effectively drive and shape systemic change;
  • ending mass criminalization, mass incarceration, and the war on drugs; and
  • advancing evidence-based solutions to promote and secure equity, health, and justice

what we do

As a community organization and collaborative partner, we utilize organizing, advocacy, leadership development, and research to secure transformative and lasting change.

our name

Our name – Katal – is drawn from the chemical process of catalysis and its components: 

catalysis is a change and
especially increase in the rate
of a chemical reaction induced
by a catalyst
(Merriam-Webster)
catalysis is a change and
especially increase in the rate
of a chemical reaction induced
by a catalyst
(Merriam-Webster)
catalyst is an agent that
provokes or speeds significant
change or action
(Merriam-Webster)
catalyst is an agent that
provokes or speeds significant
change or action
(Merriam-Webster)
katal is the unit of
measurement that expresses
the activity of a catalyst
(American Heritage)
katal is the unit of
measurement that expresses
the activity of a catalyst
(American Heritage)

Our name is inspired by, and draws from, these concepts. It reflects our interest to accelerate the process of social change to secure equity, health, and justice in our communities; develop effective leaders and groups (change agents); and measure and evaluate the impact of our work.