The UCSF & GLIDE Alabama Justice Pilgrimage

March 28 - April 1, 2027

Application Information

Application period: October 12 – November 13, 2026

Please review all information before applying

Apply to the 2027 Alabama Justice Pilgrimage launch

About

The Alabama Justice Pilgrimage is a partnership program of UCSF and our community partner at GLIDE. The program is a five-day immersive educational experience that offers a transformative professional development opportunity for all eligible UCSF staff and faculty. Through guided visits to historically significant sites in Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham, including the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, participants explore key events and cultural influences that shaped the region and left a lasting impact on the nation.

This journey provides a powerful lens for understanding how the history of the United States continues to influence the outcomes across health care, economic opportunity, and the criminal justice system. Participants are encouraged to reflect critically and compassionately on the enduring impact of these systems, gaining a deeper perspective on how history informs current context and realities in Alabama and in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The experience challenges individuals on both intellectual and emotional levels. It reveals difficult truths that may be painful to confront but are essential for cultivating empathy, strengthening accountability, and advancing transformative change. Through collective learning, open dialogue, and critical reflection, the Pilgrimage supports UCSF’s mission to foster inclusion and to build a more just and compassionate future in health care and workplace for all.

Eligibility Requirements for Application

The Alabama Justice Pilgrimage Program is a professional development opportunity that is open to all UCSF employees. We strongly encourage applications from faculty and staff across all departments and roles including but not limited to academic, administrative, direct care/point of service, clinical, research, and senior management.

Interested applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be UCSF faculty or staff (with a minimum 50% appointment) from the time of application to the end of the pilgrimage in April 2027.
  • Be in good standing with a satisfactory performance review.
  • Be formally endorsed by their supervisor and department head, including approval for time away from work and confirmation of the funding arrangement for program expenses.
  • Be committed to upholding our UCSF Principles of Community and PRIDE Values.
  • Be committed to learning about the history of the United States.
  • Have not previously attended the pilgrimage.

  • Be available to attend the full duration of the pilgrimage. Attendance to the pre- and post-pilgrimage sessions listed below are strongly encouraged:

    Pre-Pilgrimage Sessions at GLIDE (330 Ellis St., San Francisco)

    • March 11, 2027, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
    • March 18, 2027, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

    Alabama Pilgrimage 2027

    • March 28 - April 1, 2027

    Post-Pilgrimage Gathering at GLIDE (330 Ellis St., San Francisco)

    • May 6, 2027, 6:00 pm -8:30 pm

Program Costs

The fee to participate in the Alabama Pilgrimage Program is $3,500, which covers trip-related expenses, including hotel accommodations, admission fees to various sites, and most meals.

Airfare is not included in the program fee and must be arranged and paid for separately by each participant.

Supervisor Approval and Departmental Funding

The Alabama Pilgrimage Program is a professional development opportunity offered by GLIDE to UCSF employees. Before applying, applicants should discuss the opportunity with their supervisors, including approval for time away from work and the availability of departmental funding to support program costs. *

A formal approval from both the applicant’s supervisor and department head is required as part of the application process.

*If department funding is not available, applicants may choose to personally cover some or all of the program expenses.

Program Cancellation and Refund Policy

  • Program fees are non-refundable once registration is confirmed and cannot be credited toward a future pilgrimage. 
  • If a participant is unable to attend, registration may be transferred to another eligible UCSF participant, subject to approval by UCSF and GLIDE. 
  • Applicants should carefully consider their availability and funding commitment before applying.

Preparing for Your Application

Application Instructions

  • Submit all required materials using the application form.
  • Apply by November 13, 2026.

Your completed application must include:

  1. Online Application Form – must complete in full.
  2. Responses to Four Short Essay Questions (maximum 250 words each):
    1. Why are you interested in joining the pilgrimage?
      Reflect on your personal and/or professional motivations and how they relate to UCSF’s PRIDE Values and Principles of Community.
    2. On a scale of 1–5, how comfortable do you feel engaging with people from different backgrounds or perspectives?
      Please describe how you practice humility in these interactions. What have you recognized that you still have more to learn about? Are you interested in strengthening your skills or gaining new tools for navigating intergroup conversations? You may also share personal goals or areas where you seek continued growth.
    3. How do you plan to stay grounded and maintain openness while engaging with difficult and emotional topics in this program?
      Reflect on how you prepare yourself to engage with emotionally challenging material. You may consider past strategies, approaches to self-care, and how you stay present and respectful in group dialogue.
    4. How will you bring what you learn back to your role at UCSF?
      Consider how you might share insights, foster a positive work environment, or create space for thoughtful conversations within your department or the broader UCSF community.
  3. Confirmation of Support
    This serves as confirmation that the applicant has received departmental and supervisory approval for time away, that funding has been committed to support participation, and that the applicant is in good standing with a satisfactory performance review.
  4. Engagement Commitment
    This serves as confirmation of the applicant’s commitment to participate in the full duration of the Alabama Pilgrimage Program and the pre- and post-pilgrimage sessions.
  5. (Optional) Additional Information
    You may include any additional context or information you would like to share.

If you have questions or need assistance, contact [email protected].

UCSF does not use race, gender, sex, or other protected categories, or proxies for protected categories, in the selection process.