On May 30th at DesignWorks HS, RJI joined over 340 youth, educators, organizers, artists, and community members for the 2026 Peace & Justice Youth Conference, a full-day gathering created by youth, for youth, and supported by adult allies committed to youth leadership, agency, and voice.
RJI co-hosted this year’s conference in coalition with The Circle Keepers, The YA-YA Network, Brotherhood/Sister Sol, Parents Supporting Parents NY, Youth Alliance for Housing, Dignity in Schools Coalition, Center for Anti-Violence Education, New York Appleseed, Teens Take Charge, and others. RJI supported conference planning, facilitation, and youth engagement, while also strengthening relationships across NYC’s youth justice ecosystem.
The event featured 25 workshops, 31 tabling organizations, and a film screening. Programming explored restorative and transformative justice, mental health and wellness, self-defense and know-your-rights training, protest music and media-making, and lobbying strategy. The gathering reflected RJI’s ongoing commitment to intergenerational restorative practice, coalition building, and youth-centered leadership development.
Photos by Neha Gautum.Â
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