Testimonials
What people are saying about Restorative Justice Initiative
“As both a practitioner and researcher, I am especially grateful for RJI’s emails about events and research that are important and timely. Additionally, RJI helps practitioners connect with others doing this very challenging work nationwide and globally. RJI serves as a professional learning community for those involved in the restorative justice movement. Finally, practitioners can access information on how to maintain their own wellness as they carry out this very important work.”
— Virginia, Individual Donor
“RJI’s contribution is immeasurable in building and sustaining what is our life’s work right now.”
— Daniel Coles, Staff Developer at The Morningside Center for Social and Emotional Learning
“Restorative practices are essential to ensure that everyone’s humanity is respected, regardless of their role in a conflict or incident that causes harm. In this way, those who have been harmed AND those who have caused harm can heal or begin to heal. RJI works tirelessly on promoting and supporting restorative practices and is an essential connector for practitioners in this field.”
— Ana Bermudez, Former Commissioner at New York City Department of Probation
“I realize I don’t like talking about my emotions but have gotten used to it. But RJ is really about getting to the root of something. At school, everybody is avoiding important things but RJ shows a way to talk about those things without causing harm or repressing anger until it becomes violence.”
— Program Participant, Youth Advocacy Council
“Thank you for your incredible leadership. It truly felt like an honor to answer the call and hold space alongside such committed circle keepers. The energy in the circles was truly grounded, honest, and connected, the youth circle keepers were ON POINT!!! AND I was able to reconnect with some throwback circle homies. That beautiful feeling is a direct reflection of your vision and the trust you cultivated.”
“The Restorative Justice Initiative (RJI) is a critical source of information and resources. Along with providing accessible and useful material for program development, RJI keeps us abreast of training opportunities and introduces us to other organizations in the restorative justice space. Connecting with RJI has been key to our progress creating an organization wide commitment to restorative principles and practice.”
— Stephen Tosh, Boys’ Club of New York Executive Director/CEO
“I have just returned from Canada where I went with two mediators to a maximum security prison in the province of B.C.. There I met with one of the men who killed my brother, the one who shot him in the chest. The meeting went even better than I could have possibly imagined. I returned to Brooklyn with a strong belief that all victims of crime, and those who have harmed them, should have the opportunity to engage in restorative practices. I firmly believe there is nothing more healing, and nothing better for our world where so much deep emotional pain exists.”
— Sharon Quick, family member of a murder victim
“I didn’t think I could make friends with people who were from different places than me.”“We were quiet before you all got here. You brought the voice out of us.”“We all get to be weird here, together, and accept one another’s weird.”
— Youth Training Participant
“New York City is so lucky to have RJI! There is no real restorative justice without a strong community, and RJI sits at the crossroads of our community’s capacity to communicate, cross-pollinate, and gather. There are so many things RJI has done over the years– some visible, and many invisible– to keep this movement thriving and growing. Thank you, RJI!”
— Erika Sasson, Attorney, Consultant, and Practitioner Working at The Intersection of Restorative Approaches and System Change
“What Restorative Justice Initiative is doing to bring together people working in restorative justice in different arenas is truly amazing. People are learning from each other, updating ideas, and finding ways to make restorative justice work in complex real life situations in New York.”
— Tracey, Individual Donor
“In my role as a law professor, I teach students about ways to resolve conflict and achieve justice that are healing rather than adversarial and punitive, exposing them to compassionate alternatives to traditional legal practice. Students are excited to learn about the healing potential of restorative practices and the empirical evidence demonstrating that such practices reduce recidivism among those who may have engaged in transgressions against their communities. The Restorative Justice Initiative is an indispensable resource enabling me to share with my students placement opportunities, trainings, and conferences, that may offer them pathways to using their legal talents to engage in this vital work. There is nothing else like it in New York.”
— Marjorie, Individual Donor
“Expanding non-adversarial ways to resolve wrong-doing that includes perpetrator, victim, and community—is essential if our country is to move in the direction of peace. RJI does a wonderful job of pulling together many New York City area organizations that are working toward this goal.”
— Julia, Individual Donor
“The Restorative Justice Initiative is essential in helping New York City build and grow a network of stakeholders from the government, nonprofit and private sectors interested in advancing restorative principles, practices and policies in our criminal , education and social service systems.”
— Julie, Individual Donor
Header Photo by Maurice Pinzon
What people are saying about Restorative Justice Initiative
As both a practitioner and researcher, I am especially grateful for RJI's emails about events and research that are important and timely.
Additionally, RJI helps practitioners connect with others doing this very challenging work nationwide and globally. RJI serves as a professional learning community for those involved in the restorative justice movement.
Finally, practitioners can access information on how to maintain their own wellness as they carry out this very important work."
— Virginia Diaz
“The Restorative Justice Initiative (RJI) is a critical source of information and resources. Along with providing accessible and useful material for program development, RJI keeps us abreast of training opportunities and introduces us to other organizations in the restorative justice space. Connecting with RJI has been key to our progress creating an organization wide commitment to restorative principles and practice.”
—Stephen Tosh, Boys’ Club of New York Executive Director/CEO
“I didn’t think I could make friends with people who were from different places than me.”“We were quiet before you all got here. You brought the voice out of us.”“We all get to be weird here, together, and accept one another’s weird”
“What Restorative Justice Initiative is doing to bring together people working in restorative justice in different arenas is truly amazing. People are learning from each other, updating ideas, and finding ways to make restorative justice work in complex real life situations in New York.
— Tracey
“In my role as a law professor, I teach students about ways to resolve conflict and achieve justice that are healing rather than adversarial and punitive, exposing them to compassionate alternatives to traditional legal practice. Students are excited to learn about the healing potential of restorative practices and the empirical evidence demonstrating that such practices reduce recidivism among those who may have engaged in transgressions against their communities. The Restorative Justice Initiative is an indispensable resource enabling me to share with my students placement opportunities, trainings, and conferences, that may offer them pathways to using their legal talents to engage in this vital work. There is nothing else like it in New York.
— Marjorie
“Expanding non-adversarial ways to resolve wrong-doing that includes perpetrator, victim, and community—is essential if our country is to move in the direction of peace. RJI does a wonderful job of pulling together many New York City area organizations that are working toward this goal.
— Julia
“The Restorative Justice Initiative is essential in helping New York City build and grow a network of stakeholders from the government, nonprofit and private sectors interested in advancing restorative principles, practices and policies in our criminal , education and social service systems.
— Julie