Every few months we will feature an interview with a restorative practitioner to uplift the folks doing the work on the ground in our communities, highlight original and emerging applications for restorative justice, and provide a better understanding of restorative practices as applied in different contexts. First up, we have Cecilia B. Loving!
But at RJI, we are committed to sustaining an ecosystem for many types of restorative practices in NYC to spread. This means supporting dozens of organizations and hundreds of local restorative justice leaders.
I believe that circles can be a powerful space in which Americans can build trust and connection with one another, affirm their core values and enhance their understanding of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia and other forces that are deployed to tear our communities apart. Perhaps most importantly, circles can also be a space in which we learn how to take action to counter these forces and foster a culture of belonging in the communities where we live and work.
Community member and practitioner Chiquita S. Williams reflects on restorative justice as a way forward in the aftermath of the Uvalde shooting.
What I saw and experienced during my upbringing instilled a lot of fear in my bones that I carried around with me into adulthood. When I encountered Restorative Justice, I was just scratching the surface of my personal healing journey. Sharing the restorative practices I learned was like a balm to my soul.