This Restorative Justice Life David Ryan Castro-Harris

My friend and mentor Shedrick Sanders passed a way last weekend. To honor his memory we're revisiting our conversation from Fall 2020 detailing his journey from standing up to bullies as a young boy to becoming an esteemed peacemaker and problem solver. He shared his transformative experiences ranging from teaching math in Ghana to facilitating peace circles in Chicago. Shedrick's incredible knack for conflict resolution and mediation is unearthed through his thrilling anecdotes from his...

Our conversation with Saniah Brown Jones is the last in our series highlighting Restorative Justice in South Florida. She shares her wisdom and experiences as a young person who's been impacted by the RJ work and programing of our previous contributors. This episode is not just about Saniah's growth, but also about how restorative justice transforms lives, builds confidence, and creates spaces for growth and healing. This discussion is a testament to the power of understanding and the importa...

Jose Dominguez is a youth organizer at Power U, focusing on campaigns against the school-to-prison pipeline and advocating for restorative justice practices in schools. Our conversation touched on contentious topics like police presence in schools, queer liberation, and homophobia in the church. Jose emphasized the power of grace and communication in addressing these issues. We also explored the importance of political education in a way that doesn't resort to punitive or shaming measure...

Cindy Mahendar is a Training and Operations Manager for the Healing and Justice Center and an alumni of Dream Defenders. Our conversation takes a fascinating turn as Cindy discusses the alternative initiatives implemented by the Healing and Justice Center. From a mobile crisis unit to a peacemaker team, Cindy and her team paint a picture of a reimagined approach to navigating conflict and harm. Her candid sharing of the project's highs and lows offers a thorough understanding of the unique ch...

Ruth Ifakemi Efungbemi Ajewole Ajeleti Ifaloro Jeannoelis a Haitian American, cultural organizer, holistic healer and writer. She is also a mother and wife. Currently, Ruth serves as the Founder and Director of the growing non-profit, Fanm Saj, Inc based in Miami, FL. Fanm Saj in the Haitian Kreyol language means, Midwife, we’ll say Midwives catch babies and Fanm Saj catches communities.In this enlightening conversation, Ruth illustrates how restorative practices can bolster Black maternal he...

"Q" is an experienced facilitator, rooted in restorative practices, who is an expert in crafting containers for community to listen, reflect, create, and witness each other with presence and depth to inspire what is possible. Quincie has collaborated with a myriad of communities, organizations, and universities/colleges to develop and deliver programming that is tailored to a community’s need/curiosity. They are also a founder of Unity 360 Institute working toward offering customized, experie...