ReEvolution

Found inspiration in each other and our shared mission at our staff retreat earlier this month - the perfect opportunity to connect, reflect, and share ✨

Friday night was the opening ceremony of the 13th Annual Justice Conference, Beyond the Bars, at Columbia University. Our very own Parker Chamberlin was a presenter in a panel discussion about creating People First Reentry Homes that are communities of trust, vulnerability, accountability, support, and autonomy, challenging the current carceral reentry housing system and thinking.

Last week we graduated the first cohort of participants of our technical training, addressing the essentials of technical literacy so vital in an increasingly digital world. Combined, our participants were incarcerated over 100 years. Their willingness to dive headfirst into a realm so unfamiliar is truly admirable.

“Most of the men I’m sitting with right now, and have gone on this journey with, served extremely long sentences and had little to no exposure to technology prior to their release. Over the weeks, it has warmed my heart to witness firsthand increased comfort and ease in using technology – the doors to a new universe of knowledge opened. Claudell picked up a shortcut sure to be handy in his ongoing studies, using ctrl + f to locate key terms and concepts. Ahmad, as one of his very first emails, thanked me for my efforts as co-instructor. Donte, the youngest of our participants, submitted an internship application over the web and became a co-instructor in his own right. Last but not least, Randy drafted a resume on Google Docs! Hats off to my co-instructor Rafa, for developing a curriculum that was intentional, meeting our participants where they’re at, and for providing individualized attention that I know made all the difference.” - T. Jimenez

ReEvolution is upping its prevention game! We’ve kicked off a program geared toward system-impacted youth at McKinley Institute of Technology in San Mateo County. Quarterly restorative workshops will focus on bullying, human trafficking, conflict resolution, gang prevention, life skills, and substance use.

So, what IS restorative justice?