Practitioner and scholar, Taharka Anderson, gets his turn on the mic as he breaks down schools as indicators of society and the treatment of students of color representing oppressions of these communities on a nationwide scale. He talks about how parents and communities are impacted by schools as well as how school policies are impacted through community activism. We then turn the conversation towards how grounding and centering or mood create a necessary container that supports adults in training for this work. This then shifts the dialogue to meeting needs and nurturance and the gendered lens society can view this work through. Taharka explains how this work has activated his capacity to tap into Restorative choices. We finish this expansive conversation with a brand new game!

What is the vision and function of a school?

Do schools need a full time person in care of this work or are they best supported through a coaching model? This episode is a little geeky as we talk specifically about implementation within a school with veteran practitioner, Joseph Luciani, who served as one of the initial RJ Coordinators within the Los Angeles Unified School District. Joseph served for five years in this capacity in a school that utilized Restorative Practices from its founding. He talks about the first two years of implementation and funding. Then he and Gilbert talk about where harm Circles fit in implementation and how trainings have evolved to respond to adults learning needs in challenging resistance and supporting paradigm shifts. They end the conversation sharing how Restorative Practices have influenced their relationships.

Even if I don’t do RJ professionally, RJ is a part of me

Former Counselor and Restorative Justice practitioner Tanya Suzuki gets on the mic for our last episode of Season 1. This last one begins with a discussion around wellness, accountability, and the introduction of Sharim Hannegan-Martinez’s Compa love where Tanya talks about love and dignity in relationships with young people. Tanya gives encouragement to do this work from a centered place in the body and describes how fully allowing feelings to be experienced can be a practice of resiliency. We finish with a special closing.

Because of what I do, I know that possibility exists

Welcome to Whatchu Know About RJ? Sharing Stories and Skills about Restorative Justice, a podcast of the California Conference for Equality and Justice. CCEJ is an organization dedicated to eliminating bias, bigotry and racism. This first series was recorded within a year of dialogue, reflection, and play with a team of trainers and practitioners of Restorative Justice working in schools.  Restorative Justice is a paradigm and set of embodied practices that center needs and accountability in relationships to impact culture and communities of belonging and justice. This podcast is dedicated to anyone working in schools or teams, with students or adults. Why should you listen to this podcast? We are all in relationships- where we work, where we live and with ourselves. Listen to know more about whatchu you already know about how relationships matter. We post our latest episodes here, for all our episodes please follow us on ITunes, Stitcher and Google Play.

Whatchu Know About RJ?

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