On October 23rd, 2018 ACT held the United We Stand Rally. Many Groups spoke about goals they wish to strive for in the coming future here on campus and beyond. The ACT campaign is here to open up a conversation for all students when it comes to educating us on inclusion and diversity. After all students presented it concluded with a presentation from Fania E. Davis, J.D., Ph. D. Dr. Davis is the co-founder and director of RJOY (Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth).

MSA Director, Diane L. Jefferson and ACT members.personal photo

What inspired Dr. Davis was Truth and Reconciliation Commission that focused on the wounds of mass violence in South Africa and of restorative juvenile justice legislation in making youth incarceration virtually obsolete in New Zealand. While I learning about restorative justice it made me realize this is truly a solution to a lot of worldly issues.

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Restorative Justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that allow all willing stakeholders to meet, although other approaches are available when that is impossible. This can lead to transformation of people, relationships and communities.

Implementing Restorative Justice in our schools will decrease the prevalence of the school to prison pipeline. This system is implemented at the RJOY school in Oakland and the results presented by Dr. Davis were absolutely incredible. If restorative justice was implemented in schools, communities, prisons, and workplaces a lot of the conversations we have today would not exist.

Fania Davis - Restorative Justice's Promise | Bioneersyoutu.be

Restorative justice is a such a different way to look at the way we handle things. We have such a narrow way sometimes of thinking of crime and Restorative justice opens up that wound and kind of helps people through a process that would otherwise become very difficult. Restorative justice being a main part of how we handle crimes and other things are a little ways down the road but allowing ourselves to be educated on it and even implementing it into how we deal with our loved ones may help you realize the overall greater outcome of restorative justice.

Forget Reentry. Restorative Justice Keeps People Out Of Prison | Fania Davisyoutu.be

Important Books on Implementing Restorative Justice:

1. The Little Book of Race and Restorative Justice: Black Lives, Healing, and US Social Transformation (The Little Books of Justice and Peacebui)- Release date:April 2,2019

2. The Little Book of Racial Healing: Coming to the Table for Truth-Telling, Liberation, and Transformation (The Little Books of Justice and Peacebui) Release date:January 1, 2019

3.The Little Book of Transformative Community Conferencing: A Hopeful, Practical Approach to Dialogue (Justice and Peacebuilding) Release date: July 12, 2016

4. The Little Book of Circle Processes : A New/Old Approach to Peacemaking (The Little Books of Justice and Peacebuilding Series) (Little Books of Justice & Peacebuilding) Release date:June 1, 2005

5. The Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools: Teaching Responsibility; Creating Caring Climates (The Little Books of Justice and Peacebuilding Series) Release date: November 1, 2005