Community Justice Workshops

Community Justice Workshops grew out of a hard truth we have seen for decades: families, educators, and community leaders are often blamed for the school-to-prison pipeline, but rarely given the tools to disrupt it together. We created these interactive sessions so the adults around our boys can pull in the same direction instead of working in silos.

Each workshop invites parents, school staff, faith leaders, and youth workers into the same room-physically or virtually-to learn the basics of restorative justice in clear, everyday language. We walk through the pipeline step by step, from classroom removals to court involvement, and connect it to the real stories we see with native-born Black males.

Participants practice concrete skills: how to hold a restorative conversation after a fight, how to write discipline referrals that keep doors open, how to respond when a parent feels disrespected by a school, and how to include young men's voices in agreements about their own behavior. We use role-plays, small circle dialogues, and real local scenarios so people leave ready to act, not just inspired.

For schools, these workshops become the starting point for shifting discipline culture from "remove and punish" to "address and restore." For families and community groups, they offer language and strategies to advocate for fair treatment, ask for mediation instead of suspension, and build their own circles of support.

When requested, we pair workshops with follow-up coaching for staff or parent groups, and mentorship opportunities for young men through programs like M.A.R.C.H. Jr. That way, the learning does not end when the session does.

If your school, congregation, or organization is serious about changing outcomes for Black boys, Community Justice Workshops provide a common playbook and a shared table to start that work.