Author: Taylor Mason

Taylor Mason (they/them) is a capacity building specialist and healing arts practitioner from California and rooted in Chicago. A graduate of UCLA and Columbia College Chicago, Taylor has worked in programming, development, and communications for organizations centering gender justice, ending the sexual abuse to prison pipeline among girls and women of color, and decarceration for twelve years. A certified yoga teacher, restorative justice facilitator, and reiki practitioner, Taylor works to merge political advocacy and healing justice in all that they do.

Working on the frontlines to build community safety and prevent violence is incredibly hard work in the best of times. The COVID-19 pandemic multiplied the degree of difficulty because the work is about relationships, it’s about seeing people face to face and building trust and camaraderie. In the first months of the pandemic, we spent… Continue reading Facilitation Tools for Virtual Times

Healing Trauma to Change Narratives

Dear Reader, In 2001, my son, Khaaliq, was murdered over a parking spot dispute. He was a young social worker, determined to serve children and families in our community. Together, we were going to start an organization that would do just that. I felt so much grief and trauma after his death, and I thought… Continue reading Healing Trauma to Change Narratives

If we want to change our justice system…

the words WORDS with old typewriter keys macro monochrome image

Reimagining Justice This Month | September 2020 Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. If we want to change our justice system, we have to change the way we talk about it, Represent Justice Words Matter. When we… Continue reading If we want to change our justice system…

Learning the Stories of Trauma

The Prison Within, a film by Katherin Hervey

San Quentin State Prison is notorious for a number of reasons. Located north of San Francisco, it is home to the nation’s largest death row — 737 people when Gov. Gavin Newsom put a moratorium on executions in 2019. San Quentin has been featured in movies, books, podcasts, and more, and earlier in 2020 held… Continue reading Learning the Stories of Trauma

Austin Cuts its Police Budget By a Third

Reimagining Justice This Month | August 2020 Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. Austin Cuts Its Police Budget by About a Third, The Appeal Austin, Texas, is diverting $150 million away from its police department to reinvest… Continue reading Austin Cuts its Police Budget By a Third

Healing the Healers

Lionel Latouche, EJUSA's senior project manager for Trauma to Trust

Five months ago, cities and states across the U.S. initiated a series of shelter-in-place orders as COVID-19 surged for the first time. Communities experienced waves of grief, loss, and economic insecurity. With the pandemic far from over, Black and Brown Americans continue to bear the brunt of its impact, and of the layered collective trauma… Continue reading Healing the Healers

What would non-police first responders look like?

Reimagining Justice This Month | July 2020 Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. What Would Non-police First Responders Look Like?, The Appeal/NowThis News Police officers can spend as little as 1% of their time responding to violence.… Continue reading What would non-police first responders look like?