This spring in April, Central City came alive with music, dancing, giveaways, and something even more powerful: community care. The Heal the Block initiative returned to New Orleans, transforming one of the city’s under-resourced neighborhoods into a hub for healing, hope, and connection. Originating in Newark, NJ, Heal the Block was designed as a collaboration… Continue reading One Block at a Time
Tag: Healing
Remembering Najee Seabrooks – Two Years Later
Last month, March 3rd marked two years since the Paterson Healing Collective (PHC) lost Najee Seabrooks, who was killed by Paterson police during a mental health crisis. Even though PHC is one of the most highly regarded programs of its kind in the country, Paterson police refused to allow their members to intervene for Najee… Continue reading Remembering Najee Seabrooks – Two Years Later
Shifting the Narrative: Addressing Gun Violence as a Public Health Epidemic
48,000 people die each year from gun violence. Last June, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy announced that gun violence is a public health crisis and he’s not alone. One of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s approaches to addressing this public health crisis is advancing collaboration across multiple sectors. Collaboration through a public… Continue reading Shifting the Narrative: Addressing Gun Violence as a Public Health Epidemic
BHM Recommendations
This Black History Month, immerse yourself in stories that highlight Black resilience, history, and culture through powerful books, podcasts, and museums. Let this be a time of learning, reflection, and deeper engagement with the past to shape a more just future. LISTEN: 40 Acres and a Lie This podcast, from Reveal and the Center for… Continue reading BHM Recommendations
Forever Takes a Village
Imagine living in a community where children can’t play outside, morning coffee on the porch feels unsafe, and the streets are marked by violence instead of connection. For many in Bogalusa, Louisiana, this has been the reality. Yet, amidst the challenges, seeds of change began to grow with the help and determination from people like… Continue reading Forever Takes a Village
Expanding Restorative Justice
When the Restorative Justice Project joined Equal Justice USA in 2023, we knew they were ready to grow their work — and that the world needed greater access to restorative justice. This past year, the first significant step in that growth occurred as we partnered with four new communities to launch restorative justice diversion programs.… Continue reading Expanding Restorative Justice
Rest, Recharge, Rebuild
Greetings in this new year. Just weeks ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to Arizona to the EJUSA retreat that was so on time! Our team’s time together was a ray of collective light. It came, however, against a hard background and reality… Daniel Penny, the ‘unofficial’ killer of Jordan Neely, was cleared by… Continue reading Rest, Recharge, Rebuild
Care and Community
This morning we woke to heaviness and uncertainty. We cannot predict the future, but there is no denying: we elected a president who promised retribution, who dehumanized so many people, and who spewed blatant hate and harm. It remains to be seen how deep and how wide the impact will be of this election, but… Continue reading Care and Community
Equal Justice USA Announces New Restorative Justice Partners
(October 7, 2024) — Equal Justice USA (EJUSA) announced today that it will partner with four new communities to build new restorative justice diversion programs. These programs serve as an offramp for youth, protecting them from the harsh punishment of the criminal legal system while still creating an accountability process that identifies root causes and… Continue reading Equal Justice USA Announces New Restorative Justice Partners
Resilience in Bogalusa
Just a few weeks ago, I flew to Bogalusa, Louisiana, to join several team members for a special day. They had spent the last year working with community members on a groundbreaking public safety plan. Read the Report On the plane, I continued reading “The Movement Made Us,” David J. Dennis Jr.’s account of his… Continue reading Resilience in Bogalusa