In the heart of Shreveport, Louisiana, a circle of healing is growing — one shaped by love, loss, and a fierce commitment to community. What began as a grassroots response to hunger and grief has blossomed into a full-spectrum support system for mothers, families, youth, and elders impacted by gun violence. Martha Tyler, founder of… Continue reading We Stay On A Mission
Tag: Louisiana
Geography
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
Beyond the Choir
There have been so many moments these past months when I wanted to pause, gather my thoughts, and tell you about the incredible things happening at EJUSA. I am finally getting that chance. I told you a little about our incredible event with the Players Coalition in Las Vegas, just days before the Super Bowl.… Continue reading Beyond the Choir
What Lies Ahead
I hope that the new year has so far brought you peace, health, and excitement for what lays ahead. I speak for all of us at EJUSA when I tell you how eager I am for the opportunities to build community safety in cities and neighborhoods across the country. There’s so much happening: The Restorative… Continue reading What Lies Ahead
The Next Frontier
In 2016, we launched a groundbreaking program in Newark, NJ, that brought community members and police officers into the same room to explore trauma — especially as it is connected to encounters with policing. And we wanted to explore the trauma of both groups. Since then hundreds of community members and police officers have gone… Continue reading The Next Frontier
Baton Rouge Explores Trauma
Lionel Latouche, our director of Trauma to Trust (T2T), turned the lights back on as the video of Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul apologizing for the killing of Alton Sterling came to a close. My chest was tight, feeling the tension of the room as Baton Rouge community members and police officers waited for… Continue reading Baton Rouge Explores Trauma
How We Respond to Tragedy
About six weeks ago, Najee Seabrooks sent out a call for help. He texted his co-workers at the Paterson Healing Collective — an EJUSA partner and ally in the movement to build community safety — that he was in crisis and he needed them. Najee was trained as a healer and a violence interventionist, so… Continue reading How We Respond to Tragedy
Our Priorities Must Shift
During his 2023 State of the Union Address, President Biden could mention investment into community violence interventions or non-carceral responses only by pairing it with his stated support for continued investment into policing (this comes on the heels of the Safer Communities Act, where the White House funded 100,000 police in communities across the U.S.). … Continue reading Our Priorities Must Shift
Imagining the Possibility of Safety
At the beginning of the summer, our executive director, Jamila Hodge, sat on a panel in a crowded gymnasium in Newark talking about transforming the justice system. “The system is going to do what it’s going to do,” she said. “It is a machine, and it was built for a purpose, and that was to… Continue reading Imagining the Possibility of Safety
Healing Communities through Trauma to Trust
A vision of a world where violence is rare is EJUSA’s north star. As we work toward making that vision a reality, we must address the violence that over-policing inflicts on Black and brown communities — which sows enduring fear and distrust. We invite you to watch a short video on Trauma to Trust, a… Continue reading Healing Communities through Trauma to Trust