In October 2021, I was nervous, thrilled and honored to be invited to share on the “The Cultures United Podcast”. I was in dialogue with Jemma and Mista B—two individuals with diverse experiences who had a ton of great questions about restorative justice. Some of those questions included:
- How are your values and beliefs around restorative justice influenced by Indigenous culture and worldview?
- What has your experience been like working with youth in the school setting and applying restorative justice?
- How do you respond to hurting family members who are looking for punishment as a form of justice for their loved one?
It was a fascinating discussion about our interconnection, the role of systems, and Dr. Cornel West’s quote “Justice is what love looks like in public”. We grounded ourselves in the reality that restorative justice first asks the questions “Who has been hurt and what do they need?” which thinks beyond the mainstream legal system’s primary questions of “Which law has been broken and what is the punishment?”
I feel incredibly blessed to be welcomed into the “Cultures United” family and hope you enjoy listening to this heartfelt and connective exploration.
Click here to listen. If it doesn’t choose the episode automatically, scroll to the October 19, 2021, episode “The Culture of Restorative Justice”.