Author (Being Restorative, April 2024) and restorative practitioner Leaf Seligman invites us to the tenderness of humility, listening, and towards the values and principles that unite us as a humanity, as we face intense and urgent polarization and violence in our world. Our host Jabali Stewart of Huayruro, himself a martial artist of nonviolence and unification, weaves us in conversation to implore deepening inquiry into what this thing we call ‘restorative’ really is, how it makes its way into the world, and how it ameliorates connection and context. 

Tenderness is often considered weak or scary, and yet it is itself a revolutionary act. Leaf’s work within prisons and communities, as well as her personal experiences as a partially sight-impaired person, illuminate the “lens” and approach to this work that grounds individuals much beyond the field of restorative justice, in times of great upheaval and disconnection. Tenderness is a powerful bridge that acknowledges the other, that asks also of accountability of self first, and of others, yet from an understanding of our global interrelationship as a baseline for life, and life well lived. And alongside her perspective, we keep in mind the indigenous of our world who came long before this movement, knowing we are related to all life, humans and animals, trees, waters, skies, and cosmos. With this there is honor in having responsibility to all. This awareness is welcomed throughout our dialogue.

Oftentimes it is easy to misunderstand restorative as only relating to conflict and the modern justice systems in our world, yet it is a much larger scope of practices that center our common humanity and ask us to hear from one another in ways that build or rebuild, reshaping trust and meaning, offering powerful and sustaining agency for change on every level imagined.

ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ON THE RISE

The world's first restorative justice podcast and public lives platform, since 2011, reaching and connecting 6 continents and tens of thousands of listeners and practitioners per episode.

This episode features Dr. Tema Okun who gives us a brief rundown of the characteristics of White Supremacy Culture, which can be understood in-depth on her website: www.whitesupremacyculture.info

Dr. Tema Okun offers her knowledge of relationships that people may have with White Supremacy Culture as well as suggestions to dismantle this broken system. We welcome listeners to step outside of thinking that these systems are working for us in any shape or form. 

The live webinar was recorded on January 23rd, 2025 and it is hosted by Molly Rowan Leach, founder of RJotR, and Logan Ward, Restorative Justice on the Rise’s new Social Media Manager. 

Logan then relates a statement from the website to his recently released documentary, Remarkable, Voices from the Trans Community, which covers the similar topic of objectivity’s irrelevance when in dialogue with oppressed (marked) and non-oppressed (unmarked) groups. 

Logan’s film can be found on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PpjhMnVsFk

And the subsequent discussion space can both be found on his website: https://www.loganward.net/film

Key notes from this episode:

Dr. Tema Okun recommends that if we are going to engage in restorative justice work we need a:

1. Shared framework of how oppression works (to help us understand how liberation works)
2. Shared language — Same definitions for phrases such as “White Supremacy”
3. Shared history — Same understanding of how we got here

The instructions from Tema’s mother are:

1. Be love and be loved
2. Pay attention
3. Don't be afraid
4. Find the others

ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ON THE RISE

The world's first restorative justice podcast and public lives platform, since 2011, reaching and connecting 6 continents and tens of thousands of listeners and practitioners per episode.

recorded at Expanding Restorative Justice in Oregon in 2021.***

***HEADS UP: This episode's audio quality is limited by the resources available at the time of the conference. Though, we are still excited to share this episode because of the quality of conversation. Enjoy!

In 2021, the Criminal Justice Commission created rules regarding the administration of the Restorative Justice Grant Program. Those rules require applicants to propose community based restorative justice programs that serve as alternatives to prosecution. This requirement is in alignment with best practices from across the country that speak to the importance of community held restorative justice programs.

This panel discussion will explore the importance of keeping restorative justice programs based in community and separate from the criminal legal process. Panelists will provide background on their experiences with community based restorative justice programs and will speak to the critical differences between the restorative and punitive approaches to harm.

Danielle DeCant

Deputy District Attorney in Hood River County

Member of Circles of Peace Advisory Team in the Columbia River Gorge

danielle.decant@hoodrivercounty.gov

Debra Pennington-Davis

Circles of Peace Program/Six Rivers Dispute Resolution Center

Restorative Justice Coordinator

debrap@6rivers.org

Laura Diamond (She/her)

Emily B. Naylor

Emerging Adult Program / Community Solutions of Central Oregon

Restorative Justice Specialist & Lead Facilitator

Emily@solutionsco.org

ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ON THE RISE

The world's first restorative justice podcast and public lives platform, since 2011, reaching and connecting 6 continents and tens of thousands of listeners and practitioners per episode.

with Shaylie Pickrell

Director of Operations & Infrastructure, RJ Facilitator - Restorative Roots Project (PDX, OR, USA)

In this 1:15h episode, we drop deeply into the concept that our greatest losses might just be our greatest powers to serve our communities, and our world.

We explore key topics such as:

• The Power of Vulnerability
• Restorative Justice and Community Referrals
• The Power of Our Stories
• Arts and Restorative Justice
• Insights From A Former Corrections Officer

ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ON THE RISE

The world's first restorative justice podcast and public lives platform, since 2011, reaching and connecting 6 continents and tens of thousands of listeners and practitioners per episode.

Shifting Narratives: Building Trust and Visibility for The Trans Community with Documentarian (REMARKABLE, 2024) Logan Ward, Hami Samba, and the Restorative Rainbow Alliance's Ames Stenson and Rami El-Gharib

This feature panel discussion is in collaboration with the Restorative Rainbow Alliance, Restorative Justice on The Rise, and Director and Producer Logan Ward to uplift the incredible film: Remarkable: Voices From The Trans Community. {Watch Now}

In this conversation we get to hear from trans man and creator of the film, Logan Ward, as well as a major voice in the film, Hami Samba, who both share about the comfort they found in being able to tell their own narratives. Logan's film illustrates distrust towards the trans community and proposes that community-centered and participatory practices could assist in rebuilding that trust.

All of these ideas are discussed, and the RRA's restorative justice and queer lens helps us consider these ideas within context.

In addition, we want to highlight the RRA's code of conduct, and their overall efforts, within the restorative justice field.

Please let us know if you'd like to contact any/all of our panelists for possible engagement in your community! To contact Logan Ward directly, click here

Length: 1:12

REMARKABLE on Insta: www.instagram.com/remarkablefilm

Restorative Rainbow Alliance: https://www.restorativerainbowalliance.org

Restorative Justice on The Rise is the very first live and standard podcast since 2011 focusing on Restorative Justice and Peacebuilding, from the personal to collective, demonstrating powerful stories, cases, and insights from a robust range of diverse voices, and reaching every continent in our world. We can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and our collaboration for this podcast episode is a result of our Fellowship status with the Salzburg Global Media Academy, a program forging critical pathways forward in the age of AI.

Dr. Paul Mihailidis on The Role Media Plays in Social Justice, Belonging, and Transformation

Paul Mihailidis is a professor of civic media and journalism and assistant dean in the school of communication at Emerson College in Boston, MA, where he teaches media literacy, civic media, and community activism. He is founding program director of the MA in Media Design, Senior Fellow of the Emerson Engagement Lab, and faculty chair and director of the Salzburg Academy on Media and Global Change. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Scientific American, Slate Magazine, the Nieman Foundation, USA Today, Newsweek, CNN, and others. Mihailidis holds a visiting professorship at Bournemouth University in England and the Catholic University of Argentina, Buenos Aires.
Paul is also the Co-Editor of Transformative Media Pedagogies (Routledge, 2022).  We jump right into the purpose of the 17 Year Media Academy Efforts, the irrevocable connection between media and social justice, "Radiant mojo" and the powerful impact of the life of Moses Shumow, and much more.  Listen in to discover Paul's insights into how media may just be the most impactful part of changing global narratives, systems, and individual lives. Host: Molly Rowan Leach

Length: 44m

Salzburg Global Seminar Website: www.salzburgglobal.org

Salzburg Academy on Media and Global Change: https://www.salzburgglobal.org/multi-year-series/media-academy

Restorative Justice on The Rise is the very first live and standard podcast since 2011 focusing on Restorative Justice and Peacebuilding, from the personal to collective, demonstrating powerful stories, cases, and insights from a robust range of diverse voices, and reaching every continent in our world. We can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and our collaboration for this podcast episode is a result of our Fellowship status with the Salzburg Global Media Academy, a program forging critical pathways forward in the age of AI. 

#RJ & Heart Coherence with Deborah Rozman of the Institute of HeartMath

Personal coherence is a critical aspect of working within any human services position, and perhaps even more critical when offering restorative justice practices of any kind. The clear intersection between facilitator coherence and the potential for optimal support and potential best outcomes is evident, and in this conversation with Deborah Rozman we cover the science behind heart-brain coherence and how it impacts not just ourselves, but those in our proximity and beyond, in ways that are now quantified. In plain words, if you are coherent, you are present, able to listen, able to stay neutrally oriented, and offer depthful facilitation. The implications are limitless in the field of social justice, and beyond....

Dr. Deborah Rozman is a psychologist, business executive, educator, author and a researcher in the psychology of consciousness. Dr. Rozman has written numerous books, including the award-winning Meditating With Children and co-authoring with Doc Childre the Transforming Series — Transforming Anger, Transforming Stress, Transforming Anxiety and Transforming Depression. She helped Doc Childre found the Institute of HeartMath and currently is president and co-CEO of Quantum Intech Inc., the HeartMath technology company that develops and manufactures emWave^® coherence feedback technologies. Prior to her involvement with HeartMath she was executive vice president of a biotech company where she directed sponsored research projects with Harvard University. Dr. Rozman serves on the HeartMath Institute’s Global Coherence Initiative Steering Committee and is a key spokesperson for the HeartMath System, giving keynote addresses and media interviews on HeartMath research and applications.

Visit the Institute of HeartMath Website

In this hour dialogue we open with a "Quick Coherence" guided meditation, then cover the following areas:

• To open us up, share about your vision, passion, and entry point that landed you studying the science of the heart and with HMI
• What discoveries excite and inspire you the most that you think would help people better understand science-backed human capacities?
• Tell us a bit about your specific research over the past decades--a synopsis of some of it and what most inspires you about the findings
• There is a growing movement, globally, surrounding the power of intention and coherence that is beautifully demonstrated in a recent film that shows how we have the power to influence the "field" regardless of time and space--can you speak to that, and also let us know what your definition of "the field" is?
• How does heart brain coherence affect our ability to listen?
• Does heart brain coherence impact our openness to receive new information, ie, bring us out of assumptions into new levels of understanding?
• Many Indigenous refer to dialogue as a "field" -- can you share how this relates for you, and for your findings?
• As it concerns restorative justice and dialogue work, how can heart-brain coherence drastically improve the ability for a facilitator to impact the dialogic field?
• How does heart brain coherence directly impact trauma survivors?
• The intersection of personal coherence of dialogue leaders and their teams with restorative justice process is an edge area in this field, but it seems that it is an absolute no brainer that facilitators and keepers would adopt this as a regular, ongoing practice. Can you speak to how easy it is to shift, even on the fly, into coherence?