Presenters include Dr. Angela Davis, Tim Wise and Dr. Shakti Butler

This June, The National Association of Community and Restorative Justice will bring together faith leaders, educators, judges, politicians, policy makers, practitioners and community members from 31 states and 3 countries to explore race and the use of restorative justice principles and practices in today’s world.

The 4th National Conference on Restorative Justice will take place in Toledo, Ohio, USA at The Hotel at UTMC (formerly the Hilton Hotel) from June 19 through 21.

Sponsored by Lourdes University and The University of Toledo, this year’s conference features international speakers and experts in the field of Restorative Justice, including:

Keynote Speaker: Angela Davis, Ph.D.
A Distinguished Professor Emerita of History of Consciousness at the University of California, in Santa Cruz, Dr. Davis is a founding member of Critical Resistance, a national organization dedicated to dismantling the industrial prison complex. She is also an affiliate of Sisters Inside, an abolitionist organization based in Australia that works in solidarity with women in prison.

Guest Speaker: Tim Wise
Named one of the “25 Visionaries who are Changing the World” by Utne Reader, Mr. Wise is an international speaker (in all 50 states, Canada and Bermuda, and on more than 800 campuses), and author of 6 books on race issues. A recipient of the 2001 British Diversity Award for best feature essay on race issues, he is also a regular contributor on CNN and ABC’s 20/20.

Presenters:
Shakti Butler, Ph.D.
A filmmaker and racial justice educator, Dr. Butler is a master at inviting people to see themselves as indelibly connected to each other and the world we live in. A multiracial African-American woman (African, Arawak Indian, and Russian-Jewish) whose work as a creative and visionary bridge builder has challenged and inspired learning for over two decades. She hopes to offer her presentation via live video streaming at San Quentin prison.

Theo Gavrielides, Ph.D.
Founder and Director of the youth-led social policy think-tank Independent Academic Research Studies (IARS), Dr. Gavrielides is an Advisory Board Member of the Institute for Diversity Research, Inclusivity, Communities and Society (IDRICS), Faculty of Society & Health, at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK.

Ericka Huggins
A professor in Sociology at Laney & Berkeley City College, and Women’s Studies at California State University, East Bay, Ms. Huggins has been a political activist since the 1960’s. She founded the Black Panther Party in New Haven, CT, and remains the party’s longest running female leader. Other accomplishments include establishing the Oakland Unified School District sponsored After School Academy with the help of Maya Angelou and the Bay Area United Fund.

Pete Lee, Lynn Lee, Sharletta Evans
Colorado State Representative of District 18 Pete Lee helped establish Colorado’s Restorative Justice Bill. His wife Lynn serves as Chair of the Pikes Peak Restorative Justice Council and has received the John Gallagher Restorative Justice Volunteer of the Year award. Sharletta Evans is a Certified Addiction Counselor and founded the Red Cross Blue Shield Gang Prevention Inc., a non-profit, faith-based organization offering an alternative to gangs and activities.

Katherine van Wormer, Ph.D.
A professor of Social Work at the University of Northern IA, Dr. van Wormer has worked extensively in the field of substance abuse counseling and has co-authored and authored a total of 16 books. Her most recent work is titled Restorative Justice Today: Practical Applications.

Robert Yazzie, J.D.
A member of the Navajo Nation Bar Association, Mr. Yazzie practiced law for 16 years, serving as Chief Justice for the Navajo Nation from 1992 until his retirement in 2003. He currently serves as Visiting Professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law, Adjunct Professor of the Department of Criminal Justice at Northern Arizona University, and Visiting Faculty for the National Judicial College. He will speak with Navajo Peacemaker Ruthie Alexius.

Registration is $300 per person. Day pass, single event, and group rates are available upon request. For more information visit www.restorativejusticenow.org.

The National Association of Community and Restorative Justice is a non-profit organization that provides a professional association for educators, practitioners and others interested in restorative and community justice. The primary means to fulfill this purpose are educational and will be carried out through the National Conference on Restorative Justice and a membership accessible website. The Association will use principles of social and restorative justice to assist educators, practitioners and others to seek transformation in the ways justice questions are addressed within the United States. The Association will promote effective forms of justice that are equitable, sustainable and socially constructive.

Sponsored by:

                                                                                

Media Coverage
The Blade (June 17, 2013)
The Blade (June 20, 2013)
The Blade (June 22, 2013)
13 ABC (June 24, 2013)