Restorative Culture Commitment
As part of challenging white supremacy culture and practicing creating the world we want to exist in, a small group of WP4BL members with experience in various conflict resolution frameworks and restorative justice were invited in 2018 to support the design of restorative justice and circle processes for members as an integral part of WP4BL. Our resources in this area are available to everyone in the AWARE-LA / WP4BL collective. Our practices continue to evolve as we learn and grow and we will update this document when relevant to reflect that evolution.
What is restorative justice? Restorative justice (RJ) “promotes values and principles that use inclusive, collaborative approaches for being in community. These approaches validate the experiences and needs of everyone within the community, particularly those who have been marginalized, oppressed, or harmed. These approaches allow us to act and respond in ways that are healing, rather than alienating or coercive” (Amstutz & Mullet, 2015).
RJ recognizes that disagreements and harms are a natural part of life and, as people who value relationships, it is essential to address those harms with care and support. Our commitment to creating a culture of care asks that we practice accountability, look at the unmet needs often underlying our disputes, repair harm whenever possible, and create the conditions for stronger relationships moving forward.
Why restorative practices? As individuals and as an organization, we want to be less afraid of conflict, utilize our disagreements and differences to create a stronger community and programs, and learn to stay in relationship with each other when tensions arise. We want to better support members in exploring their values and navigating conflict that may arise as we do our work together-- either between members or within our working groups. For more on the relationship between fear of open conflict and white supremacy cultural patterns that support "politeness" or "avoidance", read more here. We know direct engagement with conflict is not easy, but it is important. We know we won't do it perfectly, but that it is worth doing.
The intent of this resource is to support relationships between members of the organization-- to develop our individual and collective capacity to express and be heard for our experiences, feelings, needs, and then to be creative in working together moving forward, individually and organizationally. The intent of this resource is not to cause further harm, shame, or remove people from our organization-- the goal is to help us work effectively together when conflicts, tensions, disagreements, or harms arise.
What might restorative culture practices in AWARE-LA look like? Any member of AWARE-LA may seek support from the Restorative Culture Team. Utilizing this resource may currently include:
Individual Support: 1-on-1 support/coaching for reflection and action in navigating tensions and conflicts on your own with other members
Witnessed Dialogues: Preparing for, bearing witness, and supporting a brave space for courageous conversations between 2-3 members
Facilitated Dialogues: Preparing for, structuring, and facilitating courageous conversations between 2-3 members
Small Groups: Preparing for, structuring, and facilitating courageous conversations with small groups, usually no more than 6 members
Larger Circles/Groups: Opportunities to participate in or make requests for larger circle processes in addressing group dynamics and larger organizational tensions
Who is currently leading this? The team currently includes over 20 members who are active members of the AWARE-LA / WP4BL collective. Our skill sets include restorative justice facilitation, conflict resolution and mediation, council and circle processes, social work, nonviolent communication, etc. We engage in ongoing skill-building and personal transformation work to prepare ourselves to meet the needs of our evolving community.
You may initiate a restorative process by contacting the Restorative Culture Team at: restorativecultureteam@gmail.com.