Restorative Practices Conference (Bowie State University)

Virtual Conference

2021 Theme: "Seeing & Serving Our Children Through Our Lens"

Questions? restorativejustice@bowiestate.edu

www.bowiestate.edu

The Inaugural Institute For

Restorative Justice & Practices

Virtual Conference

Friday, April 9, 2021

The Institute for Restorative Justice Practices Conference allows caregivers, students, educators, service providers, community leaders, policymakers and restorative practices experts to explore, engage and collaborate to shape a strength-based narrative of the diverse experiences and needs of young people from different backgrounds.

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (EST)

2021 Theme: "Seeing & Serving Our Children Through Our Lens" Keynote Speakers

Panelists

Hon. Aisha Braveboy Prince George's State's Attorney

Jasmyn Story

International Restorative Justice Facilitator

Dr. Byron McClure School Psychologist, Anacostia High School and Founder of The Big Five App

Alex Lambert '12 Restorative Justice Facilitator and Trainer

Dr. Felicia Hayward '21 Donna Haynes '94

Special Entertainment

Leon Timbo Musical Artist

John Johnson

Poet/Playwright Verbal Gymnastics Theater Company

Principal Maya Angelou Public Charter School

Parent Advocate, DMV Mothers Like Me

Registration (FREE) Azikwe Agyeyei Teacher/Cultural Artist, Drumming

HTTP://BIT.LY/BSURJP

Attendees can earn continuing education credits (CEUs)

Questions? restorativepracticesconference@bowiestate.edu

www.bowiestate.edu

Bowie State University Mission Statement As Maryland’s first historically black public university, Bowie State University empowers a diverse population of students to reach their potential by providing innovative academic programs and transformational experiences as they prepare for careers, lifelong learning, and civic responsibility. Bowie State University supports Maryland’s workforce and economy by engaging in strategic partnerships, research, and public service to benefit our local, state, national, and global communities.

Vision Bowie State University will be widely recognized as one of the nation’s best public comprehensive universities that is a model for academic excellence, innovation, and student success.

Points of Pride Developing real-world solutions. Computer science and technology students work on cyber challenges with expert faculty and industry partners.

Course-based research. Undergraduate natural sciences students who choose a research track work with faculty mentors to find breakthroughs in health and medicine.

Professional broadcasting experience. Streaming worldwide, WBSU Radio provides students with experience in radio production and digital technology.

Closing teacher workforce gaps. By partnering with local school districts, the College of Education has launched initiatives to prepare more students to become certified educators.

Bowie State University aspires to infuse innovative practices into academic and administrative functions by encouraging students, faculty, staff, and administrators to utilize best practices and pursue new opportunities.

Founder and Co-Founder

Dr. Charles Adams

Founder, Institute for Restorative Justice and Practices, Chair, Behavioral Sciences and Human Services, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice

Dr. Matasha L. Harris

Co-founder, Institute for Restorative Justice and Practices, Coordinator, Criminal Justice Program, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice Program | Points of Pride U.S. Department of Education Second Chance Pell Experimental Site - Bowie State University Partnership with the Maryland Legislative Services – Racial Impact Statements Restorative Justice Concentration

Restorative Justice & Practices Conference Committee Welcome Letter April 9, 2021 Greetings, Conference Attendees: We would like to personally welcome each of you to our Bowie State University Inaugural Restorative Justice and Practices Virtual Conference.

Our theme, "Seeing and Serving Our Children Through Our Lens" underscores the importance of the African proverb, “It takes a village” to shift the paradigm from a punitive approach to restorative practices. As indicated on the enclosed agenda, this conference provides a unique and dynamic opportunity for educators, community, family and criminal justice partners to join in a collective discussion on how restorative justice and practices can reconcile harm and wrongdoing.

The conference is designed to be informative, interactive and educational. We have assembled a multi-disciplinary group of subject-matter experts, community activists, professionals, and other advocates as a collective with a common goal, to enlighten, empower and encourage our participants to reexamine restorative justice and practices through a transformative lens.

This conference aims to create a safe space to: enlighten participants about restorative policies and practices; exchange and establish best practices in schools, home and community settings; empower participants to ensure equity and excellence in learning and behavior experiences, opportunities and outcomes for diverse groups of youth and; reexamine how to navigate restorative practices in the current climate.

The ongoing pandemic and racial unrest throughout our nation provide an opportunity to raise awareness regarding restorative justice and practices. We would like to thank each of you for your active engagement and participation in this year's conference. Your voice, presence, and lived experiences are invaluable to our collective healing in our families, communities, and nation.

A special thank you to Provost Carl A. Goodman for his support in the newly launched Institute for Restorative Justice and Practices.

Sincerely,

The Restorative Justice & Practices Conference Planning Committee restorativejustice@bowiestate.edu @bsu_instituteforrjp

Keynote Speakers

Jasmyn Story

International Restorative Justice Facilitator

Alex Lambert '12

Restorative Justice Facilitator and Trainer

Panelists

Honorable Aisha Braveboy Prince George's County State's Attorney

As State’s Attorney, Aisha Braveboy is the top law enforcement officer in the County, responsible for the safety and security of over 900,000 citizens. Her motto for the Office under her administration, is – “Crime is personal…personal to the victim, personal to the community and personal to the State’s Attorney’s Office.”

As a Delegate, Ms. Braveboy was appointed by the Speaker of the House to serve as Chair of the Consumer Protection Subcommittee.

She was elected by her peers to serve as Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, where she guided the 44-member organization on a wide range of policy issues including parity for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), reducing mass incarceration, enhancing tools to prosecute rapists, increasing opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses and reducing health disparities in our State.

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Panelists

Donna Haynes '94 Parent Advocate, DMV Mothers Like Me

Donna Haynes is a Prince Georgian native who received her education through the county’s public school system, and is an alumna of Bowie State University. She is a mother of two sons, one for which she unexpectedly became a caregiver after falling victim to gun violence, leaving him with a traumatic brain injury. As a result, Donna is the founder of DMV Mothers Like Me, a local support group that connects suburban mothers of DC, Maryland and Virginia whose lives have been impacted by gun violence. She is also the self-published author of CINCINNATI DOE: A Mother’s 30-Day Journey in ICU, which relives the details of her family’s tragedy turned triumph.

Because of Donna’s tireless efforts of advocating for her son and other gun violence survivors, she was recently recognized by the community as WHUR’s Women’s History Month SHERO.

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Panelists

Dr. Byron McClure School Psychologist, Anacostia High School and Founder of The Big Five App Dr. Byron M. McClure, D.Ed., Bio Dr. Byron McClure is a National Certified School Psychologist currently redesigning a high school in Southeast, D.C. His work centers around influencing systemic change and ensuring students from high-poverty communities has access to a quality education. Dr. McClure has extensive knowledge and expertise in mental health, social emotional learning, and behavior.

Dr. McClure has done considerable work advocating for fair and equitable discipline practices for all students, particularly, for African-American boys. He has designed and implemented school-wide initiatives such as SEL, restorative practices, MTSS, and trauma responsive practices. As a result of this work, led by Dr. McClure, his school recently won the 2019-2020 Whole Child Award.

Dr. McClure has presented across the country as a panelist, featured, and keynote speaker.

He believes in maximizing everyone’s limitless potential.

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Panelists

Dr. Felicia Hayward '21 Principal Maya Angelou Public Charter School

Felecia Hayward is a Southern Maryland native who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

Dr. Hayward has master’s degrees in Special Education K-12 (M.A.T.) from Trinity University-DC and School Leadership and Supervision (M.Ed.) from Bowie State University. Dr. Hayward completed her Doctorate in Education at Bowie State University which she attended under the Culturally Responsive Leadership in Special Education (CRELSE) federal grant program.

Dr. Hayward is devoted to serving students with disabilities in urban and nontraditional education settings. From her work at High Road to her work at Maya Angelou Public Charter School and Maya Angelou Academy, she has developed a wealth of knowledge as an educator and as a school administrator.

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Entertainment

Brother Yao (Professor Hoke Smith Glover III) bandwidth922@gmail.com hokeglover@yahoo.com Bro. Yao is a poet and non-fiction writer living in Lanham, MD. His poetry has been published in Crab Orchard Review, African-American Review, Ploughshares, Beltway Quarterly, and other journals. He teaches at Bowie State University in the Department of Language, Literature, and Cultural Studies. His second book of poetry, One Shoe Marching Towards Heaven, was published by Africa World Press in Summer 2020.

He is currently working on a book of essays called The Wuhan Soundtrack based on his experience living in Wuhan, China. In addition to teaching and writing poetry he has also been studying the art of Taiji (T’ai Chi) for over a decade.

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Entertainment

Sidiki Paul Lancaster AZIKWE AGYEYEI Drumming Sidiki.lancaster@gmail.com Brother Sidiki is a traditional African percussionist, dancer, choreographer, historian and folklorist. He is a scholar and soughtout practitioner of the ceremonial and ritual traditions of Northern and West Africa and the African Diaspora. Brother is also a practitioner of the traditional African healing arts. In his 50+ years of extensive drumming and healing experience, Sidiki was a fortunate apprentice to legendary artists Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Abdoulaye Camara, and Djimo Kouyate.

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Entertainment

John Johnson Verbal Gymnastics Theater Company Verbalgymnastics.com John Johnson is a native Washingtonian and is the founder of Verbal Gymnastics Theater Company. He uses an innovative approach to storytelling that gives voice to community through Playback Theatre. Mr. Johnson is a director, actor, public radio contributor, arts educator, and father of two. He holds a B.A. in theater form the University of the District of Columbia and uses his background in theater to create unique, interactive experiences when writing and performing. Mr. Johnson has worked as a drama therapist with a partnership with the District’s Youth Services Center. Some of Mr. Johnson's early career accolades include being a published author of a book of poetry called “Love for Her. He has written and produced six plays that reflect and celebrate the culture of his native city, Washington DC. He has also been a three-time Artist Fellow of the DC Arts Commission. Other honors include participation in Sounds of the Underground, DC HIP HOP Theatre Festival one-act plays. One of his most recent contributions is to a radio project at American University WAMU 88.5 in conjunction with the Association of Independent Radio called “Anacostia Unmapped,” which captures the narratives of local residents in rapidly-changing communities “East of the River” in Washington D.C.

Entertainment

Leon Timbo

Musician IG: @leontimbo FB: leontimbomusic Twitter: @leontimbo Leon Timbo is a singer, songwriter from Jacksonville, FL. His unique musical style bridges the gap between sacred and secular. Leon’s focus on love and all that it entails often results in him being invited to lead people into worship and facilitate conversations about what it means to love ourselves and each other.

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Workshop Facilitator

Reframing Deficit Thinking Through Root Cause Analysis: A Proactive Guide to Supporting Student Behavior Speaker: Kelsie Reed School Psychology Doctoral Candidate (Loyola University Chicago) This workshop aims to support educators in understanding how deficit thinking manifests in schools and how it may consequently impact the way we view and respond to student misbehavior. The proposed workshop will guide participants will through a reflection process where they are asked to consider, reflect upon, and discuss some of their bias.

This workshop will: Provide a greater understanding of the root cause analysis process.

Increase understanding of how one’s implicit biases may be impacting them in schools.

Knowledge about malleable approaches to responding to student behaviors.

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Workshop Facilitator

Let’s Talk About It: Engaging Conversations On Sexual Health and Intimate Partner Violence Among Youth, Adolescents and Young Adults Speaker: Dr. Yarneccia D. Dyson University of North Carolina Greensboro There is an inherent need for community-based providers, state, and local government offices, as well as school settings, to understand the importance of implementing restorative practices that target both survivors and aggressors, in order to effect change and decrease future instances from occurring. This requires acknowledging how lived experiences and culture/cultural values affect he ways in which survivors are supported as well as aggressors are educated about any oppressive behaviors.

This workshop will: Create spaces for survivors to tell their stories and detail what they’ve experienced.

Create spaces to engage aggressors to foster accountability and address their needs.

Develop strategies to consider in leading listening sessions to understand community perspectives regarding this topical area Implement restorative skills and strategies in communities, organizations, and agencies.

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Workshop Facilitator

Crime & Punishment Speaker: Mr. Alex Lambert (’12) D.C. Office of the Attorney General, Restorative Justice Facilitator A different approach to crime and punishment in the community is needed. The current approach to community is harmful because it was a forced mindset by the oppressor, tactics are used against the victim and not the perpetrator.

This workshop will: Increase understanding about how our pre-slavery culture was built.

Create a space for participants to share their vision for a restored community.

Collaborate to develop strategies to shed off punitive measures and implement restorative practices in the community.

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Workshop Facilitator

Restorative Justice and Title IX: Strategies for Ethical Engagement Speaker: Isabel Filkins Bard College at Simon's Rock, Title IX Coordinator The 2020 Title IX regulations established an opportunity for campuses to consider using Restorative Justice as a method for resolving some reports of sex or gender-based harassment when all parties are amenable to pursuing an informal resolution.

This workshop will: Address key issues regarding the intersection between Restorative Justice and Title IX. Lead participants through various case studies where participants will be encouraged to recognize what ethical questions and/or information must be considered at each stage of an informal resolution process.

Workshop Facilitator

Education in Juvenile Detention Centers Speaker: Dr. Felicia Hayward '12 Principal, See Forever Foundation-Maya Angelou Academy Teaching and learning within the juvenile justice system is a vastly understudied and often misunderstood area of education. It is reported that approximately 44,000 youth are confined in the juvenile justice system and these youths are entitled to a well-rounded, quality education

This workshop will: Discuss profiles of the youth who are in juvenile detention centers.

Best practices for educating youth in juvenile detention centers.

Highlight a nationally recognized local program that is providing education inside a juvenile detention center. Provide external stakeholders with information about professional opportunities in juvenile justice education.

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Workshop Facilitator

Restorative Justice and Family Engagement: Process Speaker: Mr. Yazid Jackson Restorative Justice Senior Program Manager @schooltalksc_Inc @RestorativeDC @SchoolTalkDC

The Family’s Role in the Restorative

A basic understanding of restorative justice is critical to implementing restorative practices. The positive impact that families/caregivers can have in the process as an advocate of their student and fidelity of the process.

This workshop will: Explain the process of restorative practices Assist stakeholders in challenging the current system Discuss equitable practices for marginalized students

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Workshop Facilitator

Convening Restorative Leadership in Latin America: Challenges throughout the Pandemic Speaker: Claire Marie de Mezerville Lopez Community Engagement Specialist, IIRP Claire de Mézerville López is a licensed psychologist from UCR (Universidad de Costa Rica). She holds a Master in Education with an emphasis on cognitive development from ITESM (Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, México). She also has a Master of Science in Restorative Practices from the IIRP Graduate School. She has experience as a university lecturer, therapist, researcher and consultant. Claire has published papers on adolescence, restorative practices, resilience and educational psychology. Claire has worked with the IIRP since 2011. Currently, among other duties, serves as a liaison to Spanish-speaking communities and organizations in Latin America and elsewhere.

Claire is based in Costa Rica, where she has coordinated and facilitated professional development processes on behalf of the IIRP with government agencies, including the Justice System (Poder Judicial), Ministry of Education (MEP) and Social Welfare Institute (IMAS), to help advance the application of restorative practices in different dimensions of civic life. Continuous cooperation with other agencies, including the National Psychologist Association and Peace Corps Costa Rica, provides continued training opportunities for social scientists, practitioners, community leaders and volunteers.

This workshop will: Describe pandemic-contextualized actions aimed to strengthening a restorative community of communities, based on flexibility, drive and generosity from agencies in a diversity of Latin American countries.

Present the challenges and gifts of bringing together Latin American experiences around restorative practices throughout the year of the pandemic.

Workshop Facilitator

Revolutionary Restorative Justice Speaker: Tracey Battle CEO/ Founder, Restore to Rebuild With increased awareness of the “School-to-Prison Pipeline,” racial disparities in schools' discipline, and other disparities between privileged and marginalized groups, educators are looking for answers. Many are turning to Restorative Justice (Practices) to address these problems. But Restorative Justice is NOT a program, trend, or the hot new thing in school discipline. At Restore 2 Rebuild, LLC, we define restorative justice as “a philosophy and set practices, rooted in indigenous teachings, that emphasize our interconnection by repairing relationships when harm occurs while proactivity building & maintaining relationships to prevent future harm.”

This workshop will: Equip individuals with the history and theoretical lens for engaging all stakeholders in implementing restorative practices in their organizations.

Inform about the ancestral roots of restorative practices while acknowledging the intentional erasure & disconnection from those roots.

Differentiate between punitive, permissive, neglectful, and restorative response to harm.

Create a space for reflection on practices to create actionable steps to work towards equity and dismantle systems of oppression.

Understand how restorative process applies to situations where harm occurs, identify proactive restorative practices to build and maintain relationships rooted in equity and trust.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND PRACTICES CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE

Dr. Ayanna M. Lynch

Dr. Kim Barnett

Dr. Makeba K. Green

Ms. Shinzira Shomade

Dr. Matasha L. Harris

Ms. Annette Wedderburn Ms. Janay Carpenter Dr. Wendy M. Edmonds

Instagram: @BSU_InstituteforRJP Twitter: #BSU_RJPC2021

Special thanks to the proposal committee for the Institute of Restorative Justice & Practices Dr. Cheryl Blackman Dr. Janeula Burt Dr. Sean Coleman Dr. Kimetta Hairston Dr. Wilbur Parker Dr. Akeda Pearsonstenbar Dr. Darla Scott Mr. Kendall Kelly

Instagram: @BSU_InstituteforRJP Twitter: #BSU_RJPC2021

Conference and Workshop Survey

Please complete after each interactive workshop.

See you next year!

Instagram: @BSU_InstituteforRJP Twitter: #BSU_RJPC2021