PGCCCP is honored to recognize Rosanne C. Wilson, our longest serving active volunteer facilitator. Rosanne has been in the program since 2015, and has continued to be an integral member of the PGCCCP RJ family. Rosanne recently retired from her career as an educator after spending forty-three years as a teacher, a principal, and county-level specialist. During this school year, Rosanne lead one of the program's online school restorative circle groups with a group of 4th graders. Rosanne recently moved out of state; however, she will continue to volunteer with the program as one of our virtual circle keepers and as a member of PGCCCP Advisory Board. Let's see what Rosanne has to say about her RJ journey.
How did you learn about restorative justice?
During my tenure as Specialist for Positive Behavior Supports and Bullying Prevention, for HCPPS, I had opportunities to attend several Restorative Practices/Justice conferences which led to Restorative Practices for Trainers training, Community Conference Facilitator Training, Peace Circle Training, and Restorative Justice Peace Circle Training.
Why did you want to become a volunteer facilitator?
During my work as a Restorative Practices/Justice trainer for HCPSS, it became clear to me that I wanted to continue the work after retirement.
How has your time as an RJ facilitator impacted your life?
It has opened opportunities for me to learn more about how restorative justice is being, or not being, utilized in the court system, various school systems and in communities. When we were able to have Community Conferences with students it reinforced for me the fact that most students who make poor choices behaviorally, are ready to talk things out and move forward in a positive manner.
How did you learn about restorative justice?
During my tenure as Specialist for Positive Behavior Supports and Bullying Prevention, for HCPPS, I had opportunities to attend several Restorative Practices/Justice conferences which led to Restorative Practices for Trainers training, Community Conference Facilitator Training, Peace Circle Training, and Restorative Justice Peace Circle Training.
Why did you want to become a volunteer facilitator?
During my work as a Restorative Practices/Justice trainer for HCPSS, it became clear to me that I wanted to continue the work after retirement.
How has your time as an RJ facilitator impacted your life?
It has opened opportunities for me to learn more about how restorative justice is being, or not being, utilized in the court system, various school systems and in communities. When we were able to have Community Conferences with students it reinforced for me the fact that most students who make poor choices behaviorally, are ready to talk things out and move forward in a positive manner.
PGCCCP is honored to recognize Lauren Abramson. Lauren has been a facilitator since 1995 and is currently facilitating and doing program development work with groups and jurisdictions that are interested in developing their own RJ programs (www.communitytransformation.net) . Let's see what Lauren has to say about her RJ journey.
How did you learn about restorative justice?
I was at a 1994 conference on Anger in Philly when I heard Australian David Moore talk about their work developing Community Conferencing for juvenile justice and workplace applications. I attended their first US training in 1995, and the rest is history, as they say.
Why did you want to become an RJ facilitator?
For me, restorative justice was a perfect way to combine two things that really interest me and have meant a lot to me in my life: community activism, and understanding emotion from a biological and therapeutic perspective. When I was trained in Community Conferencing 1995, there were no RJ programs being done in a large American city, only in smaller towns like Burlington, VT and Bend, OR. At the time, I got a lot of pushback that “it wouldn’t work in a city like Baltimore,” which was a way for people to avoid saying that they didn’t think it would work in poor communities of color. Well, ignorance needs light to be shed on it to go away, right? So armed with an understanding of the biology of emotion and the vital role of emotion in dealing with conflict, I knew that conferencing was a way to provide all human beings with access to a form of justice that was fair. It’s fair, because everyone affected is included in the process, everyone has an equal voice, and it is based on resolving crime/conflict by allowing for the transformation of emotions. Conferencing lets people be who they are when they’re in conflict--to be emotional; and that’s basic to all human beings. Unfortunately, the dominant culture in this country is allergic to emotion, and our courts, our workplaces, our schools, you name it, all suffer because of it. Well, lo and behold, Baltimore residents proved it to be true, because over 20 years later, over 20,000 Baltimore residents have safely and effectively resolved their own crimes and conflicts using Community Conferencing.
So I guess I wanted to become a facilitator because I think the more ways we have to be emotionally healthier with each other, then we’ll be able to build a healthier and less violent world.
How has your time as an RJ facilitator impacted your life?
It’s helped me grow in so many ways. I’m still learning a lot, but it has definitely taught me to not make assumptions-- about people or about situations! I’ve also learned in a very deep way the importance of giving people the chance to make decisions for themselves, and if necessary to provide them with a good structure so they can do that. And to not rush in and fix things all the time! I also feel that I’ve learned ways to communicate more effectively--to be clear about expressing how I feel, to listen to and receive what others are saying about how they feel, to not take things personally, to be accountable and come right whenever possible when I cause harm, and to know how to put things aside if it’s not being productive. All of that has paved the way for more joy, clearer meaning, and hopefully more positive impact as I live my days in this world.
How did you learn about restorative justice?
I was at a 1994 conference on Anger in Philly when I heard Australian David Moore talk about their work developing Community Conferencing for juvenile justice and workplace applications. I attended their first US training in 1995, and the rest is history, as they say.
Why did you want to become an RJ facilitator?
For me, restorative justice was a perfect way to combine two things that really interest me and have meant a lot to me in my life: community activism, and understanding emotion from a biological and therapeutic perspective. When I was trained in Community Conferencing 1995, there were no RJ programs being done in a large American city, only in smaller towns like Burlington, VT and Bend, OR. At the time, I got a lot of pushback that “it wouldn’t work in a city like Baltimore,” which was a way for people to avoid saying that they didn’t think it would work in poor communities of color. Well, ignorance needs light to be shed on it to go away, right? So armed with an understanding of the biology of emotion and the vital role of emotion in dealing with conflict, I knew that conferencing was a way to provide all human beings with access to a form of justice that was fair. It’s fair, because everyone affected is included in the process, everyone has an equal voice, and it is based on resolving crime/conflict by allowing for the transformation of emotions. Conferencing lets people be who they are when they’re in conflict--to be emotional; and that’s basic to all human beings. Unfortunately, the dominant culture in this country is allergic to emotion, and our courts, our workplaces, our schools, you name it, all suffer because of it. Well, lo and behold, Baltimore residents proved it to be true, because over 20 years later, over 20,000 Baltimore residents have safely and effectively resolved their own crimes and conflicts using Community Conferencing.
So I guess I wanted to become a facilitator because I think the more ways we have to be emotionally healthier with each other, then we’ll be able to build a healthier and less violent world.
How has your time as an RJ facilitator impacted your life?
It’s helped me grow in so many ways. I’m still learning a lot, but it has definitely taught me to not make assumptions-- about people or about situations! I’ve also learned in a very deep way the importance of giving people the chance to make decisions for themselves, and if necessary to provide them with a good structure so they can do that. And to not rush in and fix things all the time! I also feel that I’ve learned ways to communicate more effectively--to be clear about expressing how I feel, to listen to and receive what others are saying about how they feel, to not take things personally, to be accountable and come right whenever possible when I cause harm, and to know how to put things aside if it’s not being productive. All of that has paved the way for more joy, clearer meaning, and hopefully more positive impact as I live my days in this world.