Restorative justice calls us to look honestly at the systems, structures, and relationships that shape people’s lives—and to take responsibility for transforming those that perpetuate inequity, exclusion, domination, and pain.
At RJI, our Equity, Liberation, and Belonging framework guides every aspect of our work, from how we design programs to how we show up in relationship.
We understand restorative justice not as a neutral practice, but as a deeply ethical one—rooted in shared power, dignity, and the ongoing work of building more just and livable systems.
Communities We Honor
We honor the dignity, perspectives, and leadership of people who have been historically excluded or marginalized by systems of power, including: Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; LGBTQIA2+ and gender-diverse people; people with disabilities, including neurodivergent people; formerly incarcerated people; unhoused and housing-insecure people; immigrants and refugees; people from low-income and working-class backgrounds; and others whose identities and lived experiences have been overlooked or devalued.
Naming and Transforming Systems of Oppression
We recognize that conflict often arises from inequitable systems, concentrated power, exclusion, and unresolved historical and collective trauma. Addressing conflict without addressing these conditions leads to partial solutions at best.
Our work is committed to:
This includes a willingness to ask difficult questions, disrupt comfort, and move beyond easy answers in service of deeper change.
Trauma-Informed and Relational Foundations
We understand that people’s responses to conflict, accountability, and communication are shaped by lived experience, nervous system responses, and relational histories. Our trauma-informed approach centers agency, choice, grounding, and relational integrity—recognizing that safety and clarity are prerequisites for meaningful engagement.
Rather than imposing solutions, we work to create conditions where people can participate fully, remain connected to themselves and others, and engage in processes that are responsive rather than coercive.
Belonging as a Restorative Outcome
We understand that people’s responses to conflict, accountability, and communication are shaped by lived experience, nervous system responses, and relational histories. Our trauma-informed approach centers agency, choice, grounding, and relational integrity—recognizing that safety and clarity are prerequisites for meaningful engagement.
Rather than imposing solutions, we work to create conditions where people can participate fully, remain connected to themselves and others, and engage in processes that are responsive rather than coercive.
A Living Commitment to Systems Change
Equity, liberation, and belonging are not static values—they are ongoing practices that we aim to integrate into every aspect of our work. We are committed to continual learning, reflection, feedback, and repair, both within our organization and in partnership with the communities we serve.
This includes examining our own assumptions, being willing to change when we learn more, and aligning our work with long-term systems transformation—not just immediate resolution. We are not interested in quick fixes. We are committed to work that is honest, adaptive, and oriented toward lasting positive impact.
Want to learn more? Contact us to start a conversation.
