We did our first Conflict training in the Workplace!!
We were honored to facilitate our Conflict Resolution training, “Having Restorative Conversations in the Workplace,” with the team at The Beacon Houston this week!
Together, we explored core restorative justice values, unpacked different conflict styles, practiced effective communication strategies, engaged in movement activities to connect with what our body does when faced with conflict and engaged in interactive role plays to bring the learning to life.
It was a joy to be in community with such a dedicated team doing meaningful work. We’re deeply grateful for the opportunity to support their staff in strengthening how they navigate conflict and build connection.
Interested in bringing this training to your workplace or organization? Send us a DM or email us at [email protected]—we’d love to connect!
Our April Community Circle on Conflict was an absolute SUCCESS!
We had an absolute blast at our beautiful community circle on #conflict this past weekend kept by apprenticed circle keepers Tina Michel and Carnetta Griffin, M.A.. We were grateful to be hosted by TEXAS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY SERVICES in the East End. We role played scenarios where we went into fight/flight/freeze, and then used restorative sentence stems to express curiosity and get at unmet needs.
Thank you to Harris County Juvenile Probation Dept. for allowing youth from Youth Village to attend as well - they were fantastic at acting and, as one student said, were glad to get out of their comfort zone. It is always powerful to see how these kids’ demeanor shifts when they feel seen and treated as equals. You can view a clip of one of our role plays our participants did here on Instagram and TikTok.
Connection is the foundation of justice.
We are making important connections!
We had the privilege of meeting with Kathryn Kase, who is the legal counsel to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Kathryn went viral on our socials when we posted a clip of her speaking out about the racial roots of the Harris County Jail at the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Conference where Anita facilitated a panel. We knew we had to connect further with her & we had an incredibly productive meeting where she offered her support & guidance. View the viral video HERE on Tiktok & HERE on Instagram.
In addition to advising the County Judge in all manner of legal issues, Kathryn’s work includes improving the quality of indigent defense in Harris County. She also has extensive experience as a capital defense lawyer, having previously worked with Texas Defender Service for 15 years, five of them as Executive Director.
We are so grateful for these powerful connections & the great work that will result from them!
This month’s Mother/Caregive Circle was extra special in a beautiful setting!
This month’s Mother/caregiver circle was one for the books! We want to extend a huge thank you to Beauty’s Community Garden for generously providing their beautiful garden for us to gather in!
We connected & had rich conversations around what the origins of our mothering/caregiving programming were, how they have impacted us and how we want to move forward.
Our rockstar apprentices/volunteers Rayla Willis and Deshandrea Yates did an amazing job cokeeping as always ♥️.
There’s nothing like sunlight, nature and meaningful connection. You can watch a clip of the circle here on Instagram or on TikTok
📢📢📢Our next mother/caregiver circle will be May 9th also at Beauty’s Garden at 10am!
Congrats to another cohort member earning their full Apprenticeship!
Just one day before state standardized testing, our apprentice, Abby Parker Starghill, held a circle with 3rd grade students focused on emotional well-being.
Through food, movement, drawing, and breathwork, she created a grounded, nurturing space that offered students real tools for care and resilience.
What makes this even more special: Abby designed this entire circle—from the invitation to the script—during her apprenticeship this past fall, and brought it to life beautifully this week making her fully apprenticed! This is what it looks like to plant seeds of restorative practice in our schools. Watch a clip of her circle here on Tiktok and Instagram.
Want to learn how to hold circles with your family, clients, or community? Our apprenticeship application opens April 20 for the fall. Join us.
We attended a Community Engagement Fair at UHCL!
We had a wonderful time participating in the Community Engagement Fair at University of Houston Clear Lake where we made valuable connections & were able to get the word out about who we are to their students seeking volunteer opportunities.
Our Programming & Marketing Manager , Perla, was also on their panel the next evening to talk to the students about the impact of volunteer work & what students can gain from it drawing from her own experiences.
Opportunities like this are important to strengthen relationships within the community & get visibility. We are super grateful to Maria Jose Molina Sanchez O’Dell for reaching out to us about this event & making it a great experience!
Supporting Reentry Programs
Thank you to restorative justice advocate Monique Joseph and the Called to Change Ministry at the historic WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH for inviting Restorative Houston to participate in their Call to Change Reentry Simulation.
Embodying someone returning home after being incarcerated was uncomfortable, anger inducing, and anxiety producing. Some of us found ourselves laughing in the role plays just to find relief, but even in those moments we could feel our adrenaline rising as every service provider we approached was unable to meet our basic needs. The simulation made it clear how overwhelming and dehumanizing the reentry process can feel when support systems are fragmented or inaccessible.
Embodying someone who is repeatedly turned away from essential needs—health care, transportation, legal support, housing—was a powerful reminder of how many barriers our neighbors face when they are trying to rebuild their lives.
We are grateful for the opportunity to network with other organizations and strengthen our shared commitment to creating a Houston where every person returning home is met with dignity, support, and real pathways to stability.
Community is Everything
Thank you to Kiara Carter, a pilot member of our apprenticeship, for representing Restorative Houston at Little Free Art Locker's launch at Axelrad. We are grateful to Ash Agnite- another pilot member of our apprenticeship – for the invitation and inclusion in such a beautiful event to support arts, children, and the community. We are so grateful for the great work our apprenticed Circle keepers do in and for the community.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL REQUEST:
We are seeking support to send our part-time Programming & Marketing Manager, Perla Moreno—who already wears many hats and consistently goes above and beyond her role—to the biennial NACRJ Conference. Our Executive Director, Dr. Anita will be presenting on “Liberation in Motion: Moving Together through the Spiral of Youth Engagement in Restorative Justice.” This gathering brings together practitioners, systems-impacted individuals, and community organizers committed to advancing restorative justice, offering a powerful space for learning, connection, and collective transformation.
As a woman of color and a systems impacted person herself, Perla is deeply aligned with our mission and is not only a key contributor to our current work, but someone we are intentionally investing in and developing as a long-term leader within Restorative Houston. We see her growing into expanded responsibility and leadership in the years ahead, and opportunities like this are critical to her development and to the sustainability of our organization.
At this time, however, the cost of registration and lodging for this week-long conference is beyond our current budget. We are seeking a special donation to make her attendance possible—an investment not only in her growth, but in the future of our work and the communities we serve.
We are asking for $1,500 which includes lodging, travel costs and conference fees to make this happen. The conference is in New Orleans from July 7th-10th. ANY amount is highly appreciated! The deadline for donations is May 2nd. CLICK HERE TO DONATE!
ANNOUNCEMENT!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
In partnership with Lualo Studio and Community Artist Collective, we invite you to Joy as Ritual: a community restorative justice circle.
Featuring the Altar of Care exhibit by Lualo Studio, this circle focuses on the ways marginalized people reclaim their power through joy.
This isn’t just a discussion; it’s a restorative practice designed to honor the “quiet labor” of caring for one another when systems fail us.
📍 4111 Fannin St. Suite #100A
REGISTER HERE
Why: Because our joy is a ritual of resistance.
✨ Joy is the work. See you there.
Join us at the garden for a meaningful gathering honoring motherhood in all its forms. Enjoy a heartfelt motherhood circle, live cooking demonstrations, tea time with words from our founder, and a creative flower pot painting experience for the children. You can also enjoy a DIY bouquet station available on a first come, first serve basis. 💐 Our Motherhood/Caregiver Circle starts at 10AM! REGISTER HERE
