YOU CAN NOW APPLY TO OUR FALL 2026 APPRENTICESHIP!
CLICK HERE TO APPLY If you want to hear a powerful testimonial about the value this program brings, watch this video on Instagram or TiKtok
MARK YOUR CALENDARS & SPREAD THE WORD!
We had the privilege of circling with The Forgotten Third (TFT)!!
The Forgotten Third Inc. (TFT) is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to reduce gun violence and crime among youth in underserved Harris County communities. Through mentorship, education, employment, and reentry support—grounded in trauma-informed care—they’ve achieved an impressive 7.5% recidivism rate among participants.
Deep gratitude to restorative practitioners Unique Simmons, Deshandrea Yates, and youth board member Amiyah Yates for holding a powerful and heartfelt circle on “adulting.” Click to see a clip of the circle on INSTAGRAM or TIKTOK
We’re excited to be building toward a collaboration with The Forgotten Third to develop a restorative diversion program, informed by what we’ve both learned through the Common Justice Practitioners Lab.
More to come—stay tuned
Supporting Trafficking & Sexual Violence Survivor Centered Work!
We had the honor of traveling to Waco to visit Lovely Village and meet the founder, Emily Mills who is doing absolutely amazing work with survivors of human trafficking & sexual assault. We also were able to attend a panel with the Waco Human Trafficking Coalition at Magnolia HQ where they presented on restorative justice and the work they’re doing. Cheryl spoke about the TDCJ’s Victim Offender Mediation Dialogue program & you can see a clip of that on Instagram & Tiktok.
Our apprentice and dear friend Cheryl Miller, connected us to potentially form a partnership with them to offer these circles to survivors here in Houston! Cheryl trained Emily in the circle process & she is now applying what she learned in a beautiful way. We are incredibly excited about the possibilities this connection will bring.
We’re deeply grateful to Emily for her genuine hospitality and for inviting me to sit in on one of their survivor circles. It was a profound experience to witness just how adaptable and powerful the circle process can be—how it can hold even the heaviest, most tender experiences while still making space for connection, care, and healing. Being in that space with such courage and vulnerability was incredibly moving, and as a survivor myself, it reminded me how vital and needed this kind of support truly is.
Seeing the life changing impact circles continue to bring to so many diverse populations is awe inspiring & makes our resolve to continue to expand our work stronger.
If you would like to donate so that we can offer these services to these types of populations, click HERE!
Cohort #3 is a wrap!
Congratulations to our 2026 Apprenticeship Spring cohort!! Today was the culmination of 7 weeks of intensive training. We are so proud and incredibly excited to see the impact these amazing humans go on to do in the world through restorative circles!
Ten participants received Certificates of Participation in our 22 hour, 7 session professional development series. Sunflowers were picked, essential oils were sniffed, tears were shed, food was eaten - including samosas and candied pecans from Bucees - and pods gave one another feedback on scripts that will be facilitated within the next 6 months for the Apprenticeship Certificate. Thank you to each of our apprentices who put in the work and time to complete the program. We love you and are looking forward to continuing to follow your journey of circle keeping & being in community with you.
A special thanks to our tireless trainer Anita Wadhwa for her dedication and support throughout the cohort. You’re our rockstar!!!
Remember applications to our next cohort in the fall are now open and deadline to apply is May 22! We hope you are part of our next one!
Our Joy as Ritual Circle went beyond our expectations!
We can’t thank Community Artist Collective and Lualo Studio enough for partnering with us to make this beautiful community quality time happen within such a beautiful exhibit in a beautiful community focused art studio in the heart of our city. It was especially meaningful to connect with folks from Lualo Studio, whose work is featured in the beautiful exhibit you see in the background, curated by the Community Artists Collective dedicated to providing an educational and cultural bridge among African American artists and all communities, inspiring unlimited creativity. Ya’ll HAVE TO go check out this exhibit in person ya’ll!
It was so special to be in a space that is a literal expression of everything that makes community what it is: a home, an altar, a tree of connections that bear so much fruit in our lives. You can watch a clip of the circle on TikTok.
This circle reminded us that care is not just about holding the heavy things—it’s also about making space for joy. Joy is not a distraction from the work. It is what makes the work possible.
Thank you to everyone for bringing the delicious food!! That pork really HIT THE SPOT! So sad I didn’t get any pictures of the food!
Our hope is that people left remembering that joy is something we can practice, protect, and share—together.
A heartfelt tribute for a special person from Anita:
"For four years, Martin Garcia was incarcerated. Teachers aren’t supposed to have favorites, but he was one of mine."
That’s the line that opened my dissertation, which later became my first book. Martin was one of the most brilliant students I ever taught. He hated school, often skipped to go to the beach, yet still showed up to my class first thing in the morning. During independent reading—something nearly eliminated in the district where my daughters now attend—he chose books like Kafka’s Metamorphosis. He loved The Alchemist.
I’ve thought about him often over the years. We exchanged letters when he was in prison, and I mailed him books. He got out at the same time that I returned to Houston. He spoke at Restorative Houston’s first conference in 2013, newly home and full of insight. We eventually lost touch. Recently, I reached out to one of his peers and learned what I had quietly feared: Martin passed away two years ago of natural causes. I found his obituary and spent the weekend scrolling through names and faces of former students, community members, people who loved him.
Martin shaped my research, my writing, and the work I do in Houston more than he ever knew. I’ve missed him for years, and now I miss him terribly.
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!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
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
