WHAT WE DO
We engage young people most impacted by violence with a restorative justice approach of healing, economic empowerment, and civic engagement that supports ongoing successful advocacy led by young people.
Introducing The Woodlawn Restorative Justice Program
The Woodlawn Restorative Justice Hub (WRJH) provides culturally responsive, healing-centered programs for African American youth and young adults ages 14–21 impacted by violence, trauma, and systemic inequities.
Located on the South Side of Chicago, WRJH serves youth and families throughout Chicago’s South Side and the greater metropolitan area—within communities rich in African American history, culture, leadership, and legacy, including the community that President Barack Obama called home.
Grounded in the African-centered principle of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—WRJH helps young people heal, strengthen their identity, develop leadership skills, and create pathways toward a positive future.
Through the Young Leaders for Peace Program and other initiatives, youth participate in restorative justice and peace circles, mental health and trauma support, cultural education, mentorship, leadership development, workforce readiness, financial literacy, and civic engagement.
WRJH uses a holistic, multigenerational approach, working with youth, families, mentors, and community partners to break cycles of trauma, reduce violence, restore hope, and prepare young people to become leaders and agents of change in their communities.
Our restorative justice program repairs harm to the victim while decreasing the offender’s likelihood of repeated crime. We are successful in promoting justice and reparation completion rates.
MENTAL HEALTH
The Multigenerational culture of WRJHUB allows youth participants to address cultural trauma, community violence, systemic and institutional violence, and bullying through healthy stress-response patterns and art-therapy sessions.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Youth participants engage regularly in community organizing activities -- including outreach, public speaking, and participatory research -- around juvenile and criminal-justice reform, healthcare, and community-development issues.
Cultural Pedegogy
A cultural learning program that provides youth with field trips and other enriching cultural experiences, reinforces the idea that we are all interconnected.
PEACE CIRCLES
Peace circles allow participants space to develop social-emotional and leadership skills and build community. Youth are empowered to engage in the grieving process, resolve conflict, and support one another. Youth take roles in planning and leading peace circles.
Economic Empowerment
Equipping youth with job readiness skills, mock interviews, virtual learning, soft skills training, resume building, and job placement assistance.
“I walked into this program carrying mistrust, anger, hurt, and a lot of questions. I wasn’t even sure what this thing called restorative justice really meant. I had my own struggles, my own history—some good, some bad—and I wasn’t sure what to expect.
But through my involvement in this program, I became a witness to my own growth. I learned how to recognize and embrace my victories, how to lead, how to be present, and how to believe that my past does not have to determine my future.
What made the biggest difference was experiencing people who truly cared about me and my family. I was treated with integrity, respect, patience, and acceptance. I learned that every person has their own individual blueprint and their own journey. There was no judgment—just people willing to listen, support me, challenge me, and love me through the process.
Restorative justice became more than something I learned about. It became something I experienced. It helped me see myself differently, find strength in my voice, and understand that I can grow, lead, heal, and become more than what I have been through.. Jordan
OUR PARTICIPANTS
The Woodlawn Restorative Justice Hub (WRJH) provides culturally responsive, healing-centered programs for African American youth and young adults ages 14–21 impacted by violence, trauma, and systemic inequities.
Located on the South Side of Chicago, WRJH serves youth and families throughout Chicago’s South Side and the greater metropolitan area—within communities rich in African American history, culture, leadership, and legacy, including the community that President Barack Obama called home.
Grounded in the African-centered principle of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—WRJH helps young people heal, strengthen their identity, develop leadership skills, and create pathways toward a positive future.
Through the Young Leaders for Peace Program and other initiatives, youth participate in restorative justice and peace circles, mental health and trauma support, cultural education, mentorship, leadership development, workforce readiness, financial literacy, and civic engagement.
WRJH uses a holistic, multigenerational approach, working with youth, families, mentors, and community partners to break cycles of trauma, reduce violence, restore hope, and prepare young people to become leaders and agents of change in their communities.