Rise staff recently participated in a Restorative Justice and Circle Keeper training led by Ashley Ellis, Co-founder and Lead Trainer of the B.R.E.A.T.H.E Collective. The 3-day Introduction to Restorative Justice and Circle Keeping prepared Rise’s Participatory Action Research (PAR) team to facilitate peacemaking circles with other impacted parents in their community. Parents learned the fundamental elements of circles including ritual, storytelling, creating safe space, establishing shared values, building relationships and trust and consensus decision-making. The training focused on the value of Restorative Justice and storytelling as a way to build inter-group trust and community with each other. Rise will train all staff this year in order to incorporate circle practices across all of our programs and to train parent advocates citywide in using peacemaking practices in supporting parents.