As funders who share a vision of a thriving and equitable Bay Area and California, we are all committed to ensuring that young people in our region are safe and healthy. While our goals and strategies vary across our institutions, we all understand the importance youth justice plays in achieving that vision.
Each of our foundations acknowledges the relationship between youth justice, community well-being, and safety, and between us, have invested in many aspects of that work. From reforming youth justice systems as part of ensuring health and wellness for our communities, to supporting boys and men of color, and advancing power-building and racial equity, we support leaders who dare to reimagine our region and future.
That is why our organizations came together to develop a new initiative called Journey to Justice. The program focuses on strengthening the relationships among key partners and thought leaders who together, with a range of perspectives, expertise, and experience, can reimagine how our systems can work to support young people. A critical component of Journey to Justice is a visit to New Zealand to learn from the Māori people about their approach to restorative justice.
New Zealand’s youth justice system is steeped in long-held cultural practices that belong to the Māori people including restorative justice. The country has spent decades adapting its youth justice system to incorporate practices that divert youth from detention, leaning heavily on restorative principles through every contact youth have with the legal system. Through this trip, we hope to not just learn about reconciliation, healing, and alternatives to incarceration, but how community and families can work with system leaders to ensure the well-being of the young people. Our goal is to bring those lessons back to the Bay Area with a shared commitment to action among all participants.
We know that we are entering a period of great uncertainty for our communities, state, and our country; and despite the strides we’ve made to support our young people, youth – and particularly youth of color – continue to face challenges. The challenges of attaining equitable education, housing, and quality jobs are contributing to mental health struggles among young people, as they navigate the uncertainties of a rapidly changing region and state.
We are also aware that with recent policy changes, we are at risk of losing some of the momentum California has built in the last several years in juvenile and criminal justice reform. But, we are not deterred by these challenges and instead recognize the urgency and opportunity offered at this moment. This initiative allows participants to step out of their day-to-day work to build trust and strengthen relationships across sectors, beliefs, and practices. It’s also a time to reflect on what’s possible when we center the needs and solutions of communities who are directly impacted by the justice system. Bringing together leaders across the youth justice spectrum – advocates, public sector leaders, and funders – whose collective imagination can transform our systems and ensure that our young people can thrive feels like the antidote we need and a reminder of what’s possible when we make space for imagination.
In community,
Fred Blackwell, San Francisco Foundation
Allison Magee, Zellerbach Family Foundation
Ray Colmenar, Akonadi Foundation
Chet P. Hewitt, California Funders for Boys and Men of Color
Richard Tate, California Wellness Foundation
