It’s been a year since our journey to Aotearoa, the Māori name for New Zealand, where we had the opportunity to witness a society led by the wisdom and culture of Indigenous people. The trip still lives closely with us today as we continue to reimagine youth justice systems in the Bay Area. New Zealand showed us what is possible when we center care, healing, and love over punishment. Our group of funders, leaders, and advocates came back inspired, ready for change, and ready to work across sectors to dismantle systems of oppression for young people in our region. Our intention was always to bring learnings from New Zealand back to the Bay Area and we’ve been reflecting on how our communities can create a better future for young people.

Inspired by the Journey to Justice trip and our shared commitment, The Zellerbach Family Foundation is proud to make its first grant of $100,000 to Brotherhood of Elders Network (BOEN) to pilot the Ubuntu Justice Initiative. BOEN is a network comprising three generations of African American men, whose mission is to empower Black males from infancy to adulthood. BOEN’s work is rooted in the understanding that the health and wellbeing of Black youth is inextricably linked to the health and wellbeing of their families and communities. Expanding youth programs guided by global African principles and practices is one goal of BOEN’s recently adopted 5-year strategic plan.

The pilot program is intended to divert Black boys from formal juvenile court proceedings in Alameda County through culturally grounded, community-driven restorative justice intervention. In 2020, Black children represented roughly 67% to 71% of the population in Alameda County’s Juvenile Hall and Camp Sweeney, despite making up only about 10% of the county’s total youth population. The pilot program is intentionally designed to focus on the population most impacted by the justice system—Black youth in Oakland—by ensuring that investments are targeted where they can disrupt cycles of racial and systemic inequities and contribute to youths’ self-determination.

The Ubuntu Justice Initiative will integrate Black and African American traditions with the best practices of New Zealand’s Family Group Conference (FGC) model centering the following principles:

• Cultural Grounding: Infusing African and African American traditions, rituals, and values into all aspects of the program to ensure resonance and relevance
• Restorative Justice: Shifting the response from punishment to healing-centered approaches that hold youth accountable while prioritizing restoration for victims and relationships
• Family-Centered Engagement: Empowering families to take an active and decisive role in supporting their youth
• Holistic Support: Addressing the full spectrum of needs—social, educational, economic, and mental health—to create stable, long-term pathways away from justice system involvement
• Community Collaboration: Actively partnering with trusted community-based organizations, elders, and mentors to wrap comprehensive support around each young person

BOEN will serve as the lead of this initiative in close partnership with the Positive Communications Practices Group, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, and the Alameda County Probation Department. Following an initial pilot year, the Alameda County Probation Department has committed to continue funding the program, solidifying its role as a critical, long-term component of the county’s public safety strategy. Along with a county planning grant secured through the Probation Department, other funders who have joined us to fund this effort include Akonadi Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, Northern California Regional Advisory Committee of the California Funders for Boys and Men of Color, and the San Francisco Foundation.

The Ubuntu Justice Initiative shows us how public-private partnerships can lead to systems change and transform Alameda County’s approach to safety and justice by diverting Black boys from the juvenile justice system. This shift toward restorative, healing-centered alternatives not only strengthens families and communities, but Alameda County as a whole.

The Zellerbach Family Foundation has always been committed to systems-change work. We fund the changemakers, dreamers, and do-ers who are transforming systems, so we all can live in a more thriving, healthy, and safe society. This grant demonstrates what’s possible when we come together, but there remains work to be done. Let’s partner across disciplines and sectors to give young people and communities the care they need to belong, feel safe, and thrive in the region they call home.