The post Announcing Season Two of the Statewide Learning Community: Focus on Youth and Schools first appeared on Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration.

Across Michigan, communities are mobilizing around community violence intervention, advocating for police accountability, and implementing restorative justice alternatives. In support of these efforts, we’re excited to kick off Season Two of the MI Statewide Learning Community!

As the new school year kicks off, join us for a discussion about the problems of criminalization and excessive punishment of young people and how people are working to create more supportive communities for our youth.

This season, we will continue to explore transformative approaches to public safety and community well-being, starting with our first session dedicated to Youth and Schools. This session will be held in two parts.

1. Panel Discussion on September 25th from 12:00 to 1:30 PM EST via Zoom
Panelists include:
– Cassie Atallah, EndSaR (Michigan Advocates to End Seclusion and Restraint)
– Elisheva Johnson, Emergent Justice
– Bilal Al-Raed and Cole Williams, The Delta Project

2. Follow-Up Discussion on October 23rd from 12:00 to 1:30 PM EST via Zoom
– This follow-up will deepen the conversation and build on the insights shared during the panel.

MI-CEMI is proud to collaborate on this initiative with the Detroit Justice Center, Friends of Restorative Justice, the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, and Emergent Justice to bring this vital conversation to life. Together, we aim to explore innovative strategies that offer alternatives to the traditional legal system, enhancing public safety while minimizing policing and incarceration.

This learning community provides a valuable platform to share resources, gain insights from both national experts and local practitioners, and connect grassroots experiences with state policy discussions.

If you’re interested in engaging with these topics, join us for our first session of Season Two on September 25th at 12:00 PM EST via Zoom by registering here. Together, we can organize safer, more equitable communities across Michigan.