Jennifer Grubman ‘25

As a Boskey Restorative Justice Fellow, I had the honor of working with the Lenape Center and the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC). For the Lenape Center, I worked on a white paper to be released by Nichusak, the Center’s working group on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons crisis (MMIP). The white paper will tie together MMIP with the forced removal of Indigenous children (both historical and current-day practices) and will offer restorative-justice driven recommendations for both crises. For NIWRC and its Safe Indigenous Housing Center (STTARS), I contributed to developing a tribal housing law database. A lack of safe housing perpetuates MMIP as it leaves survivors of gender-based violence vulnerable to cycles of re-victimization. Even when accommodations are available, specific policies and practices (e.g., one-strike evictions, nuisance ordinances, and prohibition on pets) are not survivor-friendly. Once complete with housing codes from the 574 federally recognized tribes, NIWRC and STTARS plan not only to make the database available to tribes and domestic violence advocates but also to use it to develop an intersectional, survivor-centric model tribal housing code. My fellowship was invaluable in that it granted me the privilege of learning from the expertise and learned experience of the brilliant Indigenous individuals working on the frontlines of the MMIP crisis.

Ethan Graham ‘24

This past summer, I had the opportunity to work as a Boskey Restorative Justice Fellow at the Center for Justice Innovation’s Red Hook Community Justice Center (RHCJC). RHCJC, in addition to being the nation’s first multi-jurisdictional community court, acts as a one-stop-shop for the Red Hook community when it comes to providing justice, public safety, and a wide array of community projects. Working at RHCJC was a deeply impactful experience, and the opportunity expanded my knowledge and understanding of restorative justice and its trajectory both on a macro level in the United States and on a micro level in Brooklyn. My work for the Center consisted primarily of two projects. The first was to research and write a memo on restorative justice practices for felony-level offenses across the country, as RHCJC is evaluating what it may look like to expand its restorative justice practice. The second project was related to the relationship between discriminatory practices against individuals with arrest and conviction records, housing insecurity, and high rates of recidivism. In addition to the knowledge gained from these projects, the chance to observe court, spend time with and learn from the staff, and participate in community projects showed me the far-reaching impacts of community-centered justice and alternative forms of dispute resolution. After my summer as a Boskey Fellow, I hope to remain involved in Restorative Justice in some capacity throughout the duration of my career.