As we begin to emerge from the tumultuous years following the murder of George Floyd and the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, we continue to grapple with how best to address a range of complex issues including ongoing racial injustice, growing post-Covid inequities, and public safety. Against this backdrop, the work of Vermont’s Community Justice Centers to provide restorative responses to conflict and crime as an alternative to traditional criminal prosecution, punishment, and retribution, has never been more important.

The Creative Discourse Group (TCDG) supported the Burlington Community Justice Center (BCJC) on our journey toward becoming an anti-racist organization by conducting an equity assessment which included a survey, interviews, listening sessions, and a document review. These activities focused on both the external impact of the organization among partners, program participants, and the broader community, and the internal organizational culture. There was a special focus on how BCJC’s work impacts staff and clients who are BIPOC as well as others who have been historically marginalized or excluded. Check it out below: