COMMUNITY VOICES

We honor the artists in our community who work to change our minds, quicken our spirits and, ultimately, open our hearts to the sacred, shared experience of our humanity.

Restorative Voices:
A True Celebration of Community

We hosted a gathering that spilled out into the street during the Brasilian drumming of Bloco Novo. The music began in the parking lot and, in true Carnaval style, led listeners as they proceeded to the stage. What followed was a stellar line up of musical talent: Saturday Session (a youth jazz group), Onye Onyemaechi (founder of Village Rhythms and African Master Drummer) and Barbara Friday (a New Orleans style blues singer). Throughout the evening, everyone also enjoyed open mic storytelling, a buffet dinner, drinks at the bar and an extensive silent auction that offered everything from fine art to zip-lining tours in the redwoods. 

We’d like to thank the Arlene Francis Center for the use of their space, and all those who donated auction items, libations and services to help make this event such a success!

Restorative Resource Song by Maury Manseau

If you are interested in more music by Maury, check out his FaceBook page.

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Poetry by Ernesto M. Garay

Ernesto M. Garay was born and raised in San Francisco, and lives in Sebastopol CA. He writes short stories and poetry that speak of the Central American’s experiences of displacement and love during the civil war of El Salvador in the 1980s. His poetry has been published in the Pterodáctilo, La Revista, the Ethnic Studies Journal and Desde el Epicentro. He also has performed and read his poetry in the Bay Area for venues such as:  Mama’ Art Café, University of California at Santa Cruz, Salon for the Arts, the Sonoma State University Summer Reading and Writing Academy, and the Pitzer College at Claremont University.

​​The Field
 
This is a field where war is
nonexistent, where the brown,
black or white soldier does not
perish or praised for heroics.
This is a field where rain drops,  
drop from the heavens from
above, and the abundance of
food is abundant.  This a field
where physical or mental 
borders do not inspire hate:
acts of betrayal to the heart.
This is a field where children
run freely in the streets, while
the serial killer never strikes or
kidnapper never lurks.  This is
a field like no other:  where there
truly is an equal-playing field and
unconditional love isn't blurred 
    by academic-philosophies.

​

By Ernesto M. Garay

​Unmasking Hearts
 
The unmasking of our hearts is
transpiring.  The fears of the
 
past contain the sprouting
seeds of the winding energy
 
 as the ghost shadows lurk
in the dark corners of history.
 
The wise woman releases the
Red-tailed Hummingbird to
 
the whirling and blowing wind with
the message containing letters
 
of peace, scribbled with the
precision of her open heart.
 
The transformative message
exposes the peering light that
 
peers through the cracks of
the broken border; it slowly
 
splinters to the rocky ground as the
crossing vines cross each other.
 
Our unmasking hearts permeated
by the unlocking message, splitting
 
wide open.  The past whispers in
our naked ears as we become
 
more grounded, standing on top
     of the softening fertile soil.
 
 
 
By Ernesto M. Garay, 11/7/2017

La Voz: Restorative Resources
​in the Latino Community

Check out the La Voz cover stories spotlighting the work of Restorative Resources in the Latino community and a profile of Karym Sanchez.

New restorative podcast series

The Metta Center for NonViolence invited Restorative Resources director Susan Kinder to talk about our program on their latest podcast. Listen below, as Susan points out how restorative justice is really about us "being human together."