Restorative Justice Fellowship
After completing MyTERN, the Civic Studies certificate program of the Tufts Education Reentry Network, distinguished alumni utilize the community building restorative justice skills and mentorship training as mentors for current MyTERN students, while continuing to pursue their own career and educational goals. As experienced organizers and presenters with Restorative Justice circle experience, these Restorative Justice Fellows also speak publicly on panels for local, classroom-based, university-wide, statewide, and national audiences. They are available for paid speaking engagements with flexible compensation. Feel free to reach out to tupit@tufts.edu if you would like to engage a speaker.
Swinks Laporte
Swinks is an immigrant from Haiti whose family was given political asylum by the Clinton Administration in the early 1990’s. His arrival in the U.S. came with many opportunities as well as many challenges. As an adolescent living in an area full of gang activity, poverty, and crime he eventually joined the culture around him and started becoming truant in school and defiant at home. This behavior led to a first-degree life sentence as a juvenile which was later overturned.
During his incarceration, he spent his time understanding the systemic issues affecting urban communities. This interest led him to co-found REBELS as the Youth Director. Learn more about REBELS here.
Rahim Gray
Born, raised, and living in Boston, Rahim is an emerging artist and a practicing chef. He fell in love with both art and food by helping his mother cook when he was young, always captivated by the stimulating colors in a stir-fry. He specializes in fluid art, and his work embodies the beauty of response and reaction. To Rahim, art is about more than what goes on the canvas. It embodies emotions and triggers thoughts, acting as a vehicle to challenge his audience and call out societal norms. Along with his artwork, Rahim is also an activist with an ever-growing commitment to racial equity, criminal justice reform, prison abolition, and civic engagement. Although he has not spent a lot of time behind bars, he advocates powerfully for all those who are or have been through the injustice system.
Check out Rahim’s artwork here: @Rahimgrayart