WESTERN JUSTICE CENTER FOUNDATION

WJC ENVISIONS A WORLD IN WHICH COMMUNITIES ARE HEALED, UNITED, AND TRANSFORMED THROUGH CONFLICT RESOLUTION EDUCATION (CRE) AND RESTORATIVE PRACTICES ROOTED IN EQUITY, JUSTICE, AND OPPORTUNITY. TO THIS END, WJC LEADS THE LARGEST EVIDENCE-BASED RESTORATIVE SCHOOLS INITIATIVE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, INFLUENCING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS OF OVER 30,0000 TK-12 STUDENTS IN 32 SCHOOLS 8 DISTRICTS, INCLUDING MULTI-YEAR DISTRICTWIDE PARTNERSHIPS IN AZUSA, PASADENA, AND EL MONTE. WJC'S CRE PROGRAMS ADDRESS THE DISPROPORTIONATELY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON AT-PROMISE YOUTH WHEN CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE ARE HANDLED THROUGH EXCLUSIONARY PUNITIVE PRACTICES. ALL OF WJC'S PARTNER SCHOOLS HAVE HIGH PERCENTAGES OF STUDENTS RECEIVING FREE/REDUCED FOOD SUPPORT, STUDENTS OF COLOR, AND STUDENTS WITH RISK FACTORS. RESEARCH PUBLISHED BY CAL POLY POMONA IN 2024 CONFIRMS SUBSTANTIAL DECREASES IN CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM RATES AND THE NUMBER OF SUSPENSIONS AMONGST WJC'S MULTI-YEAR PARTNER SCHOOL POPULATIONS, TOGETHER WITH AN INCREASED SENSE OF BELONGING, TRUST, AND IMPROVED SCHOOL CULTURE. WJC LEADS: - THREE MULTI-YEAR, DISTRICTWIDE PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDING MORE THAN 40 SCHOOLS: 10 IN AZUSA UNIFIED (K-12), 23 IN PASADENA UNIFIED (K-12), AND 15 IN EL MONTE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT (TK-8). - A COUNTYWIDE PARTNERSHIP INVOLVING SCHOOLS FROM 4 SCHOOL DISTRICTS (ABCS, HACIENDA HEIGHTS-LA PUENTE, INGLEWOOD AND NORWALK-LA MIRADA) IN SUPERVISOR DISTRICTS 1, 2 AND 4. - A REGIONAL PEACEBUILDING YOUTH SUMMIT THAT HAS GROWN TO 600 STUDENTS (G4-12) AND ADULT PARTICIPANTS), INCLUDING DEDICATED VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY "MEDIATION MENTORS" WHO SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS AND EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONFLICT-ADEPT LEADERS.