My path into education has always been guided by one core commitment: the belief that Black and Brown youth deserve more than the punitive systems society too often imposes on them. Long before I entered the classroom as an educator, I was deeply engaged in social justice and restorative justice advocacy, working alongside young people who had survived high-risk trauma. I saw, time and again, how many of these students were denied a second chance. They were defined not by their strengths but by their perceived deficits, labeled “at-risk” as though that title summed up their humanity. Yet, I also witnessed the incredible resilience and creativity of these same young people—their ability to dream despite the systems stacked against them.

That experience convinced me that advocacy, while crucial, was not enough on its own. To truly stand beside these students, I needed to enter education directly and weave the values of justice and healing into the very fabric of teaching. This is where restorative justice became central to my work. Restorative practices are not simply about discipline; they are about transformation. As Howard Zehr (2015) explains, the restorative approach shifts the focus from punishment to accountability, from exclusion to inclusion, and from harm to repair. It prioritizes relationships, community, and healing. For me, this framework became more than a professional tool—it became a philosophy that informs how I build classrooms and communities.

Now, as an educator, I strive to make my classroom a sanctuary of belonging. I view my role not just as teaching content, but as affirming identity. Students enter my space with stories, cultures, and truths that deserve to be honored. They are not empty vessels to be filled; they are vibrant individuals whose experiences can transform the learning environment when given the chance to be shared. My teaching is inseparable from my advocacy, and both directly inform the vision for my capstone project: PRICE Circles.

The PRICE Circles initiative will bring together Boston College students and youth at Roca Inc. in Chelsea for facilitated conversations on privilege, race, identity, culture, and equity. These circles will create a collective space for dialogue and healing, where stories are not just spoken but are deeply heard. They will function as platforms for empathy, critical thinking, and restorative connection. The power of this work lies in its ability to bridge communities, inviting participants to recognize shared humanity across difference while also naming and confronting inequity.

My academic background in psychology strengthens this project further. Through coursework and research, I have studied how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps individuals reframe negative thought patterns into constructive perspectives (Beck, 2011). In many ways, PRICE Circles will serve as a form of collective cognitive reframing. Participants will not only process their experiences but also reinterpret them as sources of resilience and agency. The psychological lens ensures that the project is not only grounded in justice but also attentive to the inner worlds and mental health of those involved.

The culmination of this work will be a creative piece—an album titled “So We Loved Ourselves.” This project will take the themes and stories voiced in the circles and translate them into music, honoring the narratives of systemically oppressed communities while amplifying them for broader audiences. In this sense, the capstone is not just a requirement but a continuation of my lifelong commitment to justice. It represents an effort to create platforms where marginalized voices are celebrated, remembered, and preserved in artistic form.

Ultimately, my journey from advocate to educator has given me a unique lens for this capstone. I do not see education as separate from justice work; instead, I understand it as one of the most powerful forms of justice. When schools and systems fail to provide love, equity, and healing, educators must create those spaces themselves. My work has always been about ensuring that Black and Brown youth are not only given second chances but also positioned as central contributors to the future we all share. The PRICE Circles will be one step toward that vision, rooted in advocacy, sustained by education, and inspired by healing.

References

Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Zehr, H. (2015). The little book of restorative justice (revised and updated). Good Books.