RJE Conference celebrates 10 years at EMU

Theme of this year’s event is ‘Language Matters’

Restorative Justice in Education Conference
Date: Tuesday-Wednesday, June 24-25, 2025
Location: Campus Center at EMU, 1200 Park Rd, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Cost: $350 for full-program registration. $100 for virtual access.
Online: emu.edu/rje-conference

For the past decade, the annual Restorative Justice in Education (RJE) Conference at EMU has drawn participants from across Virginia, the U.S., and as far away as Canada and South America to learn how to apply the values and concepts of restorative justice in their classrooms and school divisions.  

The gathering has grown in size over those years and expanded in its offerings, but its purpose remains the same: to provide a space where RJE scholars and practitioners, teachers, educators, and EMU faculty and staff can connect, learn together, and encourage one another in the work they’re doing.

“It’s all about fostering conversations among practitioners,” said EMU Professor Kathy Evans, a member of the conference planning team. “We’ll have classroom teachers who are completely new to restorative justice sitting alongside folks who’ve written books and conducted scholarly research on RJ. Together, we’ll share ideas and explore how we can collaborate to bring about the kind of world we all want to see.”

What is Restorative Justice in Education? According to The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education, written by Evans and Dorothy Vaandering, the term “restorative justice in education” can be defined as “facilitating learning communities that nurture the capacity of people to engage with one another and their environment in a manner that supports and respects the inherent dignity and worth of all.”

The 10th annual RJE Conference, held Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24-25, is available to attend in-person and online. All events will be held at EMU’s Campus Center. Visit emu.edu/rje-conference for more information and a conference schedule.

The conference includes a keynote address, breakout sessions, and a welcome reception held at a local vineyard. The event will conclude on June 25 with a closing reflection circle at 3:45 p.m.

Keynote speakers

The theme for this year’s conference is “Language Matters: Exploring the Role of Discourse and Communication in Restorative Justice in Education,” which is drawn from the scholarship of Dr. Maisha Winn. Her work has been integrated into EMU’s Graduate Teacher Education program in RJE.

Keynote speakers Bella Finau-Faumuina and Dwanna Nicole will open the conference with their address, “Stolen Language: Restoring Indigeneity in Restorative Justice Practices” on June 24 at 10 a.m. Finau-Faumuina is an advocate and educator dedicated to implementing Hawaiian culture, history, and practices into public schools across Hawaii. She is part of the Office of Hawaiian Education, and promotes traditional Hawaiian knowledge as context and content throughout the state’s Department of Education. Nicole is executive director of the Restorative Justice Partnership, where she works within school communities throughout the country to assist in developing strategies to create more positive school climates for students, educators, and families. She also provides training and support in the implementation of restorative justice in schools. 

Their address will touch on the resurgence of cultural practices, including language, land, and restorative justice, within Hawaiian communities, and will highlight how one educator is using restorative justice to heal the cultural trauma that students experience and bring into the classroom.

Noting that restorative justice practices are rooted in Indigenous traditions, Evans said that this year’s theme feels especially timely. “I’m excited to have them here to set the tone for the conference,” she said. “It’s a powerful opportunity to reflect on how language shapes our efforts to build a more just and equitable world.”

Breakout sessions

Conference sessions will include offerings for newcomers of RJ as well as veterans of the field. Participants can choose between four sessions for each 90-minute block of time. 

One session, led by Tonya Walls, the executive director for Code Switch: Restorative Justice for Girls of Color, will explore the transformative power of language and communication in fostering healing and empowerment for girls of color in educational settings. Another session, titled “Using Language of Competence within Restorative Special Education,” will consider the ways in which ableism gets perpetuated through language.

The language we use to describe our students truly matters, Evans said. “It shows up in the way we refer to our students with special needs,” she explained. “Do we call them students with disabilities? Students with different learning styles? Or students who are neurodivergent? The words we choose shape how we see them and how they see themselves.”

Welcome reception

To kick off the conference, a special gathering at Bluestone Vineyard in Bridgewater, Virginia, on Monday, June 23, at 6 p.m. will offer conference participants, RJE graduates and practitioners, and EMU faculty and staff a chance to connect with one another and build relationships. The evening reception promises to include light appetizers, delicious cake and wine, and great company. Participation at the welcome reception is also open to those who aren’t attending the RJE Conference.

Evans said one of the most meaningful compliments she received came from a participant last year who told her the event felt more like a community gathering than a typical conference.

“I love that,” she said. “I love how casual and comfortable it feels. It doesn’t feel formal like a conference. It feels like a bunch of good friends coming together to support and cheer one another on in the work we’re all doing.”

For questions about the RJE Conference, contact cape@emu.edu.