Fighting bias, bigotry, and racism.
Promoting Understanding.
Empowering Youth In Rhode Island
Rhode Island for Community & Justice (RICJ) is a social justice nonprofit with a mission to fight bias, bigotry, and racism while fostering understanding and connection across communities. Through advocacy, conflict resolution, and education, we work to create a more just and inclusive society. Our initiatives include empowering youth to become tomorrow's changemakers, diverting young people from the justice system, supporting their successful reintegration into their communities, and providing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) training.
Youth Empowerment
Our youth programs, including the Youth Action Council and Project Respect, aim to empower youth, foster their respect for differences and an aptitude for community service and leadership. Our youth leaders learn facilitation skills and work to build understanding across lines of difference in their communities.
Juvenile Justice
Our policy and justice programs bring community, government, schools and social services to advise system reform, including promoting Juvenile Hearing Boards and Restorative Justice Practices throughout the state and promoting social justice while tackling complicated public policy issues through the Civil Rights Roundtable.
DEI Training
RICJ’s youth are our trained DEI facilitators, making our services unique and particularly valuable. Our Youth DEI facilitators have benefitted countless organizations, from corporations, to nonprofits, and even police departments. RICJ offers training on a variety of different topics, which are customized to suit the needs of your group. Our diversity, equity & inclusion training workshops are designed to help organizations address contemporary issues involving the changing nature of Rhode Island's workforce.
Events
Our annual events include the Community & Justice Awards which honor contributions of local social justice leaders; the Metcalf Diversity in the Media Awards, which recognize local journalists for inspiring stories presenting a true picture of our diverse state, and we celebrate the 10,000+ residents who built the RI Wall of Hope as a response to 9/11.
RICJ in Numbers
%
10
JHB rearrest rate
RICJ helps youth who go through JHBs avoid re-arrest 90% of the time!
196
Total Students
RICJ currently works with 196 youth.
%
82
Retention
82% of youth who participate in an RICJ youth program not only finish the program, but begin more!
Testimonials
Our Partners
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