The second half of last year was a bit crazed after I came out of my residency in Captive Florida (more on that later) and I wasn’t able to breath and share all that happened. Myself and my partner Kyle Rawlins found ourselves in a state of “becoming” Designing Justice + Designing Spaces and all that social entrepreneurship entails.  We are certainly blessed as I have only great news to report. Here are a few hi-lites:

Kyle, Me, Shelley and Meghana after hearing we had won a big grant!

Projects

I can’t believe that in this short year and last 6 months funding came in from various sources allowing us to create a design and help our program partners acquire a site for the countries first Restorative Justice Restorative Economics Center.

Ella Baker Centers’ new headquarters

Funding from the Surdna Foundation allowed us to engage the east Oakland Community in a potential second phase to this project that is still underway.( We are always looking for volunteers so come on out. Its fun-I promise)

Speaking and working with residents of Fruitvale Oakland

We also recently received funding to implement the full manifestation of the Pop-up Resource Village starting this year. Please look out for an announcement soon for the launch of the Five Keys Mobile- Self Determination Project classroom, which is nearly, complete. We will literally “roll it out” later this month. It will be one of the village anchors.

Five Keys Mobile Classroom

Least year we were funded by the Autodesk Foundation to digitize our toolkit for working with incarcerated populations at the intersection of restorative justice and design. They are also supporting the creation of a digital tool to help cities plan for decarceration- The Restorative Justice City. These IP products will take time to develop but are key to expanding out work.

EDOVO self guided curriculum  in use.

Speaking 

In the meantime, I am trying to share more with everyone in small doses and hope that you all can come join me in NYC next week  for my first Nation Public Radio appearance- Race and Justice Within Criminal Justice on WYNC Tuesday the 10th  at Greenspace in NYC.

Visitors viewing our student’s work of spaces for restorative justice.

Last year our Designing Justice + Designing Spaces toolkit and  amazing work by our students at San Quentin were selected as part of the Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt Exhibit- “By the People: Designing a Better America.” Next Thursday -the 12th of January-  I will be giving a lecture at the museum  for Design Night. For those of you in NYC I hope you can join us there. They will have food and drinks so let that be an incentive.

My first award!

 I wanted to share that I was honored last year by the San Francisco AIA with a Social Impact Award. It was my first award for this work! Thank you AIA SF! You all are truly leaders in our profession.

Finally I have to say that in the wake of the presidential election I have no answers other than right action must be taken in the agency of love and peace. What is yet to come will be difficult and painful. I plan to stay in community with you and others. I plan to keep working hard to change unjust systems and I plan to take good care of myself in the middle of it all.  Lets be in solidarity.  I look forward to seeing and spending more time with you all.

Cheers,

Deanna