Urban Peace Movement + Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice

Uplifting Youth Leadership to Transform Communities

Model and Strategy

Urban Peace Movement (UPM) and Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ) build the leadership of young people in Oakland and Alameda County to transform the culture and conditions that lead to mass incarceration in communities of color. Through its model of healing centered youth organizing, UPM supports young people to feel self-confident and hopeful while empowering them to advocate for social and economic justice and public policies; to improve the way community members relate to one another and build a culture of peace within communities; and to strengthen relationships between youth-serving organizations for a stronger, more united youth movement. Founded in 2011 by formerly-incarcerated community activists, CURYJ unlocks the leadership of young people to Dream Beyond Bars. Through training, advocacy, coaching, and fellowship programs, they uplift the voice and power of young people who have been impacted by multiple systems of harm and oppression.

UPM and CURYJ's work intersect in many areas and in multiple networks. Both groups are members of the Free Our Kids Coalition: a group of a dozen grassroots organizations fighting for a complete reimagining of Alameda County’s juvenile justice system to move away from punishment and incarceration and toward healing and restoration. Both organizations work for transformation and liberation through a combination of individual and collective healing and significant shifts in policy.

“Racism and social inequality create immense harm in our communities so we must heal as we organize!" — Kaila Mathis, Youth Programs Coordinator, Urban Peace Movement

In 2023, youth leaders from UPM and CURYJ will lead a series of events in Oakland to promote community healing; demonstrate a reimagined vision for youth justice and community safety; and uplift love, joy, culture, and people. These will include a set of neighborhood-specific healing events led by CURYJ in the Fruitvale and San Antonio districts, in response to community violence, police violence, and personal grief and recovery; and a set of healing and wellness festivals led by UPM in the West Oakland and Seminary (East Oakland) neighborhoods. UPM and CURYJ also will organize a larger, city-wide healing festival in collaboration with grassroots, youth-led organizational partners. UPM will regrant $15,000 - $20,000 to each participating organization to support their capacity to help plan, conduct community outreach for, and provide staff for this culminating event.

“La Cultura Cura — our healing is in our roots.” — George Galvis, Co-founder & Executive Director, CURYJ

Impact

Both UPM and CURYJ have a long track record of meaningful community healing work and youth-led events. CURYJ organizes 15-20 community events each year, many in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. These include Town Nights, where community members connect in safe, positive spaces to enjoy cultural entertainment and children’s activities, and where CURYJ distributes vital resources like food and diapers. In summer 2022 CURYJ hosted a series of five Town Nights with the City of Oakland Department of Violence Prevention (DVP). Over 300 families attended each night, and in analyzing statistics from the summer, the Oakland DVP reported a 40% decrease in violent crime in the neighborhoods hosting Town Nights events compared to the same time period the previous year. Also in 2022, UPM organized Town Up Tuesday: Celebrating Oakland Culture and Voter Awareness, a free live music and voter awareness/registration festival held at Oakland’s Lake Merritt, featuring acclaimed Bay Area artists and DJs. UPM used the event registration process to collect data from nearly 1000 Alameda County residents on issues of criminalization and community safety. UPM’s Scratch and Fade Healing and Wellness Community Festivals de-stigmatize mental health and increase awareness and utilization of mental health supports in underserved communities of color by centering events around barber and manicure appointments, which are “gateway self-care practices,” while simultaneously offering other less utilized wellness and mental health services and healing modalities. On the policy side, since 2011 CURYJ has helped write, co-sponsor, and support over 50 bills and ballot initiatives promoting racial and social justice. Among the key statewide policy wins CURYJ contributed to are extending Miranda Rights protections to 16 and 17-year-olds and restoring voting rights to over 57,000 Californians on parole.
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Leadership

  • Nicole

    Nicole Lee

    Executive Director, UPM

  • George

    George Galvis

    Co-founder & Executive Director, CURYJ

  • Kaila

    Kaila Mathis

    Youth Programs Coordinator, UPM

  • Xochtil

    Xochtil Larios

    Youth Justice Coordinator, CURYJ

  • Briana

    Briana Manning

    Community Healing Coordinator, UPM

  • Michael

    Michael Muscadine

    Co-founder & Community Healing Manager, CURYJ