Safe & Restorative Tour brings awareness to mental health, restorative justice in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Safe & Restorative Schools Learning Tour made a stop in Richmond on Saturday, bringing awareness to mental health crises in Black teens and advocating for the implementation of restorative and healing practices.

The event brought together students, community leaders and legislators at the Carlisle Avenue Baptist Church on Saturday, Dec. 13. From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., attendees discussed building restorative schools rooted in justice and integrating safe and healing approaches into education and the community.

Hosted by Transformative Changes, New Virginia Majority and other community-minded organizations, the event called attention to the school-to-prison pipeline, where unfair discipline can push students out of class and closer to the justice system.

"In Virginia, we see disparity across the state when it comes to students with disability and Black children being more likely to be suspended, expelled or referred to law enforcement. We know that when students are kicked out of the schools, they may get into trouble," said Chlo'e Edwards, policy director at New Virginia Majority. "We want to stop this pipeline."

Several Black youth in Richmond, like 11th-grader Mikayla Pearson, also participated in the discussion.

"Mental health is really important to me," Pearson said. "I felt when growing up, I didn't have many people that advocated for me, so I wanted to be the person that advocates for others."

Del.-Elect Lindsey Dougherty and May Nivar, and several Richmond School Board members were also in attendance.