Podcast
Amplify RJ (Restorative Justice)
Hosted by David Ryan Castro-Harris · ENGLISH
Restorative Justice is often framed as an alternative to punishment in criminal legal and education settings, and but that’s only part of the story. Join host David Ryan Barcega Castro-Harris to learn how to apply Restorative Justice philosophy, practices, and values in your everyday life.
182episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ending Chancla Culture Is About More Than Not Hitting Your Kids w/ Leslie Priscilla
5d ago01:05:49Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailLeslie Priscilla, creator of Latinx Parenting and author of Chancla (available everywhere on August 18, https://bookshop.org/a/12611/9780316567602), joins David for a conversation about parenting, power, intergenerational violence, and what it takes to build different relationships with children without pretending any parent can do this perfectly.The conversation explores how violence against children extends beyond hitting, why parents struggle to believe their own needs deserve attention, the relationship between capitalism and rest, faith and surrender after religious dogma, and what happens when the nervous system takes over during a parenting conflict.Leslie also explains why she is skeptical of the way “gentle parenting” has been packaged and separated from Indigenous ways of raising children. She and David connect those ideas to Restorative Justice, schools, homeschooling, the systems that make connected parenting harder, and what it means to raise children who are capable of questioning those systems.They also wrestle with a harder question: how can people invite others into a different way of relating without turning their own values into another set of rules used to judge people?At its core, this is a conversation about trying to give parents and children more grace while still taking seriously the responsibility to interrupt harmful patterns and create something different.Chapters00:00 Meet Leslie Priscilla00:57 What are we restoring by ending Chancla culture?03:58 How Leslie’s childhood became her public work09:37 Do we actually believe we deserve our needs met?14:14 Rest, productivity, guilt & being a parent21:57 Faith, surrender & tiny moments of liberation27:52 What happens when parenting overwhelms your nervous system34:28 Violence beyond hitting & the problem with “gentle parenting”41:44 Indigenous practices, colonialism & Restorative Justice44:40 Building alternatives when systems fail families47:46 Schools, homeschooling & raising future ancestors53:44 The less obvious forms of violence against children57:49 How to challenge people without becoming prescriptive1:04:49 Grace for parents who are still learningConnect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
Transcribe →Joy as an Organizing Strategy, Planning for Care Over Chaos, and Ending Child Sexual Abuse w/ Tasmica Torok
Aug 8, 202501:16:48Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailTashmica Torok joins David Ryan Barcega Castro-Harris to talk about joy as an organizing strategy, why we should plan for care over chaos, and her decades long efforts to end child sexual abuse.In this conversation, Tashmica shares how joy and community care have sustained her activism, what it takes to build hope in the midst of grief and injustice, and why treating children as full human beings is essential to preventing violence. She reflects on stepping away from nonprofit leadership, the lessons she’s carrying forward through Aletheia Coaching & Consulting, and the many roles people can play in creating safer, more connected communities.Topics we cover:Joy as a survival skill and organizing strategyPlanning for care instead of chaosLessons from a decade leading The Firecracker FoundationSurvivor-led approaches to healing and preventionBuilding resilient, abolitionist communitiesLearn more:Follow Tashmica Torok → https://tashmicatorok.com/Hear our conversation Tuesday August 12 https://tjparenting.substack.com/Follow Amplify RJ & David → http://amplifyrj.com/linksConnect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
Transcribe →Speaking Out Cost Me Everything: A Conversation on Shame, Burnout, and Worthiness w/ Michelle MiJung Kim
Jul 31, 202500:57:39Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailWhat happens when you speak out for justice and its costs you everything?In this raw and intimate conversation, Michelle MiJung Kim (author of The Wake Up and host of I Feel That Way Too) joins us to explore the aftermath of speaking up for Palestine in a world that often punishes courage.We explore:Losing clients and credibility after speaking up for PalestineGrieving the collapse of a once-successful career and public identityShame, silence, and the tension between self-love and social impactNavigating burnout, belonging, and friendship ruptures in justice spacesRebuilding worthiness outside of productivity and applauseWhether you’ve ever felt lost, unworthy, or unsure how to show up, you’re not alone. This conversation is for you.Listen to Michelle’s podcast: I Feel That Way Too –https://www.ifeelthatwaytoo.com/Read The Wake Up: https://www.michellemijungkim.com/bookConnect with Amplify RJ: https://amplifyrj.com/linksConnect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
Transcribe →A Comedian’s Viral “Callout” Misses Real Accountability
Jul 24, 202500:36:12Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailA new dad joked that parenting has been “pretty easy,” and the comedian clapped back—calling him a scumbag for leaving the mom at home. The internet celebrated it as a powerful “callout.”But was it really accountability?In this episode of Restorative Justice Breakdown, I sit down with Kori (the dad and owner of https://hiveclimbing.com/winnipeg/ in the viral clip) and Kerri (his wife, and a feminist reproductive health professional) to explore:What actually happened at the comedy show (beyond the clip)The pressures dads face to either perform or disappearThe real (invisible) labor of early parenting and recoveryWhy people projected rage onto Corey and called it “justice”How we confuse venting with accountability, and symbolism with real peopleKerri shares her experience as a new mom, what their parenting dynamic actually looks like, and how context, privilege, and nuance matter when we talk about partnership and caregiving. Kori opens up about how it felt to be publicly roasted and misrepresented online, despite being an engaged and supportive father.This isn’t about canceling the comedian. It’s about examining how we project our pain, turn strangers into symbols, and mistake viral content for justice.Connect with Amplify RJ: https://amplifyrj.com/linksConnect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
Transcribe →Restorative Justice as Spiritual Practice: Ruth Ifakemi Jeannoel on Grief, Community & Circlekeeping
Jul 17, 202501:05:02Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailRuth Ifakemi Jeannoel returns to share the intimate journey behind her new book, Restorative Justice Practices: Circlekeeping for Community Healing. This conversation is rooted in grief, ancestry, and the deep practice of restorative justice as both strategy and spiritual path. We explore what it means to be a practitioner, a mother, an organizer, and a descendant—especially in times of personal and collective loss. This episode is for anyone navigating grief, building community, or holding space for transformation.About RuthRuth Ifakemi Jeannoel is a cultural organizer, circlekeeper, spiritual practitioner, and mother. She is the founder of Fanm Saj, where she uplifts healing justice and ancestral practices to build collective power in Black and brown communities. Her new book is an offering of tools, stories, and spiritual grounding for anyone practicing or curious about restorative justice and circlekeeping. Grab the BookRestorative Justice Practices: Circlekeeping for Community Healing: https://www.ruthjeannoel.com/product-page/restorative-justice-practices-circle-keeping-for-community-healingConnect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
Transcribe →Coaching Youth Basketball for Justice, not Domination w/ Carolyn Sideco
Jul 10, 202500:57:48Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailCan a youth basketball team be a site of healing, justice, and joy?In this episode, David is joined by youth sports expert, educator, and restorative justice practitioner Carolyn Sideco for a conversation about the role of youth sports in shaping identity, belonging, and community.As David begins coaching young kids, he asks:How can I prioritize equity and development over winning?How can I create a team culture rooted in kapwa and in lak’ech values?What do coaches and parents need to understand about their impact on kids?Carolyn brings her deep experience to share wisdom, strategy, and encouragement for parents, coaches, and anyone involved in youth sports. From Positive Coaching Alliance to redefining competition, this conversation is both practical and visionary.Whether you're a coach, sports parent, or someone who cares about raising just, connected young people, this episode is for you.Coaching Kapwa: https://www.coachingkapwa.com/Positive Coaching Alliance: https://positivecoach.org/Amplify RJ: https://amplifyrj.com/linksConnect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
Transcribe →Lola Wisdom: On Becoming an Elder, Building Filipino Community in the South, & Aspiring to More than Representation
Jul 7, 202500:47:15Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailThis conversation with Carolyn Sideco will be released in two parts this week. In part 1, we catch up on life, identity, and community. Carolyn is a youth sports professional, grandmother, and founder of Coaching Kapwa, bringing a restorative, justice-driven lens to athletics. But beyond sports, we dive into her journey embracing elderhood, building Filipino community in New Orleans, and wrestling with identity as diasporic people. We talk about the long, often hidden history of Filipinos in Louisiana, what it means to balance personal needs with service to community, and how to stay grounded in our relationships during overwhelming times.Connect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
Transcribe →How a White Woman Moves Towards Truth, Healing, & Reparations with Hillary Giovale
Jul 3, 202500:54:00Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailThis episode is specifically for the white folks who listen to this podcast, and especially white women, because Hillary has written a powerful invitation to her own community to step into deep, ongoing reparative work.We talk about what it means to be in right relationship, with the land, with ancestors, with communities of color, and how her journey of waking up to the truths of colonization, white supremacy, and historical harm has transformed her life. Hillary shares personal stories, dreams, tears, and the practices that helped her move from guilt to grounded action.This isn’t a guilt trip, it’s a call to courage. If you’re ready (or even just curious) about what it means to be a better relative in these times, this one’s for you.Tap in. Reflect. And take action.Black, Indigenous, and people of color, you’re of course welcome to listen, but feel free to skip this one if your energy’s needed elsewhere.Grab Hillary’s book + check out resources at goodrelative.comGuide to Making a Personal Reparations PlanConnect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
Transcribe →How to Find Your Place in Justice Work During Polycrisis
Jun 27, 202500:41:27Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailIn this episode, I’m joined by the newest Amplify RJ intern, Kylie Chen to check in about how we're navigating the heaviness of ICE raids happening in my city, to the overwhelm of polycrisis, to the exhaustion of being a young parent trying to balance it all, and how we both wrestle with showing up for justice in ways that are sustainable. We talk about building community where you are, the nonlinear journey of figuring out your role, the tension between needing to survive and wanting to do liberation work full-time, and the imperfect path I’ve taken trying to balance all of that myself.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, disconnected, unsure of your place, or wondered how the hell to keep going, I hope this conversation lets you know, you’re not alone.Also, real talk if you appreciate this work and want it to continue, join our community, take a course, or bring me in to work with your school or organization. That’s how I feed my family and keep this work going.Connect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
Transcribe →The Messy Birth of Rebellion: Andor, Movement Strategy & Restorative Resistance with Gabes Torres
May 28, 202501:10:00Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailWhat can a Star Wars show teach us about organizing, resistance, and healing? In this episode of the Amplify RJ Podcast, I sit down with strategist, therapist, and writer Gabes Torres to talk about Andor—yes, that Star Wars show—and what it reveals about real-life revolution.We dive into how Andor de-romanticizes rebellion and reflects the complex realities of movement work: the banality of evil, conflict in organizing, disposability culture, and the painful but necessary tension between rest and resistance. Gabes shares insights from their piece on the show, their organizing and healing work in the Global South, and the ways marine mammals and myth can inform our strategy.Whether or not you’ve seen the show, this conversation is about so much more than the galaxy far, far away—it’s about our world and how we build toward collective liberation with nuance, integrity, and care.0:00 – Intro: What is Andor + Character Breakdown 5:20 – Meet Gabes Torres: Healer, Strategist, Rebel 9:42 – How Andor De-Romanticizes Revolution 14:20 – Disney, Propaganda & Revolutionary Storytelling 19:35 – The Banality of Evil in a Boardroom 25:00 – Real-World Parallels: Propaganda, Gaza, Gorman & Genocide 26:45 – Parenting, Powerlessness & Purpose 29:21 – Consciousness Building as Resistance 32:20 – Gabes on Luthen, Clea & Strategy in Movement 36:42 – Bix, Trauma & Knowing When to Step Back 40:28 – Organizing Through Burnout & Wavering Commitment 44:30 – Humananizing vs. Ruthless Sacrifice47:40 – Disposability Culture in Movements 49:10 – Disagreeing Is Not a Failure of Solidarity 52:00 – Addressing Conflict & Building in Organizing 56:20 – Is there Shared Vision for Our Resistance? 1:00:23 – Activist Ecosystems, Movement Mentorship from Marine Mammals 1:07:30 – Upside Down Triangle: Rethinking Power 1:08:50 – Support Gabes & Psychosocial Care for Organizers Connect with Gabes:https://gabestorres.com/https://www.instagram.com/gabestorres/Read her article: https://gabestorres.substack.com/p/andorSupport mental health care for organizers in the Global South https://gabestorres.com/support/Connect with us!SUPPORT by sharing this podcast and leaving a rating or review
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