Restorative justice, the type of justice that can heal both the targets of injustice and those responsible for it, can only begin after an acknowledgement of the truth. When it comes to racism, we in the United States have never fully acknowledged the truth. Just as scholars, journalists and teachers have gathered new facts that expose the truth about this contested issue to share with students and the public, a dangerous backlash is taking place in the form of censorship, book banning, defunding of diversity initiatives and limiting academic freedom. This presentation will discuss the threat of what Martin Luther King, Jr referred to as “conscientious stupidity”, the basic tenets of restorative justice, examples of it in practice and how each of us can be champions of truth as we apply these principles to our antiracism efforts.

Dr. Kimberly Barrett is an educator, consultant and writer with significant professional experience working to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging for businesses, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations. She approaches this critical work with a framework that is evidence based, strategic and compassionate. In addition to her consulting, she has held senior administrative positions at several universities in the U.S. and Canada, taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels and served as a columnist and commentator for newspapers and radio.