The Pa'lante Restorative Justice (RJ) Program at Holyoke High School is the direct result of the sustained organizing effort of youth, teachers, and community members in the Holyoke Public Schools, a school system that was recently placed in state receivership and is ground zero for the school to prison pipeline in Massachusetts. In the two and a half years since its inception, Pa’lante has become a locally, regionally and nationally recognized model for school-based, youth-led restorative justice that offers an alternative to punitive discipline practices while also building young people’s capacity to organize to address the root causes of systemic oppression in their schools and communities.
Pa'lante's work centers around two components: circle practice and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR.) Circles, lead by Peer Leaders, offer students, families and teachers in conflict an opportunity to be heard, understood, and to engage in culturally-sustaining dialogue. By getting at the root of a problem and giving all parties voice, Pa'lante ultimately strives to change the landscape of oppression that young people face. In addition to facilitating circles, Pa'lante youth design a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project each year, where they engage in critical action research to address a problem that is relevant to their lived experience at Holyoke High School. Most recently, students transformed the In-House Suspension Room into a Student Support Room, which is staffed by Peer Leaders, therapist interns, and a full-time coordinator.
The name Pa'lante is a nod to the Young Lords, a Puerto Rican activist group who organized to bring services to neglected communities and attention to injustice. The Young Lords worked to address racism, police injustice, poor health care, and tenants' rights. Like the Black Panthers, they set up free breakfast programs for children, and organized free day care. For the young people at Holyoke High School, many of whom have Puerto Rican roots, their work is an example of self-determination and transformative justice. "Pa'lante," which means "forward!" was the name of Young Lords' newspaper.
In 2016-2017: 144 Referrals as of May = over 300 students! 150 Circles including Follow-Up Circles Whole school initiatives such as Knights Ride for Peace Week Conferences, events, public speaking, trainings Carlos Vega Social Justice Award Helped Amherst Public Schools design a Restorative Justice program
2018 Goals Boost online and social media presence Create a video documentary with the help of the Transforming Culture Project Garner sustained funding Grow the College HotSpot program, which provides support to students in their journey towards college Continue to facilitate restorative circles, present at other schools and conferences, and conduct Youth Participatory Action Research projects at Holyoke High School