How Ruth Jeannoel Uses Restorative Justice Circles to Heal 

A Q&A with Ruth Jeannoel

On May 23, cultural organizer, trainer, and birth worker Ruth Jeannoel will release her debut book, “Restorative Justice Practices: Circle Keeping for Community Healing.” She will release the book during the kick-off for the “We Got Us: Healing Justice Skill Share” at the Little Haiti Community Center in Miami. I caught up with Jeannoel to talk about the book and her life’s work in restorative justice. Below are excerpts from our conversation.

Jennifer R. Farmer: What’s the central message for the book?

Ruth Jeannoel: I wrote “Restorative Justice Practices: Circle Keeping for Collective Healing” to offer a tool for strengthening and building community to support communal care and collective healing. The book debunks the myth that restorative justice is for institutions and schools; it’s also for families, nonprofits, and communities.

JRF: Why is this book necessary now? 

RJ: Many people are grappling with how we manage multiple crises from attacks on immigrants, to job loss, to rollbacks on efforts to advance equity. So many people feel they are in crisis. The question becomes, “How do we take care of ourselves and others in moments of crisis?” A person may not have access to a therapist, but they may have access to people who will listen. This book offers tools for coping and caring for oneself and others.

JRF: How has restorative justice transformed you?

RJ: I was introduced to circle keeping through Power U Center for Social Change. In my personal and professional life, I’ve used circles and circle keeping to heal, grow, and facilitate collective and communal healing. It is a restorative justice practice available to us all.

JRF: What are the benefits of restorative justice practices? 

RJ: Restorative Justice practices are tools to move forward in a healthy way, however that is defined by the people involved. The people involved in a restorative justice circle or circle keeping define “healthy.”

JRF: How are organizations applying principles from your book or life’s work? 

RJ: I work with a number of social justice organizations who organize around civic engagement, immigration, housing, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Many have incorporated restorative justice practices in their social justice work and world. For instance, the organization Collective Sisterhood hosts Mental Health Mondays to train young people to hold circles. During these sessions, young people come together to process emotions and discuss emotional regulation. These sessions help young people heal past traumas and discuss mental health.

JRF: What are some of the restorative justice practices cited in the book? 

RJ: I talk a lot about circle keeping, which is an indigenous and African practice designed to build safety and healing in community. Circle keeping includes consent, boundaries and guidelines, principles, and understanding to improve communication and healing. Circles can be physical and spiritual. For instance, participants of circle groups bring themselves, as well as their life experiences and family lineage. People enter with their full selves.

JRF: What is significant about releasing the book in May? 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and restorative justice practices support mental and physical health. Mother’s Day and Haitian and Dominican Mother’s Day are also in March. I’m of Haitian descent. I was born in the United States. Growing up, my family always celebrated Haitian Mother’s Day and Mother’s Day. My mom was always so proud to celebrate both.

JRF: What is significant about releasing this book around Mother’s Day? 

RJ: This is my second Mother’s Day without my mom. She passed in March of 2024. Mother’s Day was hard as I was navigating grief while also appreciative of the ways in which my mom inspired the book and my work. I’ve learned that grief can birth so much, and so I have gratitude for it all.

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