Cultivation of the Heart: Centering Hope for Youth Engaged in Gun Violence

1321 Garden Highway,Sacramento CA 95833

09 February, 2023

Description

Join the Sierra Health Foundation for a reception and discussion of Cultivation of the Heart. Julius Thibodeaux-Hasan (author; director, Movement 4 Life) and Scott Budnick (founder, Anti-Recidivism Coalition; CEO, 1Community) will reflect on the urgency of reforming the carceral system, the power of centering people with lived experience in finding solutions and the hope we must have for our youth. While some write off youth at the center of gun violence as "unreachable," research and evidence has shown that investing in our youth can transform their lives and our communities. When Julius was a young person, a licensed psychologist predicted that he’d always resort to violence as a means of problem-solving due to exposure to trauma at an early age. His mentors, family, and friends saw a different future. They poured radical love into him and taught him de-escalation and relationship building. Julius has woven these practices into his career training credible messengers and working with high-risk youth at the center of gun violence. Julius’ memoir Cultivation of the Heart is about his path and how we can cultivate the hearts of our young people, especially those at the center of gun violence who are grappling with hurt and pain.