About
Rhode Island for Community & Justice (RICJ) is a social justice nonprofit dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry, and racism and promoting understanding among all races, religions, and cultures through advocacy, conflict resolution, and education. It is our purpose to transform communities to be more inclusive and just by empowering people to lead institutional change. We are the voice that calls people to common ground, with respect for differences but with the understanding that people of all backgrounds have common values and needs that unite them.
Fighting bias, bigotry and racism.
Promoting understanding.
OUR MISSION
To promote understanding and respect across groups, RICJ believes society must acknowledge the dynamics of power and privilege and the role individuals play in creating attitudes, behavior and practices that support systems of exclusion and oppression either overt or covert.
Through its adult and youth programming, RICJ works with students, teachers, clergy, corporate and civic leaders to facilitate workshops, develop curriculum, convene race relations and inter-religious dialogues, and provide consulting on challenges related to bias, bigotry and racism. Our current focus on youth programs and juvenile justice reforms is due largely to the organizations belief that today's teens are tomorrow's leaders, and through them is the only way to create long-lasting positive change in our communities.
OUR STORY
WHO WE ARE: OUR STAFF
Toby Ayers, PhD
Executive Director
Dr. Ayers is a community psychologist with doctorate from Washington State University and postdoctoral fellowship at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Executive Director since 2004, Toby leads administration, strategic planning and fundraising, organizes the Civil Rights Roundtable and founded and directs our Juvenile Justice program. She teams with Rose and RICJ youth on our diversity and workplace consulting service.
Jace Cardona
Juvenile Justice Reform VISTA
Jace (he/him) is RICJ's Juvenile Justice Reform VISTA. He promotes juvenile diversion by helping support and expand the Juvenile Hearing Boards in RI, with the primary objective to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system. He assists in providing JHBs resources, training, educational opportunities, and connections throughout the community by helping organize events including the Community Ally Coalition and statewide
JHB meetings.
Juvenile Justice Reform VISTA
Veronica Godina
Bonner Fellow
Veronica is a junior at Brown University but is originally from Chicago, IL. As a Bonner Fellow, she will be with RICJ for all four years of college. She works with the juvenile justice team but also does independent research for RICJ. This work is especially meaningful to her after witnessing the negative impacts of the school-to-prison pipeline and juvenile incarceration in her own community. After college, she hopes to enter law school and focus on juvenile justice law or immigration law.
Rose Albert
Senior Associate for Youth Programs
RICJ is thrilled that Rose Albert has re-joined our organization, first as Youth Program Manager and now as our Senior Associate. In 2018, Rose returned to RICJ after having earned her BA from Salve Regina University and her MA in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management from the School of International Training (SIT) in Brattleboro, VT. Rose works with RICJ part time to run our Youth Programs. At the same time, Rose is an Assistant Director of Salve Regina University's Multicultural Center.
Sharlene Tavares
Youth Programs Coordinator
Luca O'Donnell
Luca (he/him) is one of two Youth Programs Coordinators at RICJ. He is a senior at Brown University studying Psychology and Engaged Scholarship in Education. Luca focuses on supporting the operations of Youth Action Council, Camp Project RESPECT, and Youth Facilitation for Change. He has worked in educational contexts with youth of varying ages and is excited to work with high schoolers for the first time.
Youth Programs Coordinator
Emma assists RICJ as the Juvenile Justice Reform Coordinator through the AmeriCorps VISTA national service program. She assists the organization in capacity building sustainable community diversion for juvenile offenders and expanding the effectiveness, community awareness, and success of Juvenile Hearing Boards in the state. This work aids in combatting juvenile incarceration and redirecting youth towards needed mental health services.
OUR BOARD
Board of Directors:
President: David Winoker, Belvoir Properties
Vice President: Michael Evora, Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights
2nd Vice President: Kelly Coutcher, Fidelity Investments
Secretary: Col. Steven Paré, City of Providence
Directors:
Shameem Awan, Amica Insurance
Andrew Douglass, Douglass Law
Stephanie Hague, Jewish Alliance of RI
David Leach
Lizzie Pollock, Enspira Consulting
Emeritis Past Presidents
Dr. John McCray, University of RI (Past President)
Sam Palmisano, Amica Insurance (Past President)
OUR SPONSORS
