The Sufi message warns humanity to know life better and to achieve freedom in life; it warns humanity to accomplish what it considers good, just, and desirable, and before every action, to note its consequences by studying the situation, by judging one’s own attitude, by studying beforehand the method which one adopts to act in life. ~ Social Gathekas, Hazrat Inayat Khan
The North American Oceania Kinship Activity invites you to explore, together: Until We Reckon: Violence, Mass Incarceration, and a Road to Repair by Danielle Sered.
In a book Democracy Now calls a ¨a complete overhaul of the way we’ve been taught to think about crime, punishment, and justice,¨ Danielle Sered offers pragmatic solutions that take the place of prison, meeting the needs of survivors and creating pathways for people who have committed violence to repair harm. Critically, Sered argues that reckoning is owed not only on the part of individuals who have caused violence, but also by our nation for its overreliance on incarceration to produce safety—at a great cost to communities, survivors, racial equity, and the very fabric of our democracy.
Sered asks us to reconsider the purposes of incarceration and argues that the needs of survivors of violent crime are better met by asking people who commit violence to accept responsibility for their actions and make amends in ways that are meaningful to those they have hurt – none of which happens in the context of a criminal trial or a prison sentence.
“The work [Sered is doing] is truly impressive and innovative. . . . [It] encompasses two seemingly contradictory threads—one is diverting violent criminals from the prison system, and the other is helping victims heal. I found it completely, radically original and generally fascinating. . . . Truly remarkable work.”
—Scott Stossel, The Atlantic
The Social Justice Book Group is dedicated to reading books on issues of antiracism, indigenous rights, immigrant rights and more. The book group will meet every other Monday, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Eastern, for seven sessions, starting March 18th.
If you are interested in joining us for this book, please email Fazilee: fazilee@gmail.com. We will begin each session together in meditation. We will then spend time with discussion questions and practices from the book.
This group is intended to be a space of learning together, reflecting on the stories we have been told about the criminal justice system, violence and race, unpacking our conditioning, and identifying and challenging racial oppression. This kind of reflection can cause unintended harm for people of different racial experiences. Therefore, although this group is open to anyone interested in participating, we would like participants to know that the facilitation team currently identified is composed of white people, who, along with the participants, will be engaging in this process of learning, and are not experts on this topic.
If you are interested in joining us, please contact: fazilee@gmail.com to register. A Zoom link and reading assignments will be sent to registrants two weeks before the first session. Registration for Until We Reckon: Violence, Mass Incarceration, and a Road to Repair* closes March 11th.
*Used copies are available on Abebooks.com. If you have a local Black-owned bookstore in your area, we also encourage you to look there.