Another blog post, and another great month at Haverford House. We started the month of with a bang, or should I say, a slam. On February 1 we hosted a story slam with the theme “Laugh About it Later”. At first, people were hesitant to stand up and tell a story, but as the night went on the momentum in the room shifted. We heard many great stories about everything from shoplifting from Barnes & Nobles, to embarrassing Instagram posts, to drama on Neopets. By the end of the night, many people who didn’t anticipate speaking had gotten up to share.

On February 16 and 17 Amanda helped facilitate a workshop about Restorative Justice with other members of Let’s Circle Up. All five fellows attended the workshop, and we were joined by several students and many people working in the fields of re-entry and education in Philadelphia. The workshop gave us the chance to reflect about alternative visions of justice outside of the current criminal legal system, and more humane ways of resolving harm.

We had another Lunch & Learn with Hanae at HIAS-PA. Hanae and other staff members at HIAS-PA taught us about the history of immigration policy in the United States, the origins of HIAS-PA, and the current political action taking place to create policy that supports, rather than punishes people who are immigrating. Hanae did a wonderful job, and it was evident how much she has contributed to HIAS-PA. The Lunch & Learn was comprehensive, and a great resource for everybody that attended.