A high school senior shares her story: from an elementary “chatterbox” in the principal’s office to learning about the school-to-prison pipeline and what it meant when she finally met Morningside’s very own Staff Developer, Marisa.
There I was, a first grader, sitting in the suspension room for talking too much in class. I was a real chatterbox they said—but I sat in the quietness of the room, away from my peers and most importantly, the classroom. school had never felt like my second home. It was a place where I was constantly being nitpicked and punished for small acts reflected my naiveness not guilt or my moral character. Over time, these suspensions planted beliefs in my young mind; I was the “bad kid”, incapable of kindness and undeserving of true community. It affected how I saw myself, and students who looked just like me. Many of my Black and Brown classmates were suspended just as I was, and it had socially divided us into categories that we’ve been taught to believe we belong to.
However, I never learned the significance of the term until understanding the pipeline. In short, the school-to-prison pipeline is the process by which Black and Brown students are pushed out of schools and into the criminal justice system through zero-tolerance policies at school. Zero-tolerance policies are punitive approaches that school administrators use to enforce severe consequences for minor misbehaviors. I connected my experiences to this new understanding, and it became even more curious. Looking into restorative justice, I was drawn to how it tore down this pipeline, through practices that addressing the root cause of student behaviors. If my elementary school had implemented these practices, I would have experienced an inclusive, equitable environment I could call home. 
Analyzing my current school environment made me understand the long-term effects of zero-tolerance policies on students’ wellbeing and classroom engagement. I couldn’t rewrite the past, but I could work to ensure that every student who comes after me sees school as a place of learning in every sense. I joined many other restorative justice-affiliated initiatives, working within my school community to bring equitable practices that sought to build community.
In January of 2025, I had the privilege of being trained in restorative justice through Morningside Center. I greatly enjoyed how Marisa, our instructor, tied identity and literature into our training. Before that, I only saw restorative practices as a way to reduce conflict. However, seeing how intersectionality and identity were woven into this training, deepened my understanding of restorative practices. Restorative Practices are not only used for conflict resolution, but also for inclusion and cultural awareness—allowing us to use our differences to heal. During the training we were engaged in the circles and eventually had to
lead one ourselves. This form of experiential learning inspired me to want to educate others through restorative practices and to teach others how to become kind, welcoming leaders in their communities.
In the United States, Black female youth account for 45% of all suspensions (CSBA). Black girls like myself, must adapt to the historical and systemic circumstances that exacerbate the impact of suspensions and discriminatory practices in schools. In March, I applied for the Riley’s Way Foundations’ Call for Kindness Fellowship, a $5,000 award given to 40 passionate youth changemakers.
Winning this national award allowed me to develop a social justice project. I immediately gravitated towards restorative education and empowerment for Black girls through restorative justice career panels. I named it RISE: Restoring Identity, Sisterhood and Empowerment. By engaging in restorative justice work, Black girls restore empowerment in their identities, while fostering sisterhood.
I created a week-long program to be held from April 6th-10t 2026, that will equip passionate changemakers who want to implement restorative practices in their communities.
Morningside’s training changed my outlook on true leadership—that one can inspire through teaching. It was because of this experience, that I became passionate about dismantling the disparities Black girls face at schools through restorative practices.