OUR PROGRAMS

Our Restorative Justice (RJ) programs for at-risk and at-promise youth, create healing spaces, reduce disciplinary measures, and address systemic inequities. By integrating RJ practices, we foster school environments grounded in respect and  accountability which are essential for improving student outcomes. Our programs in civic engagement and food initiatives empower students, families, and educators to reshape school culture and community conditions, creating lasting change and breaking cycles of disadvantage.

In 2020, Urban Visionaries jump-started an emergency food and supply distribution effort in response to the global pandemic. We continue to conduct monthly community food-aid distributions in the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys, serving low-income schools and high-need families. In collaboration with our public school and union partners, we distribute food, hygiene, and household products.

Urban Visionaries facilitates the Transformative Justice Leadership Program (TJLP), a comprehensive initiative that empowers students and educators through Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). 

The program aims to strengthen school communities by cultivating student leadership, engagement, and advocacy, while empowering them to identify and address issues impacting their campus. Using Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) methods, TJLP supports students in developing critical research skills, including formulating research questions, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, conducting literature reviews, and developing evidence-based findings. Students receive culturally relevant training and guidance, culminating in a final project such as a report, presentation, or video that is shared with school and community stakeholders. This program promotes collective learning, amplifies student voice, and supports student-led advocacy for change within the school community.

The Dream Allies Network empowers educators and supports DREAM Centers to address the unique challenges faced by immigrant and low-income students, fostering inclusive, supportive learning environments and college access programming that challenge systemic inequities and anti-immigrant rhetoric. Through this work, we can continue creating schools that become true havens of opportunity and resilience, enabling all students to thrive despite uncertain times.