We are the Honeycomb Hive

She / Her

Dr. Desirée Anderson (she/her/hers) was born in San Diego, California. She earned her B.A. and Master’s from the University of Louisville and her Ph.D. from the University of New Orleans studying the use of campus-based restorative justice approaches as a response to racially motivated bias incidents. Before becoming the Associate Dean of Diversity and Student Affairs at the University of New Orleans, she held positions at Saint Mary’s College of California, Tulane University, and Texas State University. Desirée occasionally serves as an adjunct instructor and an RJ Trainer and Facilitator. She has released two book chapters in Colorizing Restorative Justice and Ethics in Higher Education. In her free time, she watches an unnecessary amount of TV, especially kdramas.

They / Them

Dr. Joél Arvizo-Zavala is a researcher, writer, and leader who serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Resilient Education Consulting. They were born and raised in Utah and currently live in Southern California. Their research focuses on equity and social justice in the civil-criminal-legal system, education, and health care. Past projects include research on racial-ethnic disparities in evictions, understanding reentry for probationers and parolees, and racial and gender identity development in BIPOC youth. They have an upcoming chapter in the book Children and Trauma: Critical Perspectives for Meeting the Needs of Diverse Educational Communities. In their role as an assistant professor of medical education, current research projects focus on transgender health care, trauma-informed care, and mental health and well-being in elderly communities. They hold a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy and an M.Ed. in Education, Culture & Society with additional designation as a Certified Health Educational Specialist.

She / Her

Circle Weaver Kristine Hill approaches healing and peacemaking steeped with indigenous perspective. This includes care for the whole community; experience-grounded trust that people can and do change; integrating compassion and no-nonsense, honest communication; and skills in burying the tools of violence. She brings over 20 years of experience as an educator, organizational administrator, and facilitator of diverse, complex communities. She has actively engaged in trauma healing for over 10 years and has been cultivating her spiritual practice for over 30 years. She is now bringing her skills and abilities to local, national, and international organizations as a restorative practitioner, organizational healing conductor, and a speaker on indigenous concerns and peacemaking for multiple faith, interfaith and societal-healing-orientated initiatives. She is affiliated with many restorative organizations and lives in the practice of an everyday life-sustaining relationship with others. Kristine is active in her home communities, living and working to build relationships, reduce harm, and restore communications. In addition to her home on her people's territory, she is currently residing in the traditional homeland of the Mohican/Mahican peoples in the Hudson Valley, New York. She hopes to honor her great-grandmother and grandmother, both having endured residential schools twice, by continuing to have a positive outlook and help others.

He / They

tarek is passionate about working with others to orient the self, communities, and systems towards their liberatory potential on the basis of empathy, critical awareness, and action. tarek has a decade or more of experience in restorative justice, nonviolent action, mediation, dialogue facilitation, community building, peace education, Nonviolent Communication, and conflict transformation. tarek has two sons and hails from a multi-lingual/cultural/religious family.

They / Them

Jasmyn Elise Story is an international Restorative Justice Facilitator, Doula, and the founder of Honeycomb Justice and Freedom Farm Azul. Named one of Vice’s 31 People Making History by Creating a Better Future, they are a dedicated human rights activist with a decade of experience working in the voluntary sector. As the former Deputy Director of Social Justice & Racial Equity for the Office of the Mayor of Birmingham, Jasmyn co-led the launch of the State of Alabama’s first government sustained Women’s Initiative. This decentralized movement aims to interrupt the cycles of harm plaguing Birmingham’s women, children, trans, and non-binary folk. After completion of their M.A. in Human Rights at the University College London, they are currently completing their Ph.D. as a third-generation Tuskegee University student.

He/Him

Robert "Roman" Haferd (he/him) serves as the first Restorative Justice Coordinator at the Attorney General’s Office for Washington DC, where he has helped build the nation’s largest restorative justice program inside the prosecutor’s office. Roman is a lawyer who has been working on the front lines of restorative justice and drug policy reform for nearly a decade, and is a founding board member of a number of regional and national policy and community organizations dedicated to healing, including the Psychedelic Bar Association, the Psychedelic Medicine Coalition, and Roots to Sky Sanctuary, a BIPOC-owned community farm located at the headwaters of the Potomac River. Roman has also represented civil rights plaintiffs in cases around the country involving deprivations of Constitutional rights and law enforcement misconduct. Roman is a Restorative Justice Conferencing expert practitioner and trainer, and speaks regularly around the country on restorative justice and psychedelic policy. Roman holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA from Bucknell University.

She / Her

Guided by a belief that everyone deserves a S.E.A.T at the Table, Takiyah Butler’s purpose is to redesign systems to restore procedural justice, with equal voice and choice for all.

As Owner of Excelsior Performance Group, a consulting firm focused on strategic planning, social systems design and stakeholder engagement, she helps individuals and organizations across the country to amplify what works and align their efforts toward a shared vision of wellbeing for all. Takiyah accomplishes this by supporting Individuals, Organizations and Communities navigate the complexities of social change via strategic planning, organizational development, social systems engineering, stakeholder engagement and leadership development.

For over 15 years, her roles have included local & national community organizing, leadership development, operations management, and action research with communities in Miami, FL; Las Vegas, NV, and Rochester, NY ranging from topics including Housing Development, Education Reform, Economic Development, Mental Health and Youth Development.

Takiyah is an avid Photographer, the best Aunt ever, and a Karaoke All-Star.

She / Her

She is a first-generation Antiguan American based in Orlando, but was born and raised in New York. She has always been passionate about creativity, empathy, and critical thinking that create a better world. She prioritizes pleasure and wellness in life through art and "the work" as an oil painting and sketch medium artist. Jada is passionate about horticulture and has over two dozen plants after beginning her plant journey five years ago. She began her career after college working on the Black Money exhibition curated for the Research Library in Atlanta. She has worked in communications for the past few years, spearheading the digital presence for an all-natural skincare brand, communications work for Exposure Labs, the Climate Change Production company responsible for Chasing Coral and The Social Dilemma, and as Director of Communications at Freedom Farm Azul, an access center farming space in Alabama. She wants to keep helping the Earth and to do work that values relationships and equality.

She / Her

Amanda Mitchel (she/her) is Akimel O'odham (River people) from the Gila River Indian Community and a descendant of the Omaha Nation. She holds an extensive professional background and a Master's degree in American Indian Studies, including a Master's in Public Administration from Arizona State University. She has senior-level experience managing complex public administration and program implementation deliverables, with a proven track record of success in this field. Amanda is a highly organized and results-oriented individual with a strong commitment to organizational success. Amanda is passionate about creating a brighter future for her community and strongly advocates for Indigenous rights and social justice. Her drive and compassion make her an invaluable asset in the effort to improve the lives of others and promote sustainable growth.

He / Him

Serafín Serrano, son of Teodoro and Celia. Daddy to Alina Jeanine. The youngest male in a family of eight lost his mentor & brother, Theodore, who was violently killed On December 14, 1986. A wounded teenage Serafín, enraged and consumed with retribution, was arrested and served a 5-year sentence in The California Youth Authority (CYA). Upon his release in 1992, Serafín directed his energy and intentions to social justice, mentorship, and healing. He attained his Associate of Arts Degree in Human Services from Cypress College and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Social Behavior from The University of California, Irvine. On December 15, 2020, lost his nephew, Ernie Teddy Serrano, Theodore’s only son, to violence at the hands of “law enforcement.”

Serafín serves as Island Empire’s Chapter Coordinator for Crime Survivors for Safety & Justice (CSSJ), Membership Manager for Transformative In-Prison Workgroup (TPW), Circle Keeper and trainer for the ELA’s Women’s Center, Consultant at Honeycomb Justice Consulting, Joven Noble trainer, and facilitator at LA & OC juvenile hall, and co-founder of Sacred Purpose. He has devoted his life’s work to advocating and co-creating public policies and practices that are humane, just, equitable, healing-centered, and transformative.