Braiding Honor Cords For Prison Inmate Restorative Justice Program Graduation
Phil Goodwin
We are braiding "honor cords" given to incarcerated inmates when they graduate from the restorative justice program GRIP (Guiding Rage Into Power). No special skills or experience is needed, see this video for a similar example (our colors will be different).
These “honor cords” show our support for incarcerated inmates who are developing mindfulness and compassion in order to transform themselves
What is the GRIP program?
The GRIP program (https://grip-traininginstitute.org/) is a restorative justice training program for prison inmates, originally begun in San Quentin. During their one year training program the men are helped to: Stop Violent Action, Cultivate Mindfulness, Develop Emotional Intelligence, and Address Victim Impact. They educate themselves about the suffering they have experienced and caused. When they graduate, they commit themselves to refraining from any violence for the remainder of their lives. Many graduates become GRIP trainers themselves, either working in prisons, or with at-risk populations upon their release.
When will we do this?
Weekly on Saturdays at 11am, starting with an on-line Zoom training session on November 12th, and continuing weekly on-line. This is a community event where we continue to create cords for the men. (Think of it as a 21st century community barn-raising event :)
Who to contact?
If you are interested in participating in this "braiding circle", please email Abraham Guenther <ehbr...@gmail.com> for details about sending you the braiding materials.