<![CDATA[Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County - CRC Blog]]>Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:50:31 -0700EditMySite<![CDATA[Decades of Being Part of Santa Cruz County's Public Safety System]]>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:30:00 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/decades-of-being-part-of-santa-cruz-countys-public-safety-systemSince 1986, the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County has worked from a simple idea: address conflict and harm in ways that create accountability, understanding, and a path forward. Incorporating these values in practice has been part of our mission.

We’re proud to say CRC is a vital part of Santa Cruz County’s public-safety system.
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CRC and the Santa Cruz County Probation Department developed the Reconciliation Project to bring restorative justice practices to more serious cases. The County describes the program as serving cases in which legal sanctions are complete, the person who caused harm is ready to take responsibility, and the person who experienced the harm is willing and able to participate in a restorative process. That work reflects an important distinction.

Completing a legal consequence and repairing harm are not always the same thing. Restorative justice can create space for questions that may remain after a case has moved through the legal system.
  • What happened?
  • Who was affected?
  • What responsibility needs to be taken?
  • What would meaningful repair look like?
  • And what could help prevent future harm?

The County’s 2025-26 Public Safety Realignment Implementation Plan includes CRC among its AB109-funded providers and provides screening, preparation, facilitation, and follow-up. 

But the partnership represents something larger than a contract. It shows how a community-based organization and a public agency can work together to expand the ways we think about accountability and public safety.

The Reconciliation Project has also included individual cases.

The County notes that the project played a central role in supporting the community restorative justice process following the defacement of Santa Cruz’s Black Lives Matter mural. For CRC, this work is part of a 40-year continuum.

We began by helping neighbors and families work through conflict.

Over four decades, that work has grown to include mediation, restorative justice, court and probation partnerships, workplace and community conflict resolution, training, youth programs and new approaches developed in response to emerging community needs.

The methods continue to evolve. The purpose remains remarkably consistent: helping people face conflict and harm in ways that strengthen accountability, understanding and community.

As CRC celebrates its 40th anniversary, we’ll be sharing more stories about where this work began, how it has changed, and what we believe conflict resolution can make possible in Santa Cruz County over the next 40 years.

We're celebrating our anniversary with a party on September 26, 2026. You're invited! Learn more here. 

]]><![CDATA[Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Celebrates our 40th Anniversary with a Resolution]]>Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:06:23 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/santa-cruz-county-board-of-supervisors-celebrates-our-40th-anniversary-with-a-resolutionPicture
There are moments when a milestone suddenly feels real. For CRC, one of those moments came when the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors formally recognized the Conflict Resolution Center’s 40th anniversary on Tuesday, August 25th.

Since 1986, CRC has helped people across Santa Cruz County work through conflict, repair harm, strengthen relationships, and find a way forward. What began as a small community effort has become part of this county's value, serving families, young people, neighbors, workplaces, people involved in the justice system, and many others navigating difficult moments.

Being recognized by the Board of Supervisors was meaningful because CRC’s work has always been deeply local. It happens in conversations, classrooms, mediation rooms, courtrooms, schools, and community spaces across Santa Cruz County. Often quietly. Often when people are having one of the hardest days of their lives.

So yes, we are celebrating 40 years. (It includes a party and you're invited!)

We are also celebrating the thousands of people who have trusted CRC, the volunteers and staff who built this organization, the community partners who continue to believe in the work, and a county that recognizes the value of helping people resolve conflict with dignity, accountability, and care.

And because every important civic milestone deserves photographic evidence, we even have a picture of a volunteer, Jennifer Carole, from behind the podium. Admittedly, not quite the angle she would have chosen. 

But after 40 years, we’ll take it!
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]]><![CDATA[Santa Cruz High School Leadership Program]]>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:08:58 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/santa-cruz-high-school-leadership-programPicture
The program launches this spring and is designed for ninth- and tenth-grade students. If you're in eleventh or twelfth grade and interested in the CRC mission, let us know. We have classes and trainings and are always looking for volunteers! 

In the meantime, we are accepting names on our "interested" list and we will be sending out program applications soon. Thank you.

Add your name here! 
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]]><![CDATA[Partner Showcase: Sometimes $75 is Enough to Change What Happens Next]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 23:53:08 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/partner-showcase-sometimes-75-is-enough-to-change-what-happens-next
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hat if helping someone get back on their feet didn't require a huge program or a huge donation?

Sometimes it requires a bus pass. Work boots. A working phone. An enrollment fee. A book for a recovery program.

That is the wonderfully simple idea behind the new BRIDGE Foundation of Santa Cruz County.

BRIDGE provides small grants to local public defender clients who are working toward rehabilitation, recovery, and successful reentry. The organization helps pay for practical needs that can become surprisingly large barriers when someone is trying to move forward. Think of it a little like Kiva, but very close to home and without the loan. Kiva showed how many people contributing relatively small amounts could help someone take an important next step.

BRIDGE applies that same accessible idea here in Santa Cruz County: a small contribution from one neighbor can help another neighbor get past the obstacle directly in front of them.

And small really does mean small.

BRIDGE's donation page starts at $25, with options for $50 and $75. The organization has already raised more than $13,000 toward its current $25,000 goal. That's what makes this idea so compelling. You don't have to solve homelessness, poverty, addiction or the criminal legal system. You can help buy the phone that lets someone hear back about a job. You can help pay for transportation. You can help someone get the basic things they need to take the next step.

BRIDGE officially launches on August 20 at Natural Bridges Farm, in partnership with the Homeless Garden Project. For those of us who believe stronger communities are built when people have real opportunities to move forward, this is an unusually accessible way to help.

Sometimes the bridge to what comes next is only $75 long.
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]]><![CDATA[Threads of Grief, Threads of Love: Join CRC at First Friday]]>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 22:08:52 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/threads-of-grief-threads-of-love-join-crc-at-first-friday
The Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County will host an information table at Threads of Grief, Threads of Love, a special First Friday quilt exhibit at the Resource Center for Nonviolence.

The exhibit features 36 handmade quilts created to remember 720 infants killed in Gaza. Through fabric, care, and collective witness, the installation creates space for community members to hold grief, reflect on our shared humanity, and consider how solidarity can move us toward greater responsibility. (Resource Center for Nonviolence)

Listening is a vital first step. 

Conflict resolution begins with the willingness to listen, acknowledge harm, and remain present with experiences that may be painful or difficult. Art can help create that space. It gives people another way to express loss, recognize the humanity of others, and begin conversations rooted in compassion rather than division.

CRC volunteers will be available throughout the evening to share information about our mediation, restorative justice, youth, workplace, housing, and community programs. Stop by our table to meet us, ask questions, and learn how CRC has helped Santa Cruz County residents work through conflict for 40 years.

See you Friday night!
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The exhibit takes place Friday, August 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz. Light refreshments will be served.
The event details are published by the Resource Center for Nonviolence.

We just got this note from RCNV

Dear Beloved Community,
We invite you to join us next Friday and Saturday as we come together to reflect, remember, and recommit to the work of cultivating a peaceful, safe future for all—continuing our 2026 Loving Justice initiative: A Transformational Path Toward Interbeing.

This series explores what it means to meet fear, anger, and loss with courage, goodwill, and fortitude—rooted in the understanding that all struggles for justice are interconnected. Recognizing and nurturing these connections is how we grow the movements that change the world.

On Friday, August 7, from 6–8 PM, RCNV opens its doors for Threads of Grief, Threads of Love, a quilt exhibit honoring Gaza's Children. Thirty-six handmade quilts remember 720 infants—each one stitched with care by community members who could not bear to watch from a distance while their government remained implicated. We'll gather to witness, grieve, and reflect together over light refreshments. No RSVP needed.

Then on Saturday, August 8, at 1 PM, we mark the 81st anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing with a screening of Collateral Damage—a 35-minute RCNV documentary about our local Hiroshima Peace Memorial—followed by paper crane folding and a march to the memorial. We're honored to welcome Victor Kimura, who will share stories about his family, who were in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb dropped. Please RSVP here.

We'd be grateful for your presence at either gathering or both. As always, feel free to share with anyone who might feel called to join us.

With gratitude, Your Friends at RCNV
]]><![CDATA[Our 40th Anniversary Party!]]>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:05:14 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/our-40th-anniversary-party
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We're ready to celebrate our 40th anniversary, and you're invited. 

What:
Food, drinks (yep, both kinds, alcohol and non-alcohol,
raffle, silent auction, conversation, memories, and more. 
When:
Saturday, Sept 26 from 3- 6 p.m. at the
Resource Center for Nonviolence on Ocean St. 

Three ways to participate...
1. Buy a ticket and join us.
​Tickets are $25 each.
Party tickets
2. Win a Prize.
​Buy some "old school" raffle tickets for a chance to win (need not be present to win). We kept the price at $1 each so everyone can participate! Tickets also available at the event.
Raffle Tickets
3. Share Your Thoughts.
Please send us a memory, affirmation, testimonial, endorsement, or anything else to keep us motivated. We're turning them into art at the event. Use the button below if you aren't making a purchase. Otherwise, you'll land on the memory page as soon as you're done buying tickets. Thank you!
share a memory
We look forward to seeing you soon!

Thank you to our event sponsors

]]><![CDATA[Beyond Punishment: Community-led Restorative Justice for BLM Hate Crime]]>Tue, 28 Jan 2025 18:17:37 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/beyond-punishment-a-community-led-restorative-justice-approach-to-hate-crime
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Photo courtesy of Santa Cruz Sentinel and Schmuel Thayer
CRC's Reconciliation Project supported the community-led restorative justice response to the vandalizing of the Black Lives Matter mural in Santa Cruz. Read about how the process unfolded and the impacts of the process on the community and the men who caused harm.

Executive Summary:
This report examines the transformative impact of a restorative justice approach applied to the vandalism of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) mural in Santa Cruz, California. The incident, perpetrated by two white men, caused significant harm to the community and highlighted systemic racial issues. The Santa Cruz Equity Collab, a collective of artists and activists who spearheaded the mural project, in collaboration with other local stakeholders, advocated for the implementation of a restorative justice process that prioritized accountability. 

The process was guided by the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County’s Reconciliation Project with support from the Santa Cruz County Adult Probation Department. Key components of the process included facilitated dialogues, community engagement, and reparative actions such as repainting the mural, financial restitution, participation in racial equity education, and community service. Feedback from stakeholders underscored the process's success in fostering personal accountability and community healing while revealing areas for systemic improvement. This report concludes with recommendations to enhance restorative justice practices, ensure broader adoption, and address gaps in the legal system's engagement with impacted communities. 

​Read the report here!
]]><![CDATA[CRC Event: Let's Talk About It]]>Fri, 03 May 2024 00:49:40 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/lets-talk-about-it
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For more information, click here
]]><![CDATA["Building Empathy with the Conflict Resolution Center": Talk of the Bay Interview on KSQD]]>Tue, 27 Dec 2022 17:44:41 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/building-empathy-with-the-conflict-resolution-center-talk-of-the-bay-interview-on-ksqdPicture
On Talk of the Bay, Monday, November 28 at 5 pm, Christine Barrington interviewed staff and volunteers of CRC about the power of empathy.
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From the show notes: Othering has always been an issue in human civilization, and the world is full of people who reflexively think that different is synonymous with wrong. Luckily, the world is also full of people who seek to reach out with curiosity and build bridges of understanding over chasms of fear and distrust. My guests for this show are part of this global web of understanding, and they are leading efforts here in Santa Cruz to create new outcomes for challenging social problems through the cultivation of empathy with programs offered in partnership with the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County. An event they offered this Summer at the MAH called Let’s Talk About It offered innovative ways to “find common threads through conversation.” It was deeply impactful for those who experienced it, and through the ripple effect, new programs are being birthed in its wake. 

Listen to the interview with Alaya Vautier, Tenzin Chogkyi, Andy Rae, and Tyler Drogin here: https://ksqd.org/building-empathy-with-the-conflict-resolution-center/
]]><![CDATA[United Against Hate Week: Nov 13–20, 2022]]>Sun, 13 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.crcsantacruz.org/blog/united-against-hate-week-nov-13-20​Earlier this summer, CRC hosted the memorable Let’s Talk About It! even in partnership with the MAH. After its inaugural success our team, together with the team from MAH, immediately put the event on the calendar to repeat next year (more on save the date to come!). That event, along with our work on programs such as the Reconciliation Project and the Neighborhood Courts program, and along with many other events and the events that are happening this week throughout our County and the Country are the continuous efforts we all must take to promote equity, peace and safety, to restore justice through healing, understanding and transformation. We are sharing the events brought to you by many wonderful organization of Santa Cruz County and we hope you have a chance to join!

United Against Hate Week: Nov 13–20
About United Against Hate Week
United Against Hate Week (Nov. 13-19th, 2022) is a call for seven days of local civic action by people in every community to stop the hate and implicit biases that are a dangerous threat to the safety and civility of our neighborhoods, towns, and cities.

United Against Hate was created by civic leaders in direct response to the sharp rise in expressions of hate in our communities. We want to empower local residents to take action in their local communities and alter the course of this growing intolerance.

When cities and their residents work together against hate, we can restore respect and civil discourse, embrace the strength of diversity and build inclusive and equitable communities for all.

You can post signs, host events, share stories, attend rallies, and connect with schools and neighborhood civic institutions. Nothing is too small, because working united in each community is what will defeat hate in all communities. Learn more at unitedagainsthateweek.org.

The events below are sponsored by Santa Cruz County United for Safe and Inclusive Communities (SCCUSIC), Temple Beth El, The Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV), Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), and the Santa Cruz Public Libraries (SCPL).

Panel Discussion
Youth Panel: Perspectives and Needs for Wellbeing
Thursday, November 17th, Capitola Branch Library, 2005 Wharf Rd, 6:00 - 7:30 PM, In-person and Online. Register Here.

Calling-IN Workshop
CALLING PEOPLE IN: Having difficult Conversations about Racism and White Supremacy
Saturday, November 19th, 11am - 12:30pm online.
Hosted by SURJ of Santa Cruz County (Showing Up for Racial Justice) Register Here.

Film Screening and Discussion
Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life
Sunday, November 20th, 7-9 pm at the 418 Project (former Riverfront Theater).
Santa Cruz County United for Safe and Inclusive Communities (SCCUSIC), in partnership with Temple Beth El, the Resource Center for Nonviolence, and the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, presents the documentary REPAIRING THE WORLD: Stories From the Tree of Life. Join in the discussion after the movie with filmmaker Patrice O'Neill and panelists Rabbi Paula Marcus, Don Smith, Marci Dupraw, and Mayor Sonya Brunner. Click here to see the trailer.

Free Bystander Trainings
Bystander Intervention to Stop Police Sponsored Violence And Anti-Black Racist Harassment.
Monday, November 14th, 10-11:15 am online.
Presented by Right to Be (formerly Hollaback). Register Here.
Stand Up Against Street Harassment
Tuesday, November 15th, 11am-12pm online.
Presented by Right to Be (formerly Hollaback). Register Here
Bystander Intervention to Stop Islamophobic And Xenophobic Harassment
Thursday, November 17th, 2-3pm online.
Presented by Right to Be (formerly Hollaback). Register Here.

Resources:
Santa Cruz County United Against Hate Week School Toolkit 2022 (created by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education)
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