Connection First

08/24/2026

When past experiences are met with care and respect, real transformation happens. Heartfelt thanks to Josie for sharing her feedback with our facilitators!

08/21/2026

Two and a half years later, Connection First’s first-ever contract with the City of Tallahassee for our Adult Restorative Justice Program has come to an end—and we’re incredibly proud of what we built together.

Over the course of the contract, we:

• Facilitated 34 Restorative Justice Conferences
• Achieved 95% participant satisfaction
• Reached 100% agreement completion
• Saw just one new criminal offense (5.9% recidivism) among program participants
• Had no new violent offenses among program completers

But the numbers only tell part of the story. This funding gave us the opportunity to build an entirely new program from the ground up, work alongside incredible community partners, and offer people a different way forward when harm has occurred.

We’re deeply grateful to the City of Tallahassee for investing in this work and to everyone who helped make this partnership possible.

And we’re even more excited about what comes next. Stay tuned!

Take a couple of minutes to see what we accomplished together in our Impact Report.

https://5b798b2f-9c6b-4aa6-842c-7a93464a63eb.filesusr.com/ugd/f718cc_c320aab2c85e40e0ac8b65b2ee489bac.pdf

08/20/2026

We’re so glad we recorded this meeting last Monday! In this clip, hear from Amy Alvis, Principal at Ghazvini Learning Center, and a teacher from her school as they share about the impact of restorative practices.

A common misconception about this work is it offers an "easy way out." In reality, being open and vulnerable and taking responsibility requires immense courage. That’s where true healing can begin.

08/18/2026

Last Monday, we had the opportunity to bring together educators, school leaders, district partners, and community partners at Ghazvini Learning Center for a powerful conversation about restorative practices in Leon County Schools.

We learned from one another about what restorative practices look like in action — from Ghazvini’s work over the past 5 years to embed restorative approaches into its school culture and supporting teachers, to the new progress happening at Griffin Middle School.

One exciting takeaway: Griffin Middle School will implement new strategies teachers learned in our training in July when responding to student behavior, using restorative conversation tools. That’s what this work is all about — moving from learning to practice.

The conversation also highlighted the importance of learning from schools that are doing this work every day, sharing what’s working, being honest about challenges, and building the partnerships and supports needed to sustain meaningful change.

We left with lots more to explore — and, most importantly, a shared desire to keep the conversation going. We’re looking forward to gathering again in the coming months and welcoming additional school leaders into the conversation.

When we learn together, listen to one another, and build together, we create stronger schools and stronger communities.

08/12/2026

In the criminal legal system, "accountability" usually means receiving a punishment—serving time or paying a fine. But accountability through the lens of restorative justice is active. It creates space for the person who caused harm to meet with the impacted parties, listen to how their actions affected them, answer questions, and take concrete steps to repair harm. It’s hard work, but it is deeply transformative. At Connection First, we facilitate the kind of accountability that fosters healing and repairs trust.

08/10/2026

Healing doesn't happen in a vacuum; it happens in community. We are incredibly proud to cultivate peace and healing through human connection right here in Tallahassee. When local organizations, justice systems, and citizens lean into dialogue over disconnection, the ripple effects make our entire city safer and more connected. We believe in the power of our local community to restore and rebuild together.

08/08/2026

“Connection First" isn't just the name of our organization—it's the philosophy that guides everything we do.

Every conflict points to something that matters to someone. When we slow down, listen with curiosity, and seek to understand one another's experiences and needs, new possibilities begin to emerge.

Connection doesn't require agreement. It creates the trust and understanding that make accountability, collaboration, and meaningful repair possible.

08/07/2026

At the end of an RJ confernece, every participant completes an anonymous survey. Here, you can see RJ Faciliator Dazz (left) providing the survey to an impacted party (right) in a case we faciliated last month.

Here’s what these clients shared:

If someone was interested in this process based on your experience, what would you tell them?

Responsible Party: "That the conference/meeting is great for closure. The setting is very warm, quiet and relaxing."

Impacted Party: "I would tell them to participate in the program-- you will be heard and able to voice your concerns & issues."

08/03/2026

08/03/2026

The best way to know the true impact of a space is to hear it directly from the people who stepped into it.

Last month, we asked Kevin about his experience participating in an RJ conference with us, his takeaways, and what he would tell someone considering joining us. Hearing his perspective reminds us why this work matters so deeply.