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ABOUT ERIC BUTLER

Eric Butler is a Restorative Justice Educator and Activist. A Hurricane Katrina survivor, he relocated to Oakland, California where he rebuilt a new life, successfully facilitating Grief Circles in response to homicide and extreme violence in area schools as part of Catholic Charities’ crisis response program. He also worked as a lead mediator with Youth Uprising, where he mediated conflicts on the ground in Oakland neighborhoods and schools.

Eric was first introduced to the world of activism as a child, joining Selma Alabama's 21st Century Leadership Camp with his mentor Ted Quant, where he was involved in unfair education protests and sit in's, and learned a lot about politics and social injustice happening in America.

Eric was also a victim of a failing school system that fast-tracked its African American students from schools to prison. Later, experiencing homelessness after Katrina struck, Eric’s built a belief in the ability to overcome hurdles, which has propelled him forward to make a difference in the lives of young people across the US.

While in Oakland, Eric gained prominence for his impactful Restorative Justice work with youth in West Oakland as the School Coordinator at Bunche High School with Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth (RJOY). Today, Eric travels from New Orleans to Texas, to New York, to California and all around the country with a personal mission to spread Restorative Justice around the globe.