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Blog archive

March 2025

About Senior Solutions
03/28/2025

Building a Bridge With Journey House, A Home Base for Former Foster Youth
03/28/2025

Come for the Knitting, Stay for the Conversation... and the Cookies
03/28/2025

Creating Safe and Smart Spaces with Home Technology
03/28/2025

Finding Joy in My Role on The Pasadena Village Board
03/28/2025

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!
03/28/2025

Managing Anxiety
03/28/2025

Message from Our President: Keeping Pasadena Village Strong Together
03/28/2025

My Favorite Easter Gift
03/28/2025

The Hidden History of Black Women in WWII
03/28/2025

Urinary Tract Infection – Watch Out!
03/28/2025

Volunteer Coordinator and Blade-Runner
03/28/2025

Continuing Commitment to Combating Racism
03/26/2025

Status - March 20, 2025
03/20/2025

Goodbye and Keep Cold by Robert Frost
03/13/2025

What The Living Do by Marie Howe
03/13/2025

Racism is Not Genetic
03/11/2025

Bill Gould, The First
03/07/2025

THIS IS A CHAPTER, NOT MY WHOLE STORY
03/07/2025

Dramatic Flair: Villagers Share their Digital Art
03/03/2025

Empowering Senior LGBTQ+ Caregivers
03/03/2025

A Life Never Anticipated
03/02/2025

Eaton Fire Changes Life
03/02/2025

February 2025

Commemorating Black History Month 2025
02/28/2025

Transportation at the Pasadena Village
02/28/2025

A Look at Proposition 19
02/27/2025

Behind the Scenes: Understanding the Pasadena Village Board and Its Role
02/27/2025

Beyond and Within the Village: The Power of One
02/27/2025

Celebrating Black Voices
02/27/2025

Creatively Supporting Our Village Community
02/27/2025

Decluttering: More Than The Name Implies
02/27/2025

Hidden Gems of Forest Lawn Museum
02/27/2025

LA River Walk
02/27/2025

Message from the President
02/27/2025

Phoenix Rising
02/27/2025

1619 Conversations with West African Art
02/25/2025

The Party Line
02/24/2025

Bluebird by Charles Bukowski
02/17/2025

Dreams by Langston Hughes
02/17/2025

Haiku - Four by Fritzie
02/17/2025

Haikus - Nine by Virginia
02/17/2025

Wind and Fire
02/17/2025

Partnerships Amplify Relief Efforts
02/07/2025

Another Community Giving Back
02/05/2025

Diary of Disaster Response
02/05/2025

Eaton Fire: A Community United in Loss and Recovery
02/05/2025

Healing Powers of Creative Energy
02/05/2025

Living the Mission
02/05/2025

Message from the President: Honoring Black History Month
02/05/2025

Surviving and Thriving: Elder Health Considerations After the Fires
02/05/2025

Treasure Hunting in The Ashes
02/05/2025

Villager's Stories
02/05/2025

A Beginning of Healing
02/03/2025

Hectic Evacuation From Eaton Canyon Fire
02/02/2025

Hurricanes and Fires are Different Monsters
02/02/2025

January 2025

Continuing Commitment to Combating Racism

By Sharon Jarrett
Posted: 03/26/2025
Tags: john williams

The 1619: The Lingering Imprint Discussion Group met on March 23, 2026 at 12:00 PM PST.  John Williams, Director of the Center for Restorative Justice in Pasadena was the speaker for the session.  Our usual practice is to record the meetings and make them available on our YouTube, but an error occurred and no recording was captured of this presentation. Mr. Williams will be providing the slides he used in his presentation, Navigating Tough Conversations: Making an Impact in Times of Discord and these will also be posted on the website.

Mr. Williams began with the purpose and mission of the Center, providing a place based organization to help communities address past injustices.  The Center focuses on the City of Pasadena,, the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County. The purpose is to identify historical patterns of injustice and how these patterns are in effect in the current time. The goal is to change systems.

The Center engages in a restorative justice process to repair those injuries.  The process employed is defined as Collective Learning Circles. The circles are a process to equip those involved with a process to explore framing conversations while acknowledging the emotions which may emerge as a result of the process.  The Center says the Circles provide soft places for hard conversations.

The process focuses on determining a definition of racism which will allow for establishing interventions for harm.

Mr. Williams indicated that racism is a productive process.  It produces something of value to some while it disadvantages others.  The impacts are real.


Mr. Williams then describe some of the processes the Center uses.  These focus on retreats in specific locations.  Those attending see the locations where events occurred, learn the history of the events and have the opportunity to discuss with others. The retreats include: Reconciling Pasadena, the Summer Pilgrimage to the South and the Asian American Pilgrimage.  Those interested can register at The Center for Restorative Justice website.

The attendees engaged in a question and answer session after the presentation.

The group will meet again on April 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM PST on our usual link. We are working to schedule another presentation for the 18th and will send an announcement when a program has been established. 

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