Abolition in Practice Group: Revenge and shame: how do abolitionists respond to rage in conflict? 

This is a free, monthly, online, peer-led space for Black People and People of Colour * collectively working toward mental health justice, racial justice, and abolition—whether through activism, advocacy, peer support, or community care. Grounded in intentional peer support principles, it’s a space for connection, reflection, and learning outside of harmful systems. 

Theme of Session: In an increasingly polarised world, how do we acknowledge harms and support accountability while also holding space for the possibility of transformation? As the levels of injustice we’re seeing in our times bring up an urgency to respond, disappointment, anger, rage, and more, we want to explore naming and shaming, revenge and punishment as sites of struggle in abolitionist and transformative approaches to conflict. How do we respond to our rage in navigating injustice? What might be useful about a transformative approach to justice work, and what might feel hard or impossible about it? 

What are we drawing on: We Will Not Cancel Us: And Other Dreams of Transformative Justice by Adrienne Maree Brown; We Do This ‘Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba; So you’re ready to choose love – Conflict resolution workbook by Kai Cheng Thom; What is Transformative Justice? Transformative Justice Series (YouTube playlist) by Barnard Center for Research on Women 

Groups and pages that might be relevant: Radical Therapists’ Network, GEM Collective, Soulwork & Co., Healing Justice LDN, Voices that Shake, Abolitionist Futures, No More Exclusions, NEUROMANCERS 

Read more about our facilitators Almas (she/her) and Matthew (he/him) here