Team Members
- Sharon Alston, PhD, MSW
- Ivy Hylton, PhD, MSW, LCSW, NCRJT
- Michelle Chatman, MA, PhD
Research Project Description
Project Youth M.I.N.D. (Mindfulness Integration for Nonviolence Development) seeks to develop and test a novel intervention, designed to promote the health and well-being of youth, through an integrated model of mindfulness, restorative practices, and resilience education. Using a mixed methods experimental design, this research incorporates the disciplines of anthropology, criminal justice, and social work. The project will be heavily informed by the lived experiences of DC youth, integrating their perceptions of the impact of violence, stress, and trauma, into the research design. The two primary research questions are:
- How does an integrated model of mindfulness, restorative practices, and resilience education impact youth's knowledge about the health implications of violence; and,
- What is the effectiveness of an integrated model of mindfulness, restorative practices, and resilience education, in reducing violent behavior among African American high school youth? The findings from this research will influence school disciplinary policies and will also contribute to our knowledge of how culturally relevant mindfulness and restorative justice programs can promote a culture of health among African American urban youth.
Team Members
Sharon Alston, PhD, MSW
Sharon Alston is an Assistant Professor of Social Work in the Ethelyn R Strong School of Social Work at Norfolk State University. Her major research focus is on risk and resilience among youth in public housing with an emphasis in the social determinants of health, well-being and the identification of protective factors for youth of color.
Ivy Hylton, PhD, MSW, LCSW, NCRJT
Ivy Hylton is Co-founder and President of Youth and Families in Crisis, LLC MAAT Training Institute for Restorative Justice., a community-based mental health and consulting firm. She serves as lead contractor for the Balanced and Restorative Justice Practices Institute for Juvenile Justice Reform in DC for Superior Court Social Services Division, the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, and the District of Columbia Public School System. She uses mindfulness, Sound Vibronics, BrainWave Entrainment, healing, teaching, and inspiring personal transformation. As a Lead Restorative Justice Trainer, she is determined to bring mindfulness and Restorative Practices to DC schools.
Michelle Chatman, MA, PhD
Michelle Chatman is an Assistant Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences; Crime, Justice, and Security Studies at the University of the District of Columbia. As an urban, applied anthropologist, she researches the impact of gentrification on Black communities; Black women's wellness; restorative and juvenile justice; and, culturally relevant contemplative pedagogy for youth of color.
