Introducing Speaker – Natalie DeFreitas

Rethinking the Impact of Traditional Justice

Natalie believes there is a better way to “do” justice. At the age of 18, she volunteered with a literacy organization in Canadian federal prisons, and quickly became convinced of the merits of an emerging trend toward restorative justice practices. Today, she is a consultant and psychological counsellor who works closely with incarcerated populations, schools, governments, non-profit organizations and communities to take a stand against the greatest influencers on crime: poverty, racism, illiteracy, inadequate mental health and social services and lack of community collaboration.  Natalie encourages others to think dynamically about social accountability and believes justice is more than an institutionalized response, it is something we build collaboratively.