In the News

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For press inquires please email: mbare@curyj.org

📰 Press Coverage

Recent news articles, editorials, and video coverage of CURYJ’s work and staff. Press the arrow to reveal more.

  • The Change Needed to Stop Saddling Young Black and Brown People with Massive Debt

    Ms. Magazine | May 15, 2023 | View article

    Imagine how happy you would feel after being told you can finally go home to your family and friends after spending your 18th birthday and over 200 days in juvenile hall. This was the case for Xochtil, who was eager to start a new life and never return. She was ecstatic—that is, until she was given a $3,000 bill upon her release.

    She was relieved to be back with her community, but was working tirelessly to make ends meet while simultaneously juggling a full-time course load at a community college. The carceral debt loomed over, leaving her too stressed on money to focus on the far more important issues of her re-integration, two jobs or education.

  • MARIO GONZALEZ HONORED ON HIS SECOND ‘ANGELVERSARY’

    Alamedasun | April 24, 2023 | View article

    “I don’t think the city has done a lot,” Majail-Blanco said. “They barely do anything and community members sometimes trash the site. If anything, the city has procrastinated in trying to hold cops accountable and no justice has been served.”

  • Fruitvale safety summit brings community together to discuss violent crime

    Oaklandside | April 18, 2023 | View article

    Youth members of CURYJ said they don’t want policing to be the solution to the neighborhood’s systemic problems. “We want this police money to go back into the community,” one young person said. “Why are you talking about public safety when police murder our brothers and sisters?”

  • Business owners speak out against violent crime in Oakland’s Fruitvale district

    SF Chronicle | April 18, 2023 | View article

    “If you have the power and funds to open a substation, you should use that power to keep working with organizations like (Communities) United for Restorative Youth Justice that are run by people in the community,” a speaker said, “since those who are closer to the problem are also closer to the solution.”

  • A TRIBUTE TO HARRY BELAFONTE: A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

    Hard Knock Radio | April 27, 2023 | View article

    Geroge Galvis, Executive Director shared, “Belafonte’s significant impact on his activism and the work he and others were doing to end mass incarceration, provide support for those returning home, and offer resources for marginalized individuals. His conversations and work with Mr B encouraged him to double his efforts. The jewels of wisdom he received from Harry Belafonte made him a better organizer”.

  • Grassroots Work to Undo The Harm of Incarcerating Young People with Jasmine Frye, Tae Thomas, and Dr Frankie Free Ramos

    94.1 KPFA | April 19, 2023 | View article

    Dr. Frankie Ramos, Director of Campaigns and Organizing, was featured in a live radio interview in a discussion about closing youth prisons  to talk about CURYJ’s latest efforts with the grassroots Dreams Beyond Bars campaign and the legislative effort of the PROMYSE Act. 

  • Ex-Oakland, California, police chief appeals his firing

    The Sacramento Bee | February 24, 2023 | View article

    George Galvis, founder and executive director of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, said Armstrong’s firing was a first step “in holding OPD accountable for years of abuse and scandals.”

  • Though Thousands of Miles Away, Tyre Nichols’ Death Affected Oaklanders

    Post News Group | February 16, 2023 | View article

    “I think it’s important to think that there are many Tyre Nichols’ and while in this particular moment there is righteous outrage, as there should be for the blatant and egregious murder of a young Black man for a fraudulent traffic stop, we have many, many cases here in the Bay Area that we perhaps have more agency over as Oaklanders.” George Galvis, CURYJ Executive Director and Co-Founder. 

  • Anger and sadness over Tyre Nichols’ death prompts students to walk out and protest at Oakland Tech

    Oakland North | February 6, 2023 | View article

    Ray’Von Jones, a former Oakland Tech teacher who now is a program manager at Communities United for Restorative Justice or CURYJ, heard of Zamudio’s plan to organize a vigil and block party for Nichols, she gave her full support.

    “It’s not easy as a student to organize something like this, so we’re really just here in solidarity, supporting with whatever they need,” Jones said. “But they’re running the show.”

    Jones said the students meant for the action to be disruptive, noting, “The point of an act of civil disobedience is to disobey a rule which is like being in school.”

  • The Oakland Police Department’s worst enemy is the Oakland Police Department

    SF Chronicle | January 26, 2023 | View article

  • Bay Area’s Newest DA is a Former Foster Youth

    “We understand that she has to maintain a delicate balance as DA, but her life experience could set her up to do some amazing things, especially if she gets the support,“ said Rocky Hunt, our Participatory Defense Coordinator in The Imprint | January 10, 2023 | View article

  • Criminal Justice Advocates Release 100-day Agenda for New Alameda County District Attorney

    “During the first 100 days of DA Price’s tenure, our coalition of advocates will hold her administration accountable to commitments made during the campaign, including community calls for decarceration, decriminalization, and accountability. Only then will voters and systems-impacted folks know that DA Price is the change we’ve been waiting for.” in the article by Ella Baker Center | January 3, 2023 | View article

  • No More Gun Violence in Our Schools

     “We send our children to schools so that they are cared for and protected and they receive an education and not bullets,” says Mario Juarez in Telemundo | September 30, 2022 | View article

  • Want to Reduce Gun Violence in Oakland? Invest in Culture

     “The safest communities do not have the most police. They have the most resources,” says Galvis of CURYJ in KQED | September 12, 2022 | View article

  • They made it through foster care. Now they’re persuading this Bay Area county to pay it backward

    Article written by Shwanika Narayan. San Francisco Chronicle | July 8, 2022 | View article

  • INVESTING IN YOUTH LEADERSHIP TO REBUILD A BETTER BAY AREA

    Article written by Eduardo Gonzales. San Francisco Foundation | April 26, 2022 | View article

  • It's On All of Us: Close Youth Prisons, Build Youth Leaders

    Op-ed written by Katarina Sayally, CURYJ DBB fellow. The Imprint | June 21, 2021 | View article

  • Alameda police release video showing officer pinning Mario Gonzalez down before his death

    “Mario’s life was ended, he was murdered by the police. It was unnecessary, it was result of white supremacy it’s a result of the culture of policing and once again we don’t need police protection, we need protection from the police,” Galvis said.

    ABC 10| April 28, 2021 | View article

  • ‘We Need Justice’: Mourners Demand Alameda Police Provide Answers in Death of Mario Gonzalez

    “How do you take a healthy person in custody who has no health problems and then they mysteriously die? There’s not an uncanny correlation. It’s obvious he was murdered by Alameda police,” George Galvis said.

    KQED| April 22, 2021 | View article

  • Multiracial mutual aid efforts help Chinatown senior citizens, Asian American communities

    Black, Latino, Asian Americans are raising money and helping to escort senior citizens who might not feel safe.

    NBC News | February 19, 2021 | View article

  • Incarcerated at home: The rise of ankle monitors and house arrest during the pandemic

    Evelyn Canal, Dream Beyond Bars fellow and advocate for incarcerated youth, recounts what it was like wearing a monitor and now fights for young people’s rights while in the system.



    NBC News | July 25, 2021 | View article

  • Bay Area activists say prisoners deserve COVID-19 relief in new protest Sunday

    Protesters call for early release for some inmates; vaccine distribution clouds debate

    East Bay Times | January 31, 2021 | View article

  • Finding Justice, Fairness, and Joy in Your Community

    Panel discussion moderated by Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, with Xochtil Larios of CURYJ, Pastor Mike McBride of Live Free, and Zach Norris of the Ella Baker Center.

    Alameda County Library | January 27,2021 | View panel discussion

  • Oakland Activists Lead Car Caravan, Virtual Events Inspired by Teachings of MLK

    “Growing up in elementary school and middle school, as we were taught about Dr. King, we were taught this co-opted, sanitized, whitewashed version of Dr. King that was really meant about social control, it was about behaving well, it was about assimilation,” Galvis said.

    San Francisco Public Press | January 18, 2021 | View article

  • An Interview with Daniel Mendoza – The California Endowment’s Harrison Visionary Award Winner

    Interview with former Dream Beyond Bars Coordinator, Daniel Mendoza

     Bioneers | View article

  • ‘What privilege looks like’: Oaklanders reflect on mob takeover of U.S. Capitol

    Oakland activists and advocates compare today’s treatment of pro-Trump insurrectionists with what they’ve witnessed at local protests.

    The Oaklandside | January 6, 2021 | View article

  • BYE DJJ: California to Close Youth Prisons

    Editorial by Hayden Renato

    Evident Change | December 9, 2020 | View editorial

  • California’s leaders failed on critical police reforms. Where’s the moral courage?

    Editorial by Tom Steyer and George Galvis

    Sacramento Bee | September 12, 2020 | View editorial

  • ‘We’re suffering the same abuses’: Latinos hear their stories echoed in police brutality protests

    In a three year span, Latinos in California represented 46% of deadly police shootings – second to the rates for African Americans

    The Guardian | June 12, 2020 | View article

📃  Blog

Read blogs written by CURYJ staff and young leaders. Swipe to see more entries or visit our Medium page.

🎬 Videos

📖 Culture of Storytelling

Our stories are sacred. In every story there is a teaching. Stories are part of the vehicles of how we can transform our communities and make social change.

George Galvis, Executive Director

Xochtil Storytelling
Dream Beyond Bars filming

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✉️ 490 Lake Park Avenue #16086, Oakland, CA 94610



📞 501-232-7230



📧 help@curyj.org







🏢 1946 Embarcadero, Oakland, CA 94606



✉️ 490 Lake Park Avenue #16086, Oakland, CA 94610



📞 501-232-7230



📧 help@curyj.org




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