荔枝视频

Tanya Suzuki (she/her)
Lead Faculty

CrEW for Educators will be led by Tanya Suzuki, who has been working in schools in Los Angeles and supporting students for the past 25+ years. She currently provides support for educators, youth and schools as a Restorative (Justice) Practices educator, consultant, and facilitator. She also works privately with clients to facilitate Restorative (repair) Circles and as a coach, with a strong focus on women and educators of color. Tanya鈥檚 methodology incorporates the practices of embodiment, non-violent communication and Restorative Justice, with a distinct social justice framework informed by her organizing work with the LA chapter of the People鈥檚 Education Movement. Through this critical lens Tanya is committed to moving beyond survival and towards a collective culture that embodies wellness, (restorative/transformative) justice and dignity for all in the face of institutional harms and pressures.

Stephanie Cariaga (she/her)
Assistant Faculty

Dr. Stephanie Cariaga has served the wider Los Angeles community for about two decades as an English teacher, founding member of the People鈥檚 Education Movement, and now an associate professor in teacher education at 荔枝视频. She is the founder of Critical Embodied Wellness for Educators, a space of refuge, restoration, and resistance that supports radical educators to teach and lead from the wisdom of their whole selves. Her teaching and research seeks to reintegrate the mind, body, and spirit into classrooms and beyond to cultivate spaces of truth-feeling and healing with marginalized students and educators. She is inspired by many teachers, including Black and Brown feminist world-makers, her ancestors, her CrEW co-conspirators, and most of all: her children Laila and Lino.

Candice Valenzuela (they/she)
Virtual Cohort Lead Faculty
Candice (they/them/she/her) believes that ancestral, community and ecological healing are the most urgent issues of our time. They coach systems leaders, offer 1:1 counseling and facilitate healing experiences at justice-oriented institutions throughout the nation. In her free time, Candice enjoys writing, painting and sharing their enthusiasm for nature with their 7-year child. Follow them on , join their , and contact them at their .

Theatre of the Oppressed with Gilbert Salazar

Gilbert Salazar鈥檚 work lies in teaching, writing and praxis for healing and liberation. He is currently working as a lecturer for the College Corps program, a service program housed in the Service-Learning Department of 荔枝视频, Monterey Bay. In the field of Restorative Justice, Gilbert was part of a core group of early practitioners in Los Angeles schools. During his time with the California Conference for Equality and Justice, he produced the podcast, 鈥淲hatchu Know About RJ,鈥� chronicling the experiences of practitioners and the topics of culture, community, and justice. His studies include interdisciplinary studies with focuses on social justice education and ritual at 荔枝视频, Monterey Bay and USC鈥檚 Applied Theater Arts program. He is currently enrolled in a doctoral program in Depth Psychology with a specialization in Communal, Liberation, Indigenous and Eco-psychologies at Pacifica Graduate Institute.

Sound Healing with Gabrielle Thurmond

Gabrielle Thurmond is a public school leader, wellness practitioner, and founder of SoulFull Healing Spaces. With over 30 years in education, she has partnered with administrators, educators, and families to support student success and build connected school communities. Drawing from her deep understanding of stress and burnout in school settings, Gabrielle now focuses on helping educators and caregivers reconnect with themselves through healing practices. Through SoulFull Healing Spaces, she offers transformative experiences that include sound healing, breathwork, and guided meditation鈥攊mmersive practices designed to reduce stress, restore energy, and create space for reflection. Gabrielle creates experiences that help adults become more grounded and whole, enabling them to show up with clarity, presence, and care for their students and communities. Gabrielle is also a Certified Professional Coach, Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200), and Restorative Justice Practitioner.

Restorative Yoga with Liza Gesuden

Liza Gesuden is a second-generation Pinay educator with over twenty years of classroom experience in Southern California and the Bay Area. She is a certified Breathe 4 Change yoga instructor (500-ERYT) and teaches trauma-informed, accessible movement classes with BIPOC communities. Yoga has been instrumental in keeping her connected, grounded, and reminded of her purpose as an educator. She is currently teaching and learning with her 7th graders in Long Beach, California.