Circles & Ciphers Information

Circles & Ciphers is a hip-hop infused restorative justice organization led by and for young people impacted by violence. We empower participants to transform legacies of violence, incarceration, patriarchal masculinity, and disengagement. As Chicago’s northside restorative justice hub, Circles & Ciphers is committed to building, modeling, and mobilizing a healthy, youth-led community. Programming structured around gender-specific Hip-Hop Peace Circles builds the capacity of young people who are court-, gang-, and DCFS- involved (ages 14-24 from Chicago) to peacefully and autonomously engender their own experiences of justice. Through art-based peace circles, education, and direct action we collectively heal and work to bring about the abolition of the prison industrial complex. We host six programs per week on Chicago's north and west sides. Our National Consultancy, founded in 2015, has rendered services to: Yale Law, Harvard School of Education, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and more. Our consultancy has hosted workshops in: California, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Virginia, Connecticut, and across Illinois.