Rita Gonzalez

Reimagining Public Safety Program Associate

   rita.gonzalez@nyu.edu

Rita comes to The Policing Project directly from Columbia School of Social Work where she minored in criminal justice and specialized in the study of social, legal and political structures and policies and their impact on vulnerable people and communities. Most recently, she served as an intern at the Columbia Justice Lab’s Emerging Adult Justice Project. There, she conducted extensive research in developmentally-appropriate responses to current and future needs of justice-involved emerging adults.

Rita also served as Student Coordinator of the Environmental Justice Initiative at Columbia University’s Action Lab for Social Justice. Her research centered on integrating principles of environmental justice into social work praxis by amplifying the experiences, expertise, and history of self-advocacy within communities disproportionately harmed by climate change and environmental degradation.

Rita is trained in restorative justice theory, praxis and circle facilitation. She believes that the principles of restorative justice sit at a critical intersection of law enforcement and civil and human rights. She is excited to expand and deepen her experience with connecting theory and practice during her time at The Policing Project.

Rita holds a BA from Barnard College, where she majored in American Studies with a concentration in Race & Ethnicity.