YOUTH LED JUSTICE STAFF
Nicole Lemay (she/her)
Nicole grew up on a small family farm in Litchfield where her parents taught her the value of hard work. She developed a passion to contribute to her community at a young age and went on to own a childcare center. Her life experiences have led her to hold a fire for organizing for social change and the social justice movement. This is more than just a job for Nicole, it is her life’s work and she carries it with her into every conversation. Nicole lights up every room she enters with her humor, kindness, and passion for the work of building connections. Nicole graduated with an Associates Degree in Human Services and Substance Use and Counseling. She will soon be a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor. When she isn't working at Youth-Led Justice, she provides support to Maine's recovery community and also works closely with individuals who are system impacted. Nicole is a team player and supports YLJ with operations, finance, development and restorative youth support. Nicole's dream is a society where prisons are no longer needed. As a system impacted individual, Nicole works to change punitive systems from the inside out. She is actively building a community where everyone has the support that they deserve.
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Dunkins Pierre (he/him)
Grew up in the East-Flatbush section of Brooklyn, NY during the late 80’s and 90’s. Mom immigrated from Haiti and then had me and my older sister. Moved to Maine in 2005, lived in Portland, Rockland, Charleston, and now Lewiston, Maine for the past two years. I am excited to join the YLJ team because I know how it feels to be a young person negatively impacted by the justice system and various institutions. My belief is by using restorative practices we can bring awareness to the inequality and harm being created and establish best practices in our communities. Since moving to Lewiston I have been given the opportunity to use my lived experience to be an advocate, working to empower youth and families to transcend systematic barriers.
Esmé Howland (she/her)
Esmé grew up in Portland and continues to serve her community as a Restorative Specialist. Most recently, she worked at Casco Bay High School (where she graduated in 2017) as a Restorative Practices Coordinator, supporting student-led efforts to implement restorative practices in the school and working with the administration to reduce punitive responses. From that work, Esmé brings with her to YLJ a firm belief in the power of relationships in addressing harm, as well as the importance of youth voices in making our systems more just. After graduating from Casco Bay, she attended Smith College to study political science and food justice. Otherwise, most of her time is spent with family and friends, reading, swimming in the ocean, and cooking.
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BOARD MEMBERS
Youth-LED Justice is guided by a group of community members who offer guidance, direct policy,
and inform best practices to ensure the program's success.
and inform best practices to ensure the program's success.
Youth MembersAdelina Salianga (Portland)
Chae-Hee Park (Portland) Jael Mowa (Portland) |
Adult MembersEliza Mette, Health Policy Advisor at Public Consulting Group (Portland)
Gina Yarmartino, Juvenile Defense Attorney (South Portland) Sahra Hassan, J.D Candidate, UMaine Law (Portland) Spencer Traylor, Educator at Next STEP, Facilitator (Lewiston) Victoria Morales, Attorney, Legislator, YLJ Co-Founder, ED of Quality Housing Coalition (South Portland) |