Sonja Spears is the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer for Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, and Chair, Newton’s Police Reform Task Force. Spears will explore how her own experiences inform her work as a social justice advocate and give her hope in the restorative powers of justice. While a judge in New Orleans, Spears was wrongfully targeted for criminal prosecution. After two years of investigation, no wrongdoing was discovered so she was cleared and never charged, but the impact of this experience was devastating personally and professionally. After retiring from the bench, she re-dedicated her life to issues of racial justice and equity and now works as the chief equity and inclusion officer at Boston Health Care of the Homeless Program and teaches part time at Tufts University.