Victor Jose Santana is an inspired and inspiring instructor with over 25 years of experience. His curiosity for learning, public service, and teaching began by witnessing his parents’ activism and community service while he was growing up in Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic. Victor Jose’s family migrated from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts when he was in elementary school. He learned English quickly and began to support elders in his apartment building who were taking English classes by providing them with additional tutoring. Victor Jose was thrilled that he had a skill that could help his community lead healthier and happier lives. As a young adult Victor Jose started working with non-profit organizations which led him to designing youth leadership development programs for children and families exposed to trauma and violence. Victor Jose gained a national reputation for his ability to lead restorative justice Circles with young people, families, law enforcement, government agencies and corporations working to transform the impact of racism into opportunities for healing and systemic change.
Victor Jose utilizes the restorative justice practice and framework of peacemaking circles (Circles) as an antiracist strategy to relationship building, professional development, and workforce wellness. Victor Jose has been trained in the peacemaking Circle process by First Nations Elders/Leaders Mark Wedge and Harold Gatonsby from the Tagish Tlingit Nation; Judge Barry Stuart, first chief judge of the Yukon Territory, now retired; and Kay Pranis, former restorative justice planner for the Minnesota Department of Corrections (co-author with Mark Wedge and Barry Stuart of “Peacemaking Circles: From Conflict to Community”). Recognized for his work in restorative justice Victor Jose’s essay was published in 2019 Colorizing Restorative Justice anthology where he shares his detailed approach and methodology for engaging organizations in addressing challenges and seeking collective solutions.
Victor Jose has collaboratively developed, designed, and implemented training institutes for the Boston Department of Public Health Commission, the United States Department of Justice, and Boston Public Schools. Most recently Victor Jose developed trainings for the Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University. While at Boston University Victor Jose was a contributing author to a “systematic review of diversity, equity, and inclusion and antiracism training studies: findings and future directions,” was accepted for publication in Translational Behavioral Medicine. Through his leadership and community partnerships, he and his colleagues have trained thousands of people across the Americas in restorative justice Circles, traumatic stress, antiracism, and healing strategies. Because Victor Jose understands that our work and work environment(s) can have an impact on us emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally his professional development training and culture program that takes a holistic approach to addressing professional development, training, and education needs.
Victor Jose is a member of the United Confederation of Taino People and works with an international indigenous women’s network that brings people together through cultural revitalization, public health, and social justice movements globally.