2025 Youth Justice in Action Conference
Location:
The Royal Sonesta Minneapolis Downtown
Minneapolis, MN
Date:
October 14th – 16th, 2025
The Coalition for Juvenile Justice proudly announces the Youth Justice in Action Conference, which will take place October 14-16, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This impactful convening will coincide with Youth Justice Action Month (YJAM)—a national movement dedicated to raising awareness about the needs of young people impacted by the justice system and taking action in local communities nationwide.
Each October, YJAM brings together advocates, policymakers, practitioners, and—most importantly—youth, to advance a vision that all children, youth, and families have opportunities to live safe, fulfilling lives in their communities. For years, CJJ has proudly played a leading role in organizing and participating in YJAM initiatives. From policy briefings and public education campaigns to storytelling projects led by directly impacted young people, we strive to ensure that youth voices are at the forefront.
In pursuit of CJJ’s mission to convene national, state, and local partners to educate on and advocate for youth-serving systems to be fair, effective, and rooted in community, we convene each October to plant seeds of change and cultivate growth opportunities for effective system improvement. This year’s conference will focus on activating practitioners and systems leaders to take concrete steps that support reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the youth legal system and uplifting young leaders, particularly those who have been historically marginalized. Our agenda will feature a community-led service project, dynamic learning workshops, and opportunities for national dialogue and innovation.
Conference Focus:
- What community-driven strategies or system-level policies and practices are most effective in reducing racial and ethnic disparities in youth justice, and how can system leaders better support and scale these efforts?
- In what ways can we ensure that directly impacted youth and their families are not only heard but also meaningfully engaged as co-creators of policies and programs?
- How can we use storytelling, data, and evaluation together to shift public narratives and build greater awareness of the systemic challenges youth face or promising practices that are making a difference?
- What role do education, technology, and training play in challenging implicit bias and advancing system change—and how can these tools be better leveraged to support sustainable disparity reduction efforts?
Draft Agenda
Registration
If you are a state agency that will require an invoice, please contact Shalee at [email protected]. Please include the names, emails, and specify if they are a CJJ member in the email.
If you have any dietary restrictions or need any other accessibility accommodations, please email us at [email protected].
Hotel Accommodations
The Royal Sonesta Minneapolis Downtown
35 South 7th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
To ensure your stay, we recommend that you make your reservations by September 19, 2025.
Call for Proposals
CJJ invites proposals for concurrent workshop sessions to be held on Wednesday October 15th and Thursday October 16th. The Review Committee will select a maximum of 20 proposals for workshops. Please submit by August 11th!
Sponsorship and Exhibitor Package
Nominate an R/ED Coordinator for CJJ’s 2025 Andrew Smith Award
Nominations Open July 8th!
The Andrew Smith Award
Coalition for Juvenile Justice is now accepting nominations for the Andrew Smith Racial and Ethnic Disparities Coordinator Award.
This award is presented by CJJ to a Racial and Ethnic Disparities Coordinator who has made outstanding contributions to the elimination of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the juvenile justice system. The award is named to honor Andrew Smith, an incredible voice for youth and a pivotal agent of change. Mr. Smith served as New Hampshire’s Racial and Ethnic Disparities Coordinator and was responsible for the creation of the Mirror Project, an effort to bring together law enforcement and youth. He served on CJJ’s Executive Board as the Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Chair.
Andrew Smith was a passionate youth justice advocate, respected community leader, and a tireless champion for racial and ethnic equity in the juvenile justice system. He served as New Hampshire’s Racial and Ethnic Disparities (R/ED) Coordinator and as Chair of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice’s (CJJ) Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Committee.
Through his leadership, Andrew made a lasting impact on the community of New Hampshire, working closely with youth, families, system leaders, and grassroots organizations to confront systemic disparities and promote meaningful reform. He believed deeply in community-led solutions, youth empowerment, and the need to bring people together across lines of difference to create real, lasting change.
Andrew’s visionary work included the creation of The Mirror Project, a transformative, youth-led initiative that fostered dialogue and understanding between young people and law enforcement. Rooted in his belief in equity through empathy, this project remains a powerful example of how storytelling and connection can drive system change.
Andrew’s legacy lives on, both in New Hampshire and across the country. Each year, CJJ proudly presents the Andrew Smith Award to a Racial and Ethnic Disparities (R/ED) Coordinator who exemplifies the same courage, compassion, and commitment to justice that Andrew brought to all he did.
The winner of the 2025 Andrew Smith Award will be honored at CJJ’s 2025 Youth Justice in Action Conference in Minneapolis, MN.