Beyond the Margins gives justice-involved youth a new chapter
Governors State program is a ‘life raft’
By Laura Pohl, Contributing Writer
One teenager in a Governors State University-based restorative justice program read a book that mirrored his own life — and it transformed him.
The novel, “Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds, follows a teenage boy wrestling with revenge after his older brother’s murder. For the 15-year-old young man in Governors State’s (GovState) Beyond the Margins program, finishing the book was a milestone.
“He said it was the first time he’d ever read a book cover to cover,” said Camille O’Quin, assistant professor of Communication Disorders and founder of Beyond the Margins at GovState. “I think he saw himself in the story and could relate to the content. Plus, he was in a supportive environment and allowed to express himself.”
The student is now an artist. He was one of 10 participants in the program ages 15 to 18 years old - all young men involved in the juvenile justice system. Instead of incarceration, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Darron Bowden recommended they participate in Redeploy Illinois, a state-funded initiative that supports justice-involved youth in south suburban schools. The program’s mission is to divert youth from incarceration while reducing recidivism.
Redeploy, in turn, partners with Beyond the Margins, an innovative initiative blending literacy, restorative justice, creativity and mentorship.
The collaboration is part academic, part creativity and part hope, said O’Quin, adding, “This is a life raft.”
Beyond the Margins began taking shape in early 2025 during conversations between O’Quin and Redeploy Illinois Director Mark Werner, a 1996 GovState alumnus and adjunct professor.
For O’Quin, literacy quickly emerged as the foundation of the program.
She points to sobering statistics from the National Literacy Institute: 60 percent of individuals in U.S. jails are unable to read, while 85 percent of youth in juvenile justice settings are considered functionally illiterate.
“It’s part of the school-to-prison pipeline,” O’Quin said, “and I knew the right books could help disrupt that.”
The group began in fall 2025 with two books that centered on the experiences of young Black men. “Long Way Down” kicked off the session in the fall followed by “Punching the Air” by Ibi Zoboi and Dr. Yusef Salaam, in spring 2026.
Participants met weekly at GovState during a 12-week session where they read novels aloud, engaged in guided discussions and completed a creative project inspired by the books. The sessions also include peace circles designed to foster trust, reflection and community.
The young man who read “Long Way Down” painted a scene inspired by the book.
The program also became an interdisciplinary learning experience for GovState graduate students. Eleven interns from Communication Disorders, Social Work and Special Education helped facilitate discussions and mentor participants throughout the semester.
Over time, the young men began taking ownership of the space.
“By the end of the fall session, the boys were leading the peace circles and the discussions,” O’Quin said. “It was great to see that transition.”
Another defining moment came during a campus tour through GovState’s Digital Learning and Media Design Department (DLMD). One participant watched students producing podcasts and became inspired to create his own audio project for the end-of-year showcase.
In December, the 17-year-old thanked professors and students for never treating him differently or making him feel bad about his past. “Ya'll don't have to work with us kids, but you do. Thank you.”
Werner said the transformation among the young men was inspiring.
“At its core, the program strengthens literacy by weaving together learning, restorative justice and authentic youth voice, while building confidence and community,” Werner said. “Regardless of their literacy level, each youth was engaged and, by the end, they were more confident and had enjoyed the learning process.”
Now, O’Quin is preparing to expand Beyond the Margins. She is developing a website with toolkits that educators can use to replicate restorative literacy practices in other classrooms and programs. She also hopes to launch a podcast exploring restorative literacy and sharing participants’ stories.
“This work is about creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported and empowered through literacy,” O’Quin said.
Beyond the Margins was made possible by faculty and staff who were dedicated to training and supervising the graduate students involved in Beyond the Margins.
The team included:
Dr. Sara Jozwik, Associate Professor and Multicategorical Special Education Program Coordinator
Dr. Phyllis West, Director of the Social Justice Initiative
Cheri Gibbs, Visiting Assistant Professor, Social Work Department
Dr. J. Corey Steele, Assistant Professor, Division of Psychology and Counseling
Dr. Rasha Elhage, Associate Professor, Multicategorical Special Education
Zion Banks, Editor, the Triad, contributed to this story.