What does it take for a society to function equitably?
Individualized approaches, acknowledgement of systemic barriers, and a lot of hard work – this is the method that Jasmyne Julien, 27, has advocated for throughout her career.
Julien is the founder and CEO of Revitaled Reintegration Services, an organization that helps people who have been incarcerated transition back into society. She also works for the Government of Ontario as a project coordinator, and is an active volunteer in her community.
In spite of the emotionally taxing nature of her work, Julien maintains a bubbly personality and a passion for a better future.
“Driven, passionate, and confident,” are the three words that Crystal-lyn Libert, a volunteer at Revitaled Reintegration Services, would use to describe her.
Jazier Tull worked on Julien’s Your Story Matters project, a program designed to help marginalized youth develop their storytelling skills and tools for mental wellness. He describes her as “joyful, energetic, and smiley”, and says Julien taught him about patience, positivity and humility.
“She was ready and willing to teach people,” he says. “She had a really bright personality and I really liked that about her.”
Julien’s drive is evident in the work she does, and the impact she’s made is undeniable. She was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch in 2023 by CIBWE, an organization that celebrates Black women’s achievements. She was also named one of 30 Ontario Community Changemakers 2023-2024 by the non-profit organization 8 80 Cities.
With compassion at the heart of everything she does, Julien works diligently to better her community. She looks beyond the surface and sees people for what they are – individual, complex, unique – to make sure no one falls through the cracks of the system. Her deep-rooted commitment to justice and second chances has earned her recognition, and made her an inspiration to those around her.
COMMUNITY AND REPRESENTATION
Community is a big aspect of Julien’s work. Growing up in Toronto’s West End, she says there were a lot of stereotypes that impacted her. In the news, she remembers seeing Black individuals portrayed as people who are always involved in crime and gangs. In entertainment, she points out Black characters tended to be loud, abrasive, and not well-liked.
“When you’re young and you see yourself portrayed in a certain way, and then institutions kind of treat you and address you in a way that reflects that, you kind of have a struggle when you’re trying to figure out who you are as a young person,” Julien expresses.
Her experience in her community was very different from what she saw on TV.
“There was love and respect amongst my family personally, and families that we were close with as well,” she recalls. “I’m sure there were common struggles that each of us faced…of course, now I see and understand [they] are results of some of the systemic barriers that we face, being descendants from immigrant families.”
This disconnect between the portrayal and reality of her community drove Julien to learn more about the ways systemic injustices affect individuals.
A PERSON-CENTERED APPROACH
Her passion for justice paired with an interest in crime shows like CSI led her to study criminal justice at university. Throughout the program at Toronto Metropolitan University, she learned more about the social factors at play within the justice system, which sparked her life-long mission to “shift systems and narratives in order to build communities that are more fair for everyone”.
Her dream for a just system depends on every person being treated as a unique individual. Right now, she notes there are a lot of things that aren’t considered when a person is sentenced, including their background, circumstances and systemic barriers they face. If these underlying factors aren’t addressed while people are incarcerated or after they are released, she says they’re likely to go back to old behaviours once they’re back in society.
“It would be nice to see a justice system that is more mindful of the unique situations that lead individuals to get involved in crime,” Julien says.
Her social purpose company, Revitaled Reintegration Services, aims to do exactly that.
For Julien, it’s important to take a personalized approach that considers each individual’s needs and personal circumstances. The one-size-fits-all approach to social services doesn’t work.
Crystal-lyn Libert has been at Revitaled since last year, when she started her university placement. She says that working with Julien has opened her eyes to this individualized method.
“Honestly, it made me think, because I’ve never thought about that before her,” Libert explains. “She looks at the way that not everyone learns the same way and not everyone will digest the program the same way. So she’s personalized it.”
FORGIVENESS FOR EVERYONE
Her family and faith are integral factors in Julien’s success. Revitaled Reintegration Services is a family-founded organization, and Julien says her Christian values are a key pillar of the work – the company is built on the belief that forgiveness is important and should be offered to everyone.
“We’re working with people who’ve done some pretty tough stuff, and not everybody believes that they deserve or can make the most out of a second chance,” she explains. “So that is something that’s important to me.”
In addition, her faith helps keep her grounded during difficult times. In her free time, she turns to family to help her unwind and to deal with stress.
Despite the challenges and hard times, Julien says her work can be very rewarding. Seeing the change in people she works with keeps Julien motivated to do the difficult work.
“She is someone that is willing to fight as hard as she can for her organization and the people that are involved in it,” Libert says.
After working with Julien, Libert says she wants to mirror that type of drive in her own life as she works towards becoming a lawyer. She plans to specialize in carceral law so that she can advocate for inmates – a decision that was inspired by her experience at Julien’s organization.
A STORY TO EVERYTHING
Julien’s strong belief in reducing systemic barriers and offering second chances provides hope to the people she works with, and serves as a reminder that we need to look beneath the surface before judging.
“Things aren’t always what they seem,” she says, referring to the multitude of hidden factors that could lead someone to commit a crime. “There’s a story to everything.”