Roderick “Rudy” Bankston is a committed educator,  entrepreneur, Restorative Justice practitioner, and author. His powerful story describes his experience as a survivor of the school-to-prison pipeline and surfaces and explores intersecting themes of identity, equity, justice, trauma and resiliency. Wrongly convicted and sentenced to life at 19 years old, Rudy spent 20 years in prison before winning back his freedom on appeal.

After his release from prison in 2015, Rudy began working for the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), first serving as a Community Liaison at Vel Phillips Memorial High School. He added a second position guiding students’ learning and growth within ‘Restore’, the district’s expulsion abeyance program. The following school year, he transitioned into a Central Office position as a Restorative Justice Coach to support engagement of Restorative Justice across all levels of the organization. He left MMSD in 2019 and continues his work engaging Restorative Justice as the founder of i Am We Classics and i Am We Coaching & Mentoring. In 2021, Rudy co-founded, i am We Global Village, to deepen the work of creating spaces of healing for individuals and communities as they adopt, center, and practice restorative values.

Rudy has served as an adjunct instructor at Edgewood College, a consultant with the National Equity Project, and has served on the board for the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRI).  

Rudy’s published works include a novel, Shed So Many Tears; two collections of Haiku, Snippets of Soul in Seventeen Syllables and Snippets of Soul, Too; and a book of poetry, Buried Alive.

Email: iamwe2019@gmail.com