Omara Rivera-Vazquez Director of the Center for Equity & Justice
About
Omara Rivera-Vazquez is the inaugural Director of the Center for Equity and Justice at Saint Michael’s College. She is a former Executive Director for The Community Restorative Justice Center, Inc. Dr. Rivera-Vázquez is also an Instructor in the Criminology Program. She has published several peer-reviewed articles on social justice-related topics such as juvenile justice, domestic violence, and cancer literacy.
Dr. Rivera-Vázquez has been devoted to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout her career. At the national level, she serves on the Board of Directors for the National Criminal Justice Association Equity in Criminal Justice Funding Committee. This committee seeks “to create meaningful relationships with community organizations, impacted communities and funders to leverage resources aimed at reducing inequity in the criminal justice system.” At the state level, she is a member of the leadership team for the Statewide Equity thru Data, Justice, Inclusion and Education Initiative (EDJIE). The EDJIE Initiative seeks to take action to address the ways Vermont’s restorative justice programs perpetuate the prevailing inequities in the criminal legal system. In addition, she was awarded a grant from the VT Department of Health and additional support from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic to conduct language access training and planning with all Community Justice Centers in Vermont.