2023 Down South Restorative Justice Conference

Journey of Hope From Violence to Healing

Suezann Bosler is one of the leaders of the JOURNEY OF HOPE. I have been involved with her for many presentations at law schools where she tells her story of being the victim/ witness to her father's murder, her experience going through 3 separate trials, and finally getting the justice which she wanted for her father--life in prison instead of the death penalty. She will present along with perhaps one other from the organization. I will assist in moderating this program. Please visit JOURNEY OF HOPE website.

Edith Georgi served as an Assistant Public Defender for the Dade County Public Defender from 1981- 2016 where she founded the Capital Litigation Unit which she led until her retirement in 2016. She has tried over seventy-five cases to jury, including 37 homicides of which 9 have been capital. Throughout her Public Defender service she regularly trained lawyers both in the office as well as in the community.  Currently Ms. Georgi is a Senior Fellow in the Historic Black Church Program at University of Miami Law School’s Center for Ethics and Public Service.
Family members of murder victims have always been part of the movement to abolish capital punishment, and their voices have always been extremely important in witnessing to the destructive effects of the death penalty.  
Bill Pelke, of Portage, Indiana, was one of those voices in the late 1980’s, and a member of Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation (MVFR).  After participating in week-long marches in Florida, Georgia and Texas, he had an idea for a speaking tour throughout Indiana in which family members of murder victims would be the primary speakers.
With the help of Bob Gross, Associate Director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, and three other organizers, the first Journey of Hope was held in 1993.  In 17 days, the Journey held 175 speaking events in 25 cities and towns.  Thirty murder victim family members participated, along with almost 100 others who traveled with the Journey for part or all of the time.  In each city visited, Journey participants planted a “tree of hope.”
​
Inspired by this first event, abolitionists in other states organized Journeys to feature the message of compassion and healing brought by MVFR speakers.  The need for a new organization to carry out these events became clear, and in 1997 the Journey of Hope — from Violence to Healing, Inc. was formed by five persons:  Bill Pelke, Marietta Jaeger, George White, SueZann Bosler and Sam Sheppard.  In 1999, the organization was recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Family members of persons on death row, and persons who had been sentenced to death and later found innocent of the crime, also became part of the organization and brought their witness and experience to Journey of Hope events.

Since 1993, major speaking tours have been held almost every year in the US and many other countries.  (See list below.)  In 1997, Bill Pelke bought a used Greyhound bus, and it provided transportation for speaking tours and many other events.

During the COVID19 pandemic it was not possible to speak in person, so presentations were made through online platforms such as Zoom, to university and school classes, congregations, community groups, and others.  Presently, speakers are available both online and in person.

Journey of Hope speakers and other activists take part in the annual vigil from
June 29 to July 2 at the US Supreme Court, and work closely with Death Penalty Action to oppose all state and federal executions, while organizing abolitionists for an end to capital punishment in the United States.