This workshop explores how mediators can act as catalysts for meaningful social change by bridging divides and empowering communities. Drawing on Dr. Helen Winter’s experience as founder of R3SOLUTE, a nonprofit that trains refugees and locals as peer mediators, and as designer of both a pioneering ADR & Social Entrepreneurship course and the Community Conflict Resolution Lab at Pepperdine, participants will examine how mediation tools can be adapted to address systemic inequities, build resilience, and foster dialogue in polarized contexts. Grounded in trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches, the session highlights practical strategies for integrating social activism with dispute resolution practice. Attendees will leave with innovative frameworks for transforming conflicts into opportunities for justice, collaboration, and sustainable coexistence.
