What happens when you witness a systemic issue that seems to continually pull down the youth in your community? According to Francine Cox-Hardaway, that realization was the spark that led to the founding of The Philadelphia Community Youth Court— a powerful alternative to incarceration for young people in Philadelphia.
In a recent episode of Lemonade Moments, the CEO and founder opened up about her journey, which began in 2012 while she was certifying as a prospective arraignment court magistrate. After watching over 60 cases, Cox-Hardaway says she was struck by the large number of young Black and Brown people appearing before the judge. She felt a profound sense that “there should be something that happens before they get to that point.”
That feeling of frustration became her “lemon” moment.
When she spoke to her mentor about what she had witnessed, he posed a simple but challenging question: “What are you going to do about it?”
The next day, she began researching alternatives to incarceration and discovered the concept of Youth Courts. After finding a viable model in the District of Columbia, she dedicated nearly a year to studying how to run the program and then brought her own vision to Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Community Youth Court, which provides restorative sanctions for young people to repair any harm done in their school or community, now has over 100 certified youth court members and has a success rate that exceeds 87%.
The journey was not without its difficulties, including “naysayers” who doubted she could build partnerships with institutions like the police department and school district. Yet, her faith and sense of purpose pushed her through.
Her advice to everyone? When life hands you lemons, remember the goal is to “create the best outcome for yourself make sure that you are satisfied with the outcome—and if you’re not start over.”
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Editor’s Note: This story has been edited and condensed for clarity.
By BrownStyle Magazine in Special Editions
72 pages, published 1/17/2025
