Roderick “Rudy” Bankston is an educator, entrepreneur, Restorative Justice practitioner, and published author whose life and work are rooted in transformation, healing, and equity. A survivor of the school-to-prison pipeline, Rudy’s powerful personal journey illuminates critical intersections of identity, justice, trauma, resilience, and belonging. Wrongly convicted at the age of 19 and sentenced to life in prison, he spent 20 years incarcerated before reclaiming his freedom through a successful appeal an experience that continues to shape his commitment to restorative practice and systemic change.

Following his release in 2015, Rudy began serving the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), first as a Community Liaison at Memorial High School, where he worked closely with students, families, and educators to strengthen relationships and foster inclusive school cultures. He later expanded his role by supporting student learning and growth through Restore, the district’s expulsion abeyance program. His leadership and expertise led him to a Central Office position as a Restorative Justice Coach, where he supported the integration and practice of restorative justice across all levels of the district.

Beyond his work in public education, Rudy continues to advance restorative values through multiple leadership roles. He is a founding member of Small Fire, LLC, founder of i Am We Classics and i Am We Coaching & Mentoring, LLC, and most recently, the founder of i Am We Global Village, an initiative dedicated to creating spaces of healing and connection for individuals and communities as they adopt, center, and live restorative principles.

Rudy has also served as an adjunct professor at Edgewood College and currently works as a consultant with the National Equity Project. He serves on the board of the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) and is an active member of the Black Educators Network, contributing his voice and leadership to national conversations on equity and restorative practice.

An accomplished author, Rudy’s published works include the novel Shed So Many Tears; two collections of haiku, Snippets of Soul in Seventeen Syllables and Snippets of Soul, Too; and the poetry collection Buried Alive. Through his writing, teaching, and community work, Rudy continues to inspire dialogue, healing, and transformation across diverse spaces.