Our History

The Yolo Conflict Resolution Center (YCRC) grew out of a community-driven effort to preserve and strengthen local mediation services during a time of significant change. One of YCRC’s founders, Elvia Garcia, was hired to run a mediation program for City of Davis. When the recession hit, that program was eliminated, leaving the community without a structured resource for peaceful conflict resolution.

Determined to keep these services accessible, Elvia and a group of committed community members began envisioning a new model, one that could operate as a nonprofit and respond to shifting local needs. In 2014, YCRC officially became a nonprofit and soon began receiving our first mediation cases from the Davis Police Department, marking the beginning of our role as a trusted partner in community-centered conflict resolution. Our primarily mediation-based effort shifted over time to include Restorative Justice, as a response to community concern over the needs of youth involved in the criminal justice system.

Since becoming a nonprofit, YCRC has expanded significantly. What began as a one-person team has grown into a team of five, including a dedicated staff person for youth mentoring, which was one of the organization’s long-standing goals. In Elvia’s words, YCRC’s purpose is: “to bring peace to the world by building relationships." We strengthen communities by helping people learn, grow, and heal together through communication, connection, and accountability.

YCRC contributes to Yolo County by equipping people with the tools they need to navigate conflict constructively. Through restorative processes, communication skill-building, and community centered practices, we support individuals and families in rebuilding trust, resolving harm, and fostering long-term resilience.

While a majority of our work has been focused on responsive support for conflict, our hope for the future is to build stronger preventive systems, like teaching young people conflict resolution and communication skills well before they find themselves in situations that might lead to probation involvement.

YCRC aims to be a trusted, accessible resource for support, guidance, and peaceful resolution that becomes the first call when community members face conflict whether at home, at school, or in their neighborhood.