Freedom Lifted
Offering training, facilitation, and coaching that supports effective social justice leadership.
Freedom Lifted, LLC offers social justice training, coaching, and consultation that supports effective leadership in organizations committed to justice and equity.
Sometimes, in justice work, it can feel like we are just one drop in the ocean. However, the tides are turning with each drop. Today, we celebrate there being over 7500 enrollees in our Justice at Work course! You are not alone!
30/12/2023
2023 Things We're Proud of: We launched a podcast ya'll! The holiday is a great time to binge all 10 episodes of season 1 of our Shared Power Podcast.
https://www.freedomlifted.com/shared-power-podcast
Move into 2024 setting better boundaries, taking good care of yourself, making the most of your time, and leading with confidence. And get coaching on these topics from Mia anytime you want it.
27/12/2023
2023 Things We're Proud of: Our Power Flower has been downloaded 1727 times from our website since January 2023. It's one of our greatest tools to introduce people to identity and power!
26/12/2023
2023 Things We're Proud Of: All of the people who completed our in-depth training - Justice at Work!
19/12/2023
2023 Things We're Proud Of: Our average rating for quality and usefulness of the Justice at Work course is 4.5 out of 5, from evaluations of participants this year! Interest in training for your team in 2024? Schedule time to talk with us today.
14/12/2023
Too often, justice initiatives at organizations and businesses rely on just one person to carry the vision. At Freedom Lifted, we want groups to be able to really lead themselves in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work. We believe if organizations have a common analysis of power and a shared understanding of history, groups can talk with each other more honestly and clearly not just about DEI, but more importantly, about the justice work we need to do today.
🌟“Sometimes the fastest way to get to where we’re going is to slow down.” - Morgan Mahdavi
Want to learn the art of accountable relationships that empower shared work and shared power? Join me in a revealing conversation with Morgan Mahdavi, our very own Learning Lab Coordinator at Freedom Lifted.
We discuss how transparency, genuine care, and radical trust and grace create a culture of accountability. Discover the power of open trust and how it fosters initiative, the key ingredients for building shared power, and the importance of learning from past mistakes.
Listen here! https://www.freedomlifted.com/shared-power-podcast/episode-10
💡“When we Share Power, we don’t have to take everything on ourselves…. ‘Many hands make light work.’” - Alicia Bell
In this episode, Alicia Bell emphasizes the power of slowing down for shared decision-making, as 'slow is smooth, smooth is fast.' It's all about building collective trust and working together to create the future we envision.
We explore how this approach helps prepare for challenging moments, fosters alignment and challenges societal expectations. Dive into the world of shared power and decision-making.
Listen here! https://www.freedomlifted.com/shared-power-podcast/episode-9
💬 “If we don’t do the internal work, our movements will suffer.” - Aarati Kasturirangan
Conflict doesn't have to be a roadblock; it can be a stepping stone to growth. Join me in an enlightening conversation with Rebecca Subar and Aarati Kasturirangan from Dragonfly Partners as we explore the art of navigating conflict within nonprofit organizations and social movements.
🌱 Discover how our individual and collective orientations to the work can make a difference, when it's okay to step away from conflict, and how to find the generative potential inside it. Tune in to learn the power of internal work in strengthening our movements.
Listen here! https://www.freedomlifted.com/shared-power-podcast/episode-8
🎙️ “I never saw social media as opposite to what I’m doing in social organizing. For me, it’s just a tool… it always has been.” - Mariame Kaba
Join me for an enlightening conversation with social organizer and educator, Mariame Kaba. We explore the transformative impact of social media on social justice movements and how to engage authentically in the digital realm.
Discover the concept of 'Radical Hospitality' and why it's okay for people to come and go in movements. Tune in for valuable insights on the future of activism.
Listen here! https://www.freedomlifted.com/shared-power-podcast/episode-7
16/11/2023
Exciting news! 🎙️ Our very own Mia rocked the podcast last week, and you won't want to miss it.
💡 Listen in to hear:
- An overview of equity and justice work
- The impact of power dynamics within an organization
- Ways to make your organizations more just and equitable
Don't miss Mia's powerful journey and wisdom!
🎧 Check out the episode here:
https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/484
🔑 Shared power through trust, relationship-building, discussion of our identities, and vulnerability – the keys to harmonious collaboration.
Join me for a candid conversation with Brian Brady, where we reflect on shared power in nonprofit leadership positions.
Brian and I previously worked together at Mikva Challenge, and though we came to the work with very different identities and disagreed on many things, we developed a strong working relationship built on mutual trust and regular dialogue.
In this episode, we dive into managing personal relationships within large organizations, the importance of vulnerability in shared power, and Brian's advice for privileged leaders. Tune in now for valuable insights.
Listen here 💬 https://www.freedomlifted.com/shared-power-podcast/episode-5
💬 Redefine leadership, build trust, and embrace shared power in our latest episode!
Join me in a fascinating conversation with philanthropic trailblazer Deborah Harrington. We discuss how leadership can evolve, what holds organizations back from building relationships, the power of vulnerability in creating trust, and the surprising speed of organizational change.
🤝 Plus, we'll share a heartwarming story of community-building in our Chicago neighborhood. Tune in now for inspiration and insights.
Listen now! ✨
https://www.freedomlifted.com/shared-power-podcast/episode-4
🎧 “There is no limit to power: The world is better when we ALL have power… and we have to recognize this, even if society doesn’t.” - Lisa Marie Pickens
Join us on the Shared Power podcast for an enlightening episode featuring Nonprofit Consultant Lisa Marie Pickens.
We'll explore the concept of Shared Power, how DEI initiatives should adapt, and the magic that happens when we model Shared Power in our organizations.
Lisa Marie also shares heartwarming stories of nonprofits that have embraced this transformation. Don't miss this empowering conversation!
Listen here 👉🏽 https://www.freedomlifted.com/shared-power-podcast/episode-2
🎙️"We really can apply this understanding and this reclaiming of power to all of our work." - Mia Henry
Welcome to the Shared Power Podcast! 🌟 In our first season, we're diving deep into the quest for shared power in all aspects of life. Join us for inspiring conversations with activists, movement leaders, and organizational directors.
🎧 In our debut episode, I'm thrilled to be joined by our podcast producer, Alysia Tate, to unpack the intention behind this season. We'll also reveal how we handpicked our episode topics and guests, and why the pursuit of justice and equity is essential regardless of your career path.
🗣 Alysia also delves into her experience applying the concept of shared power within her Montessori classroom, demonstrating that change can happen at every level. 📚
What can you expect from this episode?
🔹 Discover why we feature 8 powerful conversations.
🔹 Dive into Mia's thought process when selecting topics and guests.
🔹 Learn how Alysia integrates Shared Power into the Montessori environment.
🔹 Understand why justice and equity work transcends all aspects of life.
🎧 Ready to be inspired? 🔗 Check out the podcast here 👉🏽 https://www.freedomlifted.com/shared-power-podcast/episode-1
There are limits to DEI.
I'm not against it, I just don't think it's enough.
We have to be thinking about power and how it is distributed and how it can be redistributed based on identity.
Power...
How do we gain it?
How do we use it?
It's important to build workplaces and communities where power is shared, not hoarded.
Do you agree?
Read more about Mia's thoughts on DEI work and power here:
https://www.freedomlifted.com/blog/doing-dei-work-in-your-organization-start-with-justice
31/08/2023
Here are the online agreements we use for our virtual workshops that are 2 hours or less. Might they help your discussions about and ?
I used to open in-person meetings and workshops with 8 - 9 agreements, but since doing so much more virtually, I've found that it is helpful to stick to just four things:
1) Be present.
2) Be curious.
3) Be generous.
4) Be brave.
Although these may sound like imperatives, note that these descriptions are written in first person, with the assumed sentence starter being "We agree to..."
Share in the comments any others you used or have seen that create a good container for honest discussion, especially when you don't have a lot of time. (I'm always tweaking things.)
Our Story
Freedom Lifted began as a social movement tour company in 2011, starting with Underground Railroad tours, Civil Rights tours for teachers, and a mobile app designed to help travelers find significant sites across the country.
Since then our work has contracted and expanded, now focusing on learning opportunities that help groups use history to bring a social justice lens to their work. We still offer Civil Rights tours to the Deep South for young people. However, these are on hold for now due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The name “Freedom Lifted” speaks to the elevation of the unseen work and collective action for social justice and social change. We believe that knowledge and understanding about social movement history is critical to the development of social justice leadership today.
Freedom Lifted consists of these value-based components:
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