A Journey Exploring Rest and Repair: Introducing Fellowship for Liberated Futures
A Restorative Program Co-created by Dr. Chera Reid, The Chisholm Legacy Project and ProInspire
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rachel Leonidas, ProInspire
[email protected]
April 17, 2024
Dr. Chera Reid, The Chisholm Legacy Project, and ProInspire announce the launch of Fellowship for Liberated Futures, an 18-month transformative program designed to empower and support Black women leaders in the social sector. The fellowship aims to celebrate, provide space and conditions for rest, and invite in the creativity of Black women and femmes working across and at the intersections of climate, racial, and gender justice.
Drawing from a collective vision of women of color movement leaders fully supported in their own healing and care. Dr. Chera Reid, co-visionary and co-host offers, “Liberated Futures advances a collective desire for Black women and women of color who are on the frontlines of climate, racial, and gender justice efforts to be well. We know that the arc to justice is long, and we need our leaders to have what they need to stay the course.”
The fellowship brings together a dynamic cohort of 17 leaders who will engage in a journey of self-discovery, rest and healing. Through a series of virtual gatherings, intentional in-person retreats, coaching and mentorship opportunities, participants will explore strategies to support their thriving while addressing the unique challenges faced by Black women and femmes on the front lines of leading justice work across the sector.
Shamar Bibbins, Senior Program Officer at the Kresge Foundation, co-visionary and longtime climate and equity grantmaker explains, “For the past decade I have partnered with women of color working on the frontlines of climate change and have witnessed firsthand the physical and mental stress that ensues from responding to co-occurring environmental, social, and economic crises while being under-resourced with little time for rest and recovery. These cumulative stressors lead to burnout and fracture opportunities for networking, collaboration and relationships among Black women and femmes in the sector. I wanted to create a space for celebration, rest, and repair as part of how we address the systematic underinvestment in Black and Brown leaders in climate justice.”
ProInspire is dedicated to collaborating with organizations and funders to co-create conditions for the personal and collective flourishing of leaders of color, especially for Black leaders in the sector. Bianca Anderson, co-CEO, shares, “We are grateful for this opportunity and deeply committed to cultivating an environment that honors the holistic needs of these fellows. We aim to provide a sacred space for exploration, rest, healing and growth on the journey to liberation.”
The Fellowship for Liberated Futures is made possible through the generous support of the Kresge Foundation, JPB Foundation, and McKnight Foundation. Together, these organizations are committed to investing in the long-term leadership of leaders of color in the social sector. For more information about the Fellowship for Liberated Futures, please visit http://www.liberatedfuture.org.