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
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.
About
Dr. Chera Reid co-visionary behind Fellowship for Liberated Futures and Fellowship co-host. She is a visionary advocate for justice and equity. Chera brings over two decades of experience to her work, fostering inclusive learning environments and challenging systemic barriers. As founder of Freedom Dreams in Philanthropy, she amplifies voices for racial justice and collective liberation while leading efforts to dismantle structural inequalities in education and beyond. With a Ph.D. from New York University and a commitment to lifelong learning, Chera continues to inspire and empower communities toward a more equitable future. As a mother and a yogi, she understands the importance of caring for the somatic body and spirit for longevity in this work.
The mission of The Chisholm Legacy Project is rooted in a Just Transition Framework. The project serves as a vehicle to connect Black communities on the frontlines of climate justice with resources to traverse the path from vision to strategy to action plan to implementation to transformation. In support of frontline leadership, the project seeks to link movements and mainstream entities with the tools necessary to advance systems change centered in equity and justice. With Black women on the frontlines of advancing systems change, this project ensures that these leaders have the support they need as they transform society from extractivism to a living economy that cares for sacred relationships between people and with Mother Earth, through regenerative, cooperative, democratic systems.
ProInspire activates leaders at all levels to accelerate racial equity from self to systems. ProInspire envisions an equitable and just society: free of racism and systemic oppression where all people thrive. Rooted in the belief that leadership and racial equity are key to the systems change needed to realize this vision, we design and deliver programming and resources to support individuals, strengthen organizations, and influence and equip the sector, so that leaders at all levels have: competencies to accelerate racial equity; confidence to take action, and connections to build their network and maximize their impact.