lib·er·a·tion
/ˌlibəˈrāSH(ə)n/
1. freedom from limits on thought or behavior.
2. the freedom of all people to invest in their own well-being, development, and sustainability and have an active role in building systems and making decisions that disproportionately impact their communities.
In
ac·tion
/ˈakSH(ə)n/
1.the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim.
2. taking an active role in a process to ensure movement forward.
At its core, all the work we do leads to liberation. Particularly over the past five years, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become part of the jargon in the corporate world, with organizations making more attempts to welcome and integrate traditionally marginalized voices. While these efforts are commendable, they often fall short of the real goal: to achieve liberation for all people.
Liberation in Action, Inc. (LIA) is a newly established consulting group founded in October 2022. Although we have only recently incorporated, our team has provided anti-oppression training since 2007. Liberation in Action seeks to ensure that liberation is at the forefront of all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work. We don't provide diversity trainings. We provide anti-oppression training and much more. We believe that diversity in staffing, stakeholders, and strategies, equity in how teams operate, and inclusivity as a way of honoring people's experience and lived expertise are all by-products of liberation: the freedom to fully exist without leaving parts of your identity at the door. This is why all of our work is filtered through an anti-oppression framework. How do we establish core values and a vision for our work? How do we development policies and procedures? How do we operationalize our inward and outward facing work? LIA helps you accomplish these feats by surveying the collective brilliance already existing in your spaces and offering both support and accountability, thus ensuring that those most marginalized are centered and those who occupy the most space understand how they impact the collective work.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important, but they are not enough. One of the names we considered early on for our consulting group was Community Justice Consulting. Our team all have expertise as community organizers. And although we've worked with non-profit organizations, coalitions, teams, and agencies, we see our work as community-driven. Movement builders like Fannie Lou Hamer used the term "the Welcome Table." We all occupy a collective seat at the table, but some of us disproportionately take space and over-consume resources in ways that don't honor other voices at the table. If we carry out this metaphor, our role at LIA is to support you in reimaging a table (team) built for all members of your community. But we desire more than community justice. We work to see liberation in action. And this is where we can partner with you to build a more just community.
How is LIA different than other DEI consultants? We do two things differently. First, we never provide workshops, consultation, or coaching without getting feedback from various members of your organization, group, or team. It's part of our commitment to ensuring that not just management or executive leaders are heard and that our support is informed by those whose voices aren't traditionally heard in decision-making positions. The second thing we do differently is that we hold transparency as one of our highest virtues: Transparency in our capacity; transparency in our competencies; transparency in our recommendations; transparency in our pricing. We want to be upfront with what we offer while also meeting you where you are currently. No one benefits if communities, groups, and teams feel their needs aren't met.
Our founders' backgrounds are primarily in domestic violence prevention and rape crisis support work, and we also have a depth of experience in racial justice work, building faith coalitions, housing equity work, community organizing, and other movement work. Our focus is helping organizations move beyond diversity, equity, and inclusion to liberation work. We create tailor-made workplans that take the lead from your team and operate in a spirit of accountability to communities. This can be accomplished through consultation, training, or more in-depth coaching and support.
Let us hear from you. We are launching our website in three phases. Phase one is an introduction. You can find out more about us by navigating our website and emailing us at info@liberationinaction.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Phase two will include a way to book a consultation directly on our website and find out more about our services. Phase three will provide content via our website and a portal to view content and engage other organizations building their liberation muscle. We are honored that you've chosen to follow us on this journey, and we look forward to supporting you in putting liberation into action.
Comments