About The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
The Shared Power Podcast is about how people can lead collectively in spaces designed to support activism and advance justice and equity. It features frameworks and interviews that demonstrate how relationship-building and trust are critical to building and maintaining effective movements for change.
Produced by Cassaundra Sampson & Alycia Tate
The host, Mia Henry (she/her), is the CEO of Freedom Lifted. Mia has served in many roles that required shared leadership, developing long-lasting relationships with people she has worked alongside. As a co-director, associate director, supervisor, training co-facilitator, board member, consultant, and community organizer, Mia knows first-hand what it means to commit to sharing power as we work for freedom and justice.
Shared Power in Public Libraries with Naghem Swade
Naghem Swade shares insights on reframing power in public libraries, prioritizing EDI work, and cultivating collective healing in public spaces for a more equitable future.
12 Dec 2024
Exploring Shared Leadership Models with Anisha Desai
Mia Henry explores shared leadership models with Anisha Desai of AORTA, discussing the people-oriented structures and followship needed to achieve collective power and justice in organizations.
31 Oct 2024
Claiming Power for Self + Sharing Power across Generations, Part 2 with Mary E. Scott Boria
“We’ve got to believe that there’s a ‘next point’ that’s going to be better… if we don’t believe that, how do we encourage [young people] to believe in that?” - Mary Scott Boria
Every person desires (and deserves) respect and collaboration. How can we work together in intergenerational spaces for social justice to create shared power that makes a real and collective difference?
In this episode, you’ll hear Part 2 of Mia's two-part conversation with Mary Scott Boria. They talk about their lived experiences as young activists seeking mentorship and seasoned activists learning to mentor.
Mary and Mia discuss how to create and invite dialogue between generations, how they might build a conversation (rather than deliver a lecture), how to build intergenerational relationships and collaborations, plus how to acknowledge the personhood of the people they're working with (and why that’s important).
Mary also tells Mia about her intergenerational book club (that gathers more for conversation than reading books!) and why she encourages everyone she mentors to find a way to nurture their soul.
“[To young activists:] We see you. We’re still here. We’re in this together. And we love you.” - Mia Henry & Mary Scott Boria
29 Oct 2024
Claiming Power for Self + Sharing Power across Generations, Part 1 with Mary E. Scott Boria
“Shared Power is an evolving process.” - Mary Scott Boria
Mary Scott Boria grew up as a Black child in a biracial family, bouncing from her home in small town Michigan to Chicago, Illinois. She participated in her first protests with her white mother in the sixties and later joined the women’s movement as a teen mother herself.
Mary is an inspiration to young activists for her relationship-based mentorship and willingness to pay attention and listen to minority voices. She’s both strong and soft, bold and quiet, courageous and thoughtful. We hope you enjoy her wisdom and her story!
In this episode, you’ll hear Part 1 of Mary and Mia's two-part conversation.
Mary shares her diverse family history, her first experiences with the women’s movement and working inside an abortion clinic, how she’s learned to speak up in shared spaces - as someone who’s generally very shy, and the ways she creates Shared Power in her activist work.
Content Warning: Mention of sexual assault, rape.
23 Sept 2024
Shared Power on Nonprofit Boards with Genita Robinson
“‘[Hoarding power] can feel safe for you… but it’s not safe for everyone else.” - Genita Robinson
Seasoned consultant Genita Robinson joins Mia for an in-depth conversation about her work supporting nonprofit organizations and boards.
Genita is well-versed and experienced in creating and working with boards of directors who are rooted in equity and thinking about power in progressive and abundant ways.
In this episode, Genita details some common challenges boards face, plus a handful of solutions you might consider if you’re part of a board (or if you work within an organization that maintains one).
We also dig into the very common fear of losing power and control that’s sometimes hidden behind “urgent” decision-making, the importance of allowing for dissent and disagreement, and what to do if your Executive Committee is making all the decisions behind closed doors.
12 Dec 2023
Following Through with Morgan Mahdavi
“I understood that doing my work well made it possible for everybody else to do their work well.” - Morgan Mahdavi
In this episode, our very own Morgan Mahdavi joins Mia for a conversation about their working relationship and how they invite accountability in relationships through transparency, genuine care, and radical trust and grace.
Morgan and Mia have worked together in a variety of ways (including here at Freedom Lifted), and they agree that accountable relationships that encourage follow -through are important to shared work and shared power within the work.
Morgan shares how trust in their work opened the possibility for taking initiative on important projects, the most important ingredients for creating shared power, and how we can build a team culture that learns from past mistakes. Morgan ends with sage advice for leaders who want to focus on building teams that hold each other accountable.
5 Dec 2023
Making Decisions Collectively with Alicia Bell
When we share power, we don’t have to take everything on ourselves…. ‘Many hands makes light work.’” - Alicia Bell
In this episode, Alicia Bell explains how slowing down to make decisions as a collective can enhance the experience of Shared Power and actually ensure the work happens more quickly.
“Slow is smooth, smooth is fast,” Alicia shares
And we know this requires collective trust: Can we trust the slow parts of the process… and trust that the foundational work will move us toward the future we envision?
This conversation dives deep into how fear of relinquishing control can keep us from sharing power in making decisions, why realignment is a necessary part of the process, and how to navigate and change societal expectations and assumptions through collective decision-making.
28 Nov 2023
Navigating Conflict with Aarati Kasturirangan & Rebecca Subar
“If we don’t do the internal work, our movements will suffer.” - Aarati Kasturirangan
This conversation is about expanding what’s possible - even within conflict.
Mia is joined by Rebecca Subar (they/them) and Aarati Kasturirangan (she/her) from Dragonfly Partners to discuss how nonprofit organizations and movement leaders can navigate conflict from the inside-out.
Together we dive deep into why our individual and collective orientations to the work make a difference, when it’s okay to walk away from conflict, and how to learn every step of the journey.
Plus, Rebecca eloquently shares their definitions of “power” and “strength” and Aarati (pronounced Arthi) explains why it’s okay to be unsure about what to do in conflict.
21 Nov 2023
Communicating to Build Power with Mariame Kaba
“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
Social media has completely transformed the way we organize, communicate, and connect. This is true in so many areas of our lives, but especially with social justice organizing and global movements for justice.
For this conversation, Mia is joined by social organizer, educator, and curator, Mariame Kaba. We consider questions like: How can we engage, collaborate, and connect on social media in ways that remain genuine and authentic? Why do so many people struggle to know what to do as social activists (especially with better access to more information)?
Mariame explains how she entered the world of social media in 2010, why she thinks virtual connection will become even more prominent in the future, and how we can expand our experience of social media in healthy ways.
14 Nov 2023
Embracing Zones Of Genius with Lewis Raven Wallace
“None of this would matter if we were doing it alone. We’re actively resisting the dominant culture through collaboration… which comes with, perhaps, individual risks [that are worth it].” -Lewis Raven Wallace
In this episode, Mia is joined by independent journalist Lewis Raven Wallace for a conversation about accessing our Zone Of Genius and what it means for the practice of Shared Power in collaboration.
Zone Of Genius can be defined as a flow state that takes you “beyond the sum of its parts,” as Lewis says in this episode.
When each of us resides within our Zone Of Genius, we’re better able to add value to the world, individually and collectively. That’s why we aspire to engage with justice & equity work from that place.
Lewis joins me to discuss how we both engage from within our Zone Of Genius in regular collaboration together, why solidarity is both a skill and a "practice", and why shared power is a long-term commitment.
7 Nov 2023
Connecting Identity and Power with Brian Brady
“My professor and others woke me up to [injustice], but I didn’t have enough of a toolkit to really articulate what I was doing within these structures. Now the tools we have to analyze structures and to work collectively are so much stronger.” - Brian Brady
This candid conversation with Brian Brady, a veteran nonprofit leader, is about his regular reflections on shared power within nonprofit leadership positions as a white man.
In this episode Mia talks with Brian about the challenge of maintaining relationships within large organizations, why vulnerability is a key component of sharing power, and what practices Brian recommends to people with privilege in leadership roles.
2 Nov 2023
Redefining Leadership with Deborah Harrington
“Things don’t have to last forever in order to be successful… Sometimes we get too caught up in ‘sustainability,’ which prevents us from experimenting.” - Deborah Harrington
In this episode, philanthropic trailblazer and seasoned strategist Deborah Harrington joins Mia to discuss how we can redefine leadership in ways that diversify group thought, create a culture of trust, and build mutual loyalty.
Deborah (she/her) brings to the conversation decades of experience leading in the public sector and social change philanthropy. She talks eloquently about how to reorient an organization’s leadership toward shared power.
Deborah and Mia discuss what often prevents organizations from building relationships (particularly in times of challenge), how vulnerability invites connection (which actively builds trust), and why organizational change can happen more quickly than we think.
Plus, they share the story of how they organized together in their Chicago neighborhood!
26 Oct 2023
Telling Our Origin Stories with Yashna Padamsee
“Starting with a relationship instead of starting with a project is foundational, because relationships will continue even as projects and organizations close or change.” -Yashna Padamsee
How do we fulfill our organization’s mission without sacrificing its people? And how do we support our people without sacrificing our mission?
For this episode, Mia is joined by Yashna Padamsee, a consultant with over 17 years serving social movements, to talk about the importance of sharing our origin stories when working together in organizations and collectives.
Yashna and Mia discuss what it means to share our origin stories, how sharing stories fosters trust within an organization, why it’s important to prioritize relationships (even given the urgency of crisis work), plus the real cost of not prioritizing stories and relationships.
24 Oct 2023
Shared Power vs. DEI with Lisa Marie Pickens
“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
Why do so many DEI initiatives fall short? What does shared power look like in organizations, even the homogenous ones? Can a shared power analysis reframe and expand DEI work?
These are the questions Mia explores in this episode with Nonprofit Consultant, Lisa Marie Pickens.
Mia and Lisa Marie discuss the problems with general DEI initiatives, the day-to-day practicing of shared power through collaborative learning and modeling, why Shared Power is for EVERYONE in your organization, and how to sustain this internal shift long-term.
Plus, Lisa Marie shares some inspirational examples of nonprofits that have completely transformed their understanding and practice of DEI work to embrace Shared Power.
18 Oct 2023
What is Shared Power? Mia Henry in conversation with Alysia Tate
In this first episode, Mia is joined by one of the podcast producers, Alysia Tate, to explain the intention behind this season, how we chose episode topics and guests, and why justice and equity work matters in every area of life (no matter your career choice).
Alysia interviews Mia and also shares how she now applies the concept of shared power within the Montessori classroom.
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.7 / 5
13 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100
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Quality
30
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
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