Liberatory Leadership

This flavor of leadership is for the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ nonprofit leader who wants to do their change-making work in more liberatory, identity-affirming and anti-oppressive ways

LIBERATORY LEADERSHIP COACH

Petra Vega is a light-skinned woman wearing a black dress and brown belt and she's kicking up her leg in excitement

Liberatory Leadership expands our ideas about WHO gets to lead and HOW we lead

 

Identifying as a leader can be a prickly experience for many Marginalized (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Disabled, Fat, Neurodivergent, etc) leaders, especially when so many models of leadership don’t reflect our identities or values.

Liberatory Leadership is about expanding our ideas of WHO gets to lead and HOW that leadership gets to happen.

Liberatory Leadership is a combination of two concepts:

E

LIBERATORY AS DEFINED AS… .the act of setting someone free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression and/or freedom from limits on thought or behavior.

E

LEADERSHIP AS DEFINED AS… .the process of being responsible for self and responsive to others

(and no, you won’t find this definition anywhere else because I made it up based on my own experience)

Liberatory Leadership is for the person who wants to do their change-making in more liberatory ways

Liberatory Leadership 101 is an introduction to doing your change-making work in more liberatory ways, especially when self-doubt is getting in the way of leading with authenticity and speaking up during crucial moments and meetings.

 

In this video, you’ll learn…

      • What’s at the root of the self-doubt marginalized leaders may be experiencing and why I don’t describe it as imposter syndrome
      • Why nonprofits can feel like battlegrounds (by perpetuating oppressive norms) despite their “good intentions” and “positive values”
      • How to bring more agency, choice and dare I say freedom into your social change work by cultivating the skills, support and spirit of self-trust

(Note: I am intentionally offering this video outside of a pay or subscribe wall because I really, maybe desperately, want our work* to be places for healing, not harming.)

*By work, I mean the thing we do for money and the thing we dedicate our lives to.

My hope is that these insights and guidance allows you to begin doing that in your work.

Liberatory Leadership 101

 

Ways to work together

The frameworks and approaches I share in this video are foundational to the work I do with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ leaders around doing the inner work of personal liberation at the individual and interpersonal level.

Liberatory Leadership Coaching for Individuals

Do you have something important to say—something that challenges the status quo—and you’re ready to say the damn thing?

Liberatory Leadership Workshops for Organizations

Are you looking for facilitation around how to translate your equity-centered values into your programs, policies, and processes?

My Name’s Petra Vega

Petra Vega is a light-skinned person with a medium-length curly afro wearing a bright yellow cardigan and a floral top.

I help BIPOC and LGBTQ+ nonprofit leaders speak up during crucial moments and meetings

How it started

I’m a Black, Queer Puerto Rican raised in a mostly White, tiny town in Upstate, NY. I grew up believing that I should be seen and not heard at home and the world pretty much agreed.

In college, I became politicized by learning about the multi-layered systems of oppression that were operating within me as an individual and outside of me in institutions. It’s very “the personal is political” over here!

The healing-centered community organizing work I was doing at that time allowed me to resist my oppressive upbringing and reclaim my voice as power.

How it's going

I started Create More Possibilities, LLC because I believe that those of us on the margins have an important role to play towards collective liberation—starting with taking back our power with our voices.

As a Liberatory Leadership Coach, I work with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ nonprofit leaders who want to speak up during crucial moments and meetings without self-doubt keeping you silent and stagnant.

My specialty is in bridging the gap between personal change and systems change by weaving an anti-oppression lens, healing tools and playful possibility into WHO we are and HOW we lead.

When you work with me, you can expect for the heavy sh*t to feel lighter

One person’s experience after participating in a workshop with me

Thoughtful framing for play

I LOVED the invitation to play and how thoughtful Petra was in framing and setting the tone for play! The biggest a-ha moment for me was in remembering what game you’re playing. For example, now I can use the principle “Small is good, Small is all” to focus on authenticity and those values-aligned moments because they will add up to a values-aligned life.”

~ Stephanie, Leadership Coach & Team Facilitator

One person’s experience after a single Liberatory Leadership coaching session

Discussing difficult topics can be fun

Petra is great at guiding the conversation in the ways you need! Her personality is captivating and entertaining. Even when you’re discussing difficult topics she makes it fun!”

~ Ryann, Environmental & Social Justice Nonprofit Manager

One person’s experience after a 6 months of Liberatory Leadership coaching

Doing the hard work, but having fun while doing it

“I chose Petra because of her energy and positivity. Working with Petra includes doing the hard work, but having fun while doing it. I’m walking away with impetus to take on challenges that I’m capable of, even if I’m afraid, an about page that is descriptive of my whole person and a codification of my values –something I hadn’t even realized I needed!”

~ Maggie, Self-Employment Coach