22 AUG 2022 · In this episode of “Leadership Moves” we spoke with Blanca Valentin, a licensed mental health clinician who has practiced in the Boston area for over 20 years. With the application of mindfulness, healing circles, and restorative/transformative approaches Blanca has worked with individuals/families who have experienced trauma, depression, and other social, emotional challenges, including racism, violence, incarceration and those who have suffered injustices and oppression. Blanca spoke with us about how she invites her staff to bring their healing practices to the workplace, as a way of combating grind culture. Indeed, mental health often carries a stigma for people of color in the workplace. Blanca helps us understand how to normalize, support and empower communities of color to recognize our power and to begin a safe and healthy journey to wellness and self-care in the workplace.

25 JUL 2022 · In this episode of “Leadership Moves,” we spoke with Angel Charley, the Executive Director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women. The coalition was founded in 1996 in New Mexico by 3 native women Peggy Bird (Kewa), Darlene Correa (Laguna Pueblo), and Genne James (Navajo). Over 2 decades later, the coalition continues to be a resource for training, advocate support, technical assistance and policy advocacy. But in this episode, we’ll be zeroing in on Angel’s experience “falling into” movement work and the behind the scenes process to becoming the executive director at a native-led coalition. She shares the intimate details that led to her being nominated as interim executive director and later becoming the Executive Director. Her story asks us as all to question what it means to be a leader when you may not feel 100% ready to take the lead. When will be be "ready enough?" This project is supported by Grant No 2020-TA-AX-K022 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this program are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.

27 JUN 2022 · In this episode of the Leadership Moves Podcast, we speak with Raven Loaiza, who shares a personal story that highlights the dehumanizing impact of detention and deportation on mixed status, immigrant families. The conversation that follows encourages us as leaders and advocates to ask ourselves: What happens when we, the advocates, need advocacy? How do we show up for work and ask for support? And What happens when we are led by people who teach us that vulnerability is okay, so long as you feel safe being vulnerable? Building trauma-informed and resilient organizations takes a group of leaders who are willing to understand the complexities of each individual person’s lived experience with violence and oppression. This project is supported by Grant No 2020-TA-AX-K022 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this program are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.

23 MAY 2022 · In this episode we speak with Strong Oak Lefebvre, co-founder and executive director of the Visioning B.E.A.R. Circle Intertribal Coalition INC. Strong Oak co-authored the Walking in Balance with All Our Relations teaching curriculum, a violence prevention approach that is based on transformative/restorative circle practices and traditional values of indigenous people prior to colonization. They speak with us about the years leading up to starting their own organization, including what catalyzed their move away from mainstream gender-based violence work in order to embrace restorative and transformative justice practices. Strong Oak asks us to be mindful of the ways in which RJ and TJ are often co-opted by the state. This project is supported by Grant No 2020-TA-AX-K022 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this program are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.

25 APR 2022 · In this episode we speak with Tobi Downing, who has had the opportunity to co-lead a state coalition in NY, laid the groundwork for an Intimate Partner Fatality Review team in Philadelphia, and most notably she has had the honor of working with and serving families of murder victims for almost 15 years. Leadership expectations are often a reflection of the dominant culture. As movement leaders, we must understand how the United State’s history with enslavement and colonialism colors our leadership expectations for and perceptions Black and Brown Leaders, including in the movement to end gender-based violence. So in this episode, we speak with Tobi, as she shares honestly about the ways that she, as a Black woman, has navigated the anti-violence movement over the last 3 decades, and how perceptions have impacted her on her path to feeling like an imposter to becoming an authentic leader. Tobi also co-hosts a podcast A Changed Mind Pod, which features transparent conversations about faith, healing, loss, recovery, domestic violence, incarceration and more. Listen to "A Changed Mind Pod" here https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-changed-mind/id1552109049 Visit a Changed Mind Pod on social media: Facebook @AChangedMindPod Instagram @achangedmindpod Twitter @AChangedMindPod Visit Valor’s social media and let us know what you thought of our conversation with Tobi: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreValorUS Twitter: https://twitter.com/Valor_US_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_valorus/ This project is supported by Grant No 2020-TA-AX-K022 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this program are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.

21 MAR 2022 · In this episode of “Leadership Moves'' we speak with Tonjie Reese about the early days of starting Eleven24, an organization committed to developing and sharing educational resources rooted in intersectionality. Led by liberation, Tonjie’s work seeks to strengthen collective knowledge about interpersonal violence and shift to a violence free culture. Developing a non-profit organization can be intimidating so we spoke with Tonjie about her preliminary doubts and identifying funding that aligns with her organizational values. We also spoke about the importance of learning from our ancestors and how we challenge white supremacy culture in our organizations and in ourselves. To learn more about Tonjie’s organization, visit https://eleven-24.org Visit Valor’s social media and let us know what you thought of our conversation with Tonjie: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreValorUS Twitter: https://twitter.com/Valor_US_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_valorus/ This project is supported by Grant No 2020-TA-AX-K022 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this program are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.

14 FEB 2022 · These are the stories of leaders of color who carry the legacies of those who built the movement to end gender-based violence. They carry on the fighting spirit of giants who have moved on from this work like Sojourner Truth, Grace Lee Boggs, bell hooks, Ida B. Wells, Audre Lorde, and Yuri Kochiyama. We talk about the ways they have been harmed by this world while trying their hardest to keep their passion for the movement alive. Consider this our love letter to them and to aspiring leaders of color looking for belonging, inspiration, and affirmation. This series is supported by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). [This podcast tile uses modified images of: Alice Walker from The American Library Association, Angela Davis from Columbia GSAPP, Audre Lorde from Esla Dorfman, bell hooks from Alex Lozupone (Tduk), Grace Lee Boggs from Kyle McDonald, Ida B Wells: Public Domain, Patricia Hill Collins from Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil, Sojourner Truth: Public Domain, Yuri Kochiyama from Kochiyama family/UCLA Asian American Studies Center.] This podcast is supported by Grant No 2020-TA-AX-K022 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this program are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.