Shared Power in Public Libraries with Naghem Swade
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
Release Date: 01/15/2025
Shared Power in Public Libraries with Naghem Swade
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
How do we reframe power within the shared space of a public library? How do we engage Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) work within our current political climate? How do we remain conscientious leaders while prioritizing individual and collective healing? In this final episode of season 2 of the podcast, Mia Henry welcomes Naghem Swade from Denver Public Library to discuss concepts of identity, self-reflection, trauma and healing, shared power in public spaces, and EDI work within public libraries. Whether you work within a public library system or you visit the library on occasion, this...
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Exploring Shared Leadership Models with Anisha Desai
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
How does shared power translate to shared leadership in organizations and movements? What’s required to create or maintain a “shared leadership model”? Does every organization rooted in justice & equity require this? In this episode, Mia Henry introduces Anisha Desai of the worker-owned co-op AORTA to answer all these questions (and more!). Together, they discuss Anisha's background in movement work, what questions to ask if you work within a shared leadership role, and people-oriented structures that allow for shared leadership… and followship. Listen in to hear...
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Claiming Power for Self + Sharing Power across Generations, Part 2 with Mary E. Scott Boria
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
“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...
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Claiming Power for Self + Sharing Power across Generations, Part 1 with Mary E. Scott Boria
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
“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...
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Shared Power on Nonprofit Boards with Genita Robinson
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
“‘[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...
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Following Through with Morgan Mahdavi
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
“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...
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Making Decisions Collectively with Alicia Bell
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
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...
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Navigating Conflict with Aarati Kasturirangan & Rebecca Subar
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
“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...
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Communicating to Build Power with Mariame Kaba
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
“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...
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Embracing Zones Of Genius with Lewis Raven Wallace
The Shared Power Podcast: Notes on Collective Leadership with Mia Henry
“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...
info_outlineHow do we reframe power within the shared space of a public library? How do we engage Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) work within our current political climate? How do we remain conscientious leaders while prioritizing individual and collective healing?
In this final episode of season 2 of the podcast, Mia Henry welcomes Naghem Swade from Denver Public Library to discuss concepts of identity, self-reflection, trauma and healing, shared power in public spaces, and EDI work within public libraries.
Whether you work within a public library system or you visit the library on occasion, this episode has something for you. Together, Naghem and Mia Henry envision a world where we find refuge in each other and in public space.
Produced by Cassaundra Sampson & Mia Henry