In this session, participants will be invited to explore how their lived experience informs and drives their role as social change leaders. Going beyond the tagline of “the importance of lived experience,” we’ll explore exactly why lived experience is so important to social change leaders, and we will unpack common misconceptions and misuse of the concept. The speakers will start by sharing some of their reflections on how their lived experiences shape their leadership, approaches to philanthropy, and day-to-day decision-making. Then, participants will be asked to get curious about themselves and engage in a similar reflection that they will then share in small groups. We hope participants leave the session with:

• A new or deeper understanding of their own lived experience and how it shapes how they approach their work

• An awareness of how lived experience and identity can be used in manipulative ways, and how to do better than self-tokenizing 

• A new relationship with at least one person in the group

Join us on September 30, with Sona Smith, currently the Birth Justice Program Officer at the Ms. Foundation for Women, and Kheira Issaoui-Mansouri, currently Founder and Managing Director of Najam Consulting. 

Please note this session is included in the membership fee for all EPIP members. Please reach out to [email protected] if you are unsure of your membership status or would like to inquire about the benefits of an EPIP membership. If you're having any trouble registering for the event, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].