WHO WE ARE
OUR MISSION
Sadie Nash Leadership Project’s mission is to strengthen, empower, and equip young women and gender-expansive* youth of color as agents for change in their lives and in the world. Operating at the intersection of love and rigor, we use popular education to build community, critical consciousness, and college and career readiness among participants, who we call Nashers.
OUR VISION
Our vision is of a world that centers the experiences and leadership of young women and gender-expansive youth of color — building on their perspective, commitment, and brilliance to be a healthier, safer, and more just society for us all.
*The term “gender-expansive” came out of this report to classify youth who did not identify with traditional gender roles but were otherwise not confined to one gender narrative or experience.
OUR VALUES
WE BELIEVE IN LEADERSHIP.
WE BELIEVE IN LEADERSHIP.
We believe in Leadership. We believe that the foundation of leadership lies in service and activism — and that redefining what leaders and leadership looks like will transform our lives for the better.
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• Leadership is an ongoing act, made up of big and small decisions
• It’s accountable, cooperative, ethical, and effective
• We believe that barriers to leadership are rooted in structural injustices and inequalities rather than personal deficiencies
WE BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY.
WE BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY.
We believe in Community. We believe in the power of community to help everyone achieve more together.
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• Community is a safe space where everyone feels respected and accepted
• Community is rooted in the belief that young people succeed because of who they are and where they come from — not in spite of it
• Community encourages taking chances and leaving our comfort zone in pursuit of growth
WE BELIEVE IN SOCIAL JUSTICE + FEMINISM.
WE BELIEVE IN SOCIAL JUSTICE + FEMINISM.
We believe in Social Justice + Feminism. We believe in advocacy as a conduit to create a world that values all people.
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• Social Justice + Feminism demand the right to equality for all people regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, education, class, nationality, immigration status, abilities, age, and any other aspect of their identity
• It’s rooted in the belief of the power, and potential, of women and gender-expansive youth of color
• We are committed to challenging internalized, interpersonal, institutional, and ideological oppression
WE BELIEVE IN TRAINING + LEARNING.
WE BELIEVE IN TRAINING + LEARNING.
We believe in Teaching + Learning. We believe each of us is a teacher and learner — that we have the ability to impact our community and be “in process” at the same time.
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• We set a standard of intellectual rigor and high expectations for our community
• We value students as experts about their own lives, honoring experiences and emotions as knowledge
• We believe learning should be engaging, relevant, fun, and expose Nashers to new ideas, experiences, and resources
OUR GOALS
We work to create spaces where Nashers can find safety, guidance, love, and joy.
In all of our programming we strive to help Nashers:
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ENVISION THEMSELVES AS LEADERS — BOTH TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE
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VALUE AND SEEK OUT COMMUNITY ACTION AND INVOLVEMENT
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UNDERSTAND AND ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHT TO EQUALITY
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INCREASE THEIR SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE
OUR IMPACT
Over the last 20 years we’ve built a community 10,000 Nashers strong!
We lay a foundation so Nashers can lead lives in committed pursuit of joy and liberation for themselves and their communities.
EACH YEAR SADIE NASH LEADERSHIP PROJECT…
IN SURVEYS OF OUR 2020-2021 PARTICIPANTS:
91%
feel confident in their leadership
93%
better understand how to build community
92%
have learned effective strategies for self-care
94%
feel inspired to at
tend college
Our programming creates emotionally, physically, and intellectually safe educational spaces grounded in love, rigor, and perseverance — where Nashers can cultivate their consciousness, leadership, and dreams.
