Agency is the power to make intentional, grounded choices in the face of uncertainty, complexity, and constraint. In justice-rooted work, our ability to act with clarity and purpose is deeply shaped by how we’ve been socialized, the systems we’ve internalized, and the stories we carry. As leaders, organizers, and educators, we are called not just to act — but to respond with awareness, with alignment, and with care. In this session, we turn inward — not as retreat, but as resistance. We explore what it means to lead from a place of agency that is self-defined and rooted in dignity. We ask: How have systems of oppression shaped our sense of self? What stories of power, worth, and capacity live in us? What do we need to unlearn to lead differently? Through guided reflection, embodied storytelling, and meditative practice, we begin to reclaim the inner ground from which we lead — surfacing both our inherited patterns and our deeper “why.” This space is for those who support the leadership of others — and know that doing so with integrity requires staying in relationship with our own becoming. The session is co-created with participants in the room, and intentionally capped at 50. Full presence is required to honor the integrity of the shared space.

The session will be led by Noor Masood, educator, writer, practitioner, and founder of CSIDC.

This session is part of the learning series Practicing Justice as Coaches & Trainers, intended for coaches & trainers of the People, Power, Change framework. We’re opening early registration to those joining the full series. Space is limited, so we encourage you to reserve your spot soon.

If you are interested in joining for part of the series, please reach out to Community of Practice Lead Sachiko Osawa at sachiko.osawa@leadingchangenetwork.org.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize through self reflection how internalized systems of power and oppression shape our sense of self, agency, and leadership — and begin to unlearn narratives that limit how we show up in the world.
• Reconnect with an internally rooted “why” — clarifying the values, experiences, and personal truths that drive our leadership, organizing, and facilitation.
• Strengthen the capacity to lead with presence and intention — by practicing self-awareness in the face of complexity.

Noor Masood is an educator, writer, and practitioner working at the intersection of movement building, feminist leadership, and community-led systems change. She founded CSIDC, a women-led organization based in Pakistan with global reach, which creates learning spaces for organizers to reflect, strategize, and lead with purpose. Drawing on frameworks she taught at Harvard, Noor’s work brings a Global South perspective to global conversations on power, leadership, and justice.

For more information about this event please contact Sachiko Osawa