Designing for Liberation
Tools, Methods, and Pathways for Just Futures
This course is an invitation to imagine and build equitable, liberatory futures – starting with ourselves. Through a unique framework that spans four concentric circles – Self, Community, Work, and Society, we explore how personal transformation can lead to systemic change. Rooted in decolonial, Indigenous, and community-based knowledge systems, the course invites learners to critically examine their positionality, power, and purpose in today’s world.
We ask urgent questions: What does it mean to lead with integrity in oppressive systems? How can we reclaim ancestral wisdom and collective care in a culture of individualism? What practices actually center equity and justice in our work? How do we build futures where all beings thrive?
Unlike traditional leadership or social change programs, this course blends deep self-inquiry with real-world application. It integrates inner-led transformation with participatory, trauma-informed practices, and highlights the power of storytelling, imagination, and joy as tools for liberation. Each week builds toward a tangible project that reflects the learner’s vision for a more just world.
Designed for change agents, creatives, educators, and community organizers, this course offers a regenerative space to reflect, connect, and co-create. It is not about fixing broken systems – it’s about reimagining entirely new ones. Together, we cultivate the courage to move beyond critique into visionary action, rooted in care, hope, and solidarity.
Hanieh (she/her), is an independent design consultant, researcher, and community organizer working in pursuit of people and the planet. I was born in Iran and grew up in Tkaronto on Turtle Island, and both have shaped my commitment to gender equality, collective liberation, and social justice. For the past decade, I have applied the principles and methods of human-centred design, participatory research, and systems thinking to design and scale products, services, and programs across health, gender, and climate. I am also the cofounder of Thousand&One, a feminist community that supports Women of Colour to thrive in their personal and professional lives. I hold a Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction from the University of York in the UK.
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A grounded understanding of their positionality, values, and role in systems of power, enabling more intentional and integrity-driven leadership;
Practical tools and frameworks for equitable, community-rooted worldbuilding, including trauma-informed, participatory, and systems-thinking approaches;
The ability to challenge dominant narratives by reclaiming storytelling, imagination, and ancestral wisdom as methods of resistance and liberation;
A tangible, real-world project that reflects their personal vision for justice and transformation across self, community, work, and society;
A supportive network of like-minded peers dedicated to sustaining resilience, hope, and collective care in times of crisis and change.
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Early- stage founders, entrepreneurs, social impact leaders, NGO professionals, social and climate justice advocates, design practitioners, researchers, activists, changemakers, peacebuilders, community organizers
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Throughout the course, learners will create a personalized job description – a living document that includes their core values, guiding principles, and vision for meaningful, sustainable work. This toolkit challenges traditional notions of labour and purpose, offering a regenerative framework for how they choose to show up in the world. At the end of the course, learners will have greater clarity on their role, impact, and how to lead with care, courage, and accountability in their work.
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8 Weeks
Class is limited to 25 students. Sign up to be notified when registration opens.