ABOUT US
Transformative Changes
Black and Brown communities—especially youth—have long been excluded from shaping the systems that impact their lives. Dominant institutions and social movements often replicate the very harms they claim to resist. These systems typically devalue culturally grounded practices, ignore community voice, and perpetuate cycles of trauma, invisibility, and disempowerment.
Transformative Changes was founded in response to the persistent harm caused by systems that historically marginalize communities of color and often replicate patterns of exclusion, trauma, and disempowerment. At the same time, traditional approaches to justice work frequently overlook the cultural wisdom, lived experience, and healing needs of the communities they claim to serve.
In the pursuit of justice and human liberation, Transformative Changes defies the status quo by using healing-centered engagement, culturally-grounded creativity, and justice as tools to center the leadership and development of Black and Brown communities, especially young people, as agents in the creation of their own well-being in the social justice movement space.
Our work includes:
- Leadership development for Black and Brown youth, cultivating their capacity to drive change in their communities and beyond.
- Healing justice programming that prioritizes community well-being, cultural affirmation, and intergenerational resilience.
- Advocacy and systems transformation, using data and storytelling to shift narratives, influence policy, and dismantle institutional harm.
- Arts- and culture-based engagement that celebrates identity and strengthens community bonds.
Theory of Change
Transformative Changes' work centers transformation of self, relationships, and community by tackling individual, interpersonal, institutional, and structural racism. Ubuntu is an African proverb that means a person is a person through other people. It means,"I am, because you are." We believe community is one of the building blocks of society and center historically marginalized communities in our work to build power within and shift power to disenfranchised people. We specialize in intersectionality to empower community leaders across a variety of industries to foster growth and societal progress. Our partners are remarkably diverse, tackling public health, education, environmental justice, the creative economy, social emotional learning, trauma, and healing.
SELF TRANSFORMATION: HEALERS
Healers center community care, collective wellness, and joy as a vehicle for social change. Healing-centered engagement is a strengths-based approach that views those exposed to trauma as agents in the creation of their own well-being. Healing-centered engagement addresses the conditions that cause trauma and views well-being as a function of the environments where people live, work, and play. Transformative Changes recognizes the importance of community expertise and cultural traditions in the healing process. We imagines a society that supports freedom, liberation, and sustainable healing practices.
RELATIONSHIP TRANSFORMATION: CULTURALLY-GROUNDED CREATIVES
Culture workers center creativity to reflect on our customs and values as a society. The "arts" throughout history has been used to advance social justice. The term "cultural change" describes the way society is changed through new cultural traits, behavior patterns, and social norms, and creates new social structures as a result. Creatives use culturally-grounded forms of expression to challenge the resistance to new norms, the existence of current norms, and highlight the perceptions and experiences of ourselves and others. At Transformative Changes, we use creativity as a tool to spread awareness of justice issues.
COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION: CIVIC ACTORS
When people are pushed to the margins of society, that which we can shun, is that which we shun in ourselves too. By integrating culture, spirituality, and civic action, we can address trauma collectively. Healing-centered justice and liberation not only critiques existing structures but also advocates for innovative decision-making that prioritizes the voices of those affected by historical and ongoing injustices. At Transformative Changes, we work to pull the load of trauma, oppression, racism, and other injustices alongside each other.
Memberships
Transformers
Images of Impact: The Work of Transformative Changes
Help Our Cause
Your contributions are vital to the success of Transformative Changes. Every donation, no matter how small, helps us provide critical services and support to our community members. Consider making a donation today to help us continue our work.
Tax Exempt: 92-1157825