January on Freedom Road
Hope Springs from Longing
Hope Springs from Longing
At the close of our Global Writers’ Group Annual Showcase, Lisa shared her viral poem “Number 10,000” that she wrote when the casualties in Gaza crossed 10,000. Upon sharing it again this week, as the numbers are far higher, she concluded with this thought:
I chose to include this piece because hope springs from longing. As we cross the threshold of number 26,000, it becomes easier to become numbed to the numbers. Yet, each number is a life–an entire universe of its own–with dreams and hopes and foibles and follies. Why read this piece in an event focused on hope? Here is why. We are the hope. You are the hope. The hope of those suffering a “plausible genocide” is those of us who continue to raise our voices for the Mariams who cannot.
In this Newsletter
Standing for Gaza in Washington DC
Hear what Lisa had to share here:
On the Freedom Road Substack
Hope: Global Writer's Group 2024 Showcase
On January 29th, members of our Global Writers’ Group came together to showcase their work. And we wanted to invite you to listen in if you missed it! The recording cut in a little late, so here is the beginning transcript of Lisa’s welcome: Welcome to the Freedom Road Global Writers’ Group annual showcase! For those of you who are joining us for the fi…
Tell Biden—Comply with the ICJ Ruling: End all arms and military funding to Israel
In a stunning blow to Israel, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel is plausibly committing a genocide in Gaza. This historic moment was only possible because of South Africa’s moral courage. Israel was ordered to comply with six separate measures from the court meant to stop ongoing genocidal acts and prevent future ones, including an “im…
Bleed
What can wash away this sin? We speak about shed blood. Reconciliation. A theological concept but politically flawed when the relationship is abusive. A living color got Fox fat. Stolen music proving you ain’t nothing but a hound dog. I’m living single cause you stole my friends. Stolen fruit is sweetest, right? John Lewis bled so Obama led. I used to …
Build a Better World: A Learning Community from Freedom Road
Have you read one of Lisa Sharon Harper’s books? Or one of the books from our Global Writers’ Group authors? Have you been a part of one of Freedom Road’s Webinars either live or purchased one on demand? We have just launched a learning community on Facebook for anyone who wants to chat with like-minded people about the material they’ve been reading or watching.
Join us today and we will grow together to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly into a better world!
Join the Facebook Group
To make things easier in these difficult times where everything seems to be more expensive, we have lowered our individual pricing on all our courses to make them accessible to more people. And don’t forget there’s a couple of free offerings to get you started as well! Check out our institute page and the course archive now.
Rather read a book? Check out The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can be Made Right or Fortune: How Race Broke my Family and the World… and How to Repair it All both by Lisa Sharon Harper.
Or check out the list of books written in our Global Writers’ Group here.
2024 Subscribers’ Calls
Every quarter, Lisa sits down with our subscribers and patrons and chats about different things going on in the world.
If you are a paid subscriber to Substack or a Patreon patron at the James Farmer level or above, you are invited to participate in a quarterly call with Lisa Sharon Harper.
If you aren’t a subscriber or Patron, upgrade your subscription today, or join our Patreon!
Mark your calendars now, and you’ll get an email prompting you to register closer to the each date:
February 8, 2024 at 8pm Eastern
May 9, 2024 at 8pm Eastern
August 8, 2024 at 8pm Eastern
November 14, 2024 at 8pm Eastern
Fly
Download Fly now on Apple or Amazon Music or stream on Spotify and take it with you wherever you go!
There is a Truth That Can Heal Us...
Less than a month ago, we released the video of the new anthem, “Fly (aka Fortune’s Song)” to the world, announcing that “there is a truth that can heal us if we let it.” We have been overwhelmed and astounded by the response to the song! The video has been shown in communities around the world to inspire people to lean into the call of truth-telling a…
Truth-Telling is the Work of Right Now
As we find ourselves in a pivotal moment in the history of both our nation and the church, truth-telling is the call of the moment. For a limited time (now - April 2024) Lisa is offering discounted speaking rates for truth-tellers like you!
Talk Title: “Truth-Telling is the Work of Right Now”
In a world that hungers for honesty and clarity, Lisa's talk delves into the pressing need for all of us to seek, listen to and tell the truth about who we are as a nation and as the church. With intimacy, humor and power Lisa models her truth-telling process by sharing her own quest to untangle her family’s 300 year story on American soil. She addresses the urgency of this moment, emphasizing how authentic storytelling can catalyze positive change. Lisa's powerful and engaging delivery leaves a lasting impact on her audiences, inspiring paradigm shifts that catalyze change.
For more information about Lisa Sharon Harper and her impactful message, please visit her website.
If you are interested in booking Lisa for your event, please fill out the Speaking Engagement Form to get started.
Lisa's schedule is filling up quickly, so we encourage you to act soon to secure her presence at your event. This is an opportunity to empower your audience with insights that are both enlightening and transformative.
On the Freedom Road Podcast this Month
Rabbi Brous
This episode we are joined by Rabbi Sharon Brous. In 2013 Rabbi Brous was listed as America’s #1 most influential Rabbi. Her 2016 TED Talk “It’s Time to Reclaim Religion” has been viewed 1.5 million times and is utterly inspiring. At 30 years old, Rabbi Brous founded IKAR back in 2004. IKAR is a spiritual community in Los Angeles that has become a magne…
2023! With Guests Rev. Dr. Waltrina Middleton, Dr. Claudia Owens Shields, and Corey Nathan
This episode we have part of Lisa Sharon Harper’s posse on the show! Rev. Dr. Waltrina Middleton, Dr. Claudia Owens Shields and Corey Nathan are all partners with our work on Freedom Road. Waltrina is the executive director of Community Renewal Society and a senior consultant with Freedom Road, specializing in Spiritual Formation. Claudia is a licensed c…
Bad Faith
In this Episode This episode we are joined by the filmmakers of the newly released and riveting documentary, “Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism’s Unholy War on Democracy.” Director Stephen Ujlaki has produced more than 25 feature films, made-for-television movies and documentaries, and served as dean of the Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Te…
Global Writer’s Group
Since April of 2020 as the world closed down, the Global Writer’s Group has been meeting via zoom every Saturday, with time off only for Christmas and New Years. Early in our time together, Lisa Sharon Harper charged the group with the task of “writing a new world into existence” and over time we have truly seen this in action. We have taken on the task of changing the world, and of course what changed first was ourselves. We as a group have become better writers over this time, but also better people, finding true community in the sacred sharing of ourselves with each other and the world.
We accept members on a rolling basis: it’s never too late to join the community. Prepare to find your life changed for the better as you sharpen your writing skills and prepare to bring your words to the world.
Collectively, we have published six books, have several writers who’ve recently become agented and/or are under contract for upcoming books, and many, many journal articles over the past three years with several more books in the works.
The Narrative Gap, as coined by Lisa Sharon Harper, is the distance between the stories that we tell ourselves about ourselves, including how we got here and what it will take to make things right. In our world today, competing narratives vie for our loyalty, dividing society and the church, therefore making justice impossible. Our mission is help communities shrink the narrative gap, by identifying core issues and building community capacity so they might work toward common solutions for a just world. Here on the Freedom Road Substack, we can converse together on ways to shrink that narrative gap and help ensure everyones’ stories are told.
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