I loved how this session invited all of us to bring our full humanity and wove in some leadership wellness strategies. I actually ran to my boss's desk immediately afterward, told her ‘I feel blissed out,’ and recommended that we look into working with the facilitators.

I'm going to be reflecting on this a lot - and appreciated the insight that it's not 'bad' necessarily to engage in coping strategies- sometimes it's all we can do to get through the day.

When I read the email sent to all the staff, it felt like a small light in such darkness, I opened the application and filled it out, It was very easy.

I think more than anything, I feel seen in my industry, having the recognition that so many in the nonprofit world are underpaid and overworked… it was helpful to have a fund that recognizes this system and is disrupting it.

The Fellowship is led by some folks that really took a chance on trying to build something with love, dignity, and respect for one another. They are folks that decided to help others reach that next level.

In this profession, I deal with a lot of emotional issues and at times it gets the best of me. This course has taught me to ground myself whenever I feel uneasy and to put my emotional needs first so I can better serve my clients.

This was a completely transformative experience, on a personal and organizational level.

I will use it when I talk about my work at events, conferences, and networking events.

I now have something that communicates clearly what we do at the EmpowerTHEM collective. Because of Fast Pitch, my organization is now on the radar of several foundations. This was the first time in my professional career anyone didn’t have an underlying expectation of me to just go on. I could be human, I could have feelings, and it was more than ok. It was honestly the first time I felt fully supported by peers.

It's definitely connected me with other organizations that I had no clue they were around. We organize a lot of the times in the same communities, the same people. So it's allowing me to bridge the gap. So I'm really excited to connect with folks outside of this to see how we can collaborate. Because that's how we create community.

I love being a part of this community. I have heard others describe it as the place we go to have our emotional buckets refilled with joy, love, and kindness. I can’t think of any better way to describe it than that. I am a super fan of the staff, the Partners, and all the cohorts in the community.

Practicing radical self-acceptance and magical thinking have made me more optimistic, with less self-doubt. I feel more grounded being able to either succeed or learn (not fail) in my work. Removing constraints of what I think/ thought a leader "should" be allows me to develop into my potential. Better understanding myself as a person and leader means I can be more present in my work and mindful of my purpose.

Before this training I felt so alone and burnt out. This training helped me see that there is a community of supportive people out there and that many are feeling the same way. In just 5 weeks, I grew and I honestly think it was because of the training and everyone in the training.

This was a phenomenal way for me to contextualize what I value about the work as a newer staff member.

“Kelli Poole epitomizes the spirit of liberatory leadership: self-aware, community-minded, and unafraid of the work required to make positive change. She has forever changed the way I show up for work.”

“These transformative programs empower individuals to challenge systemic inequalities and drive meaningful change. The focus on liberation, inclusive learning environment, and mentorship provided by Kelli Poole and her team are truly invaluable. Their commitment to social justice inspires us to become active advocates in our communities. Thank you, SJPLA, for your exceptional work in fostering Liberatory Leadership.”

In my 5 years of working in this field, I have never felt so whole heartedly invested in a training/class. I truly appreciate the work and dedication to wellness that is taken at SJPLA.

“I come back every year curious about who applies again and very hopeful to see that people are continuing to do this work. I get to see an evolution of this process and see year over year what changes are being made in a more justice-oriented way.”

“Being an evaluator helps me do my job better. I get to be on the other side, be involved in these discussions, and hear how evaluators talk about the applications. It helps me decide what I’m including in my applications and anticipate what evaluators want to know about our work.”

My participation in Fast Pitch helped our organization move to expand our work beyond our primary programming and allowed us to better handle disruptions created by the pandemic. We developed new programming related to our systems change impact and that has helped anchor our overall fundraising efforts.