The Work
Building Leaders. Transforming Communities.
Free To Lead equips justice-impacted leaders with the tools, training, and support to lead in their communities and beyond. From identifying emerging leaders to preparing candidates for public office, our work is rooted in the belief that lived experience is leadership.
Our Approach
Recruit
We identify emerging leaders through neighborhoods, reentry programs, and grassroots organizations, removing barriers so justice-impacted individuals can step forward and lead.
Train
Our cohort-based leadership development program prepares participants with practical skills in:
Campaign operations
Fundraising
Communications
Civic law
Mental health resilience
Each cohort is designed specifically for justice-impacted candidates and community leaders.
Support
Leadership doesn't end with training. Through the Redemption Caucus, Free To Lead provides an ongoing national network offering:
Peer support
Rapid-response legal and advocacy assistance
Coordinated policy campaigns
A community of leaders committed to creating lasting change
Why It Works
Our founders have turned lived experience into civic leadership—winning campaigns, drafting impactful legislation, and serving on sentencing bodies. Free To Lead combines lived experience, legislative expertise, and organizing power to help leaders create meaningful change in their own communities.
The Impact We're Building
Free To Lead is working to:
Recruit and train justice-impacted leaders across the country.
Support at least 25 leadership candidates through training and scholarships.
Expand the national Redemption Caucus.
Launch local leadership hubs in communities nationwide.
Whether you're ready to lead or ready to invest in the next generation of leaders, there's a place for you in Free To Lead.