Creative Liberation Network
A Partnership Ecosystem for Liberated Futures
Run by One Square World (1SW) & Alternatives for Community & Environment (ACE)
The state of our world demands that movement organizations stand together, leveraging our collective resources, networks and power, to build stable foundation for new sustainable systems.
We believe the movement workers of this generation have inherited critical ancestral tools necessary to bridge the gaps between governance, policy-making and frontline communities, so that climate solutions rooted in liberation can be initiated, implemented and innovated throughout historically impacted neighborhoods.
The Creative Liberation Network is a Just Transition Infrastructure Hub powered by 1SW and ACE.
The CLN supports practitioners, organizations and coalitions with Backend Capacity Building, Professional Development, and Project Management. Through innovating traditional models and collectively contributing to pooled services, the network is able to spread risk and share benefits of mutual aid offerings. Through this network, we hope to bring together various movement workers in the New England ecosystem — policy advocates, movement/grassroots organizations, research organizations, artists and culture bearers, etc — working across multiple sectors and strategic approaches, to come together in various permutations and support each other through knowledge and resource sharing.
Benefits at a Glance
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The network will support its members with shared resources that may be traditionally difficult to access for smaller organizations or individuals, helping build their capacity and increase their stability:
Administrative support
Accounting/Bookkeeping
Fiscal Sponsorship
Organizational Assessments
Grant writing/fundraising support
Enabling innovative financial support models: short term micro-loans, cashflow loans, etc.
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We will work with our member orgs to build scaffolding around emerging leaders, leaders of colour, and under-resourced leaders, supporting them with strategic decision making and relationship building, helping them identify opportunities and challenges and realize their vision for growth:
Executive Coaching
Staff & Board Development
Ecosystem & Power Mapping
Trainings and curricula for staff and community facilitators
Network Weaving & Relationship Building
Creative Liberation Fellowship program
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We will support members with various resources that may further their projects, enabling collaborations with other members of the network, providing project management support, and helping enhance projects through tools like arts facilitation or data visualization.
Event management
Data visualization
Narrative Building
Community Engagement & Facilitation
Paid Collaboration Opportunities
Community Controls Systems
Arts Facilitation Curricula
The Creative Liberation Fellowship
Empowering the Next Generation of Community-Driven Leaders
A project-based residency where fellows gain experience in education, community support, and art project development.
2026 Inaugural Fellows
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Ashanti Omowali Alston
Rhode Island • Alston is a writer, speaker, father and activist originally from New Jersey, and a former member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. Alston is an inspiration and mentor to younger activists developing Black anarchist politics and support for political prisoners.
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Dzidzor
Massachusetts • Dzidzor is a Ga-Ewe folklore and performing artist who uses sound collaging and call-and-response to challenge traditional storytelling forms.
How can you be involved?
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Organizations
Community-based organizations (CBOs), research networks, and advocacy groups focused on environmental and social justice are welcome to join the network and benefit from peership and training programs, collaborate with other orgs in the network, and take advantage of our capacity building offerings.
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Individuals
We welcome artists, culture-bearers, healers, educators, activists, grassroots leaders and movement workers who have community-rooted practices to join the network and benefit from peership, paid project opportunities, become a Creative Liberation Fellow and more.
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Grantmakers
If you are a grantmaker/foundation interested in this work, help support the CLN through your giving programs. We also welcome you to be an active part of the network, to attend our events or provide knowledge-sharing, advising or capacity building that could benefit the members in our network.
Relive our past events
Ready to envision a liberated future with us?
Whether you’d like to learn more about membership benefits and commitments, apply to be part of the network, apply for the fellowship, or support the CLN through funding/grantmaking, please fill out our interest form!
Banner & event photographs by Dominique Sindayiganza
This work is currently supported by the Kresge Foundation, Barr Foundation and Communities First Fund.
We are actively building this network within our current capacity, and we are well positioned to deepen and expand this work. Reach out at info@onesquareworld.org to support us in realizing this vision.