Circle of Elders

The Circle of Elders is the decision making body empowered by Resist’s Board of Directors and Movement Sustainability Common’s General Circle to handle issues related to collective and interpersonal actions that are not reflective of Resist’s values and principles. This applies to all Movement Sustainability Commons led projects, as well as all fiscally sponsored groups who consent to this process upon accepting sponsorship.

The Circle of Elders is rooted in the principles of restorative and transformative justice. Externally, people are often held accountable in ways that are destructive. We practice the world we want rooted in the core belief that people and groups are not disposable.

  • Adeola Oredola

    Trina Jackson

    lawrence barriner ii

    Seth Kirshenbaum- Circle of Elders/MSC Liason

    Luana Morales- Elder Owl, Resist Board of Directors

  • In 2024 we piloted the first Emerging Elders Fellowship.

    The aspiration of this cohort is to build capacity in our ecosystem to be able to support processes when there is conflict, and a culture where things can be identified and addressed before it becomes a problem. We are committed to nourishing a culture of skilled community care that learns and grows together; may what we learn here propagate abundantly.

    We invited offerings and fiscally sponsored projects to nominate one person.  Qualified candidates are from current offerings/fiscally sponsored Movement Sustainability Commons projects and already have trusted relationships with the people of the offering or project they are applying on behalf of.

    Each accepted Fellow will participate in TJ learning lab series as offered and participates in scheduled Emerging Elders gatherings. Dates will be shared during info sessions.

    We invite people who are a full yes to:

    • having built trust  with the offering/project they’re applying to support  and building trust in the broader MSC ecosystem 

    • desiring to learn transformative/restorative justice

    • willing to commit 2 years with year 1 being learning and year 2 being learning and holding circles

  • Click here to access our Transformative Justice Practitioner Referral List. If you’d like to be added to this list, please email Luana@sustainmovements.org with the following:

    • Name Pronouns

    • Racial/Ethnic identity

    • Contact information

    • Website

    • Languages

    • Specializations (groups of people, types of conflict, etc)

    • Location Do they work in person and/or virtually?

    • Availability