The Cohort Program
A healing justice and leadership development program for changemakers and movement leaders.
What is the Beloved Community Cohort?
The Beloved Community Cohort program is a community development program rooted in the values and practices of our Beloved Community Labs. The program is a collaboration between Beloved Communities Network and Movement Strategy Center, and responds to the urgent call for a more interconnected, caring, and resilient future—where building Beloved Community is not merely an abstract ideal, but a daily, lived practice.
It is designed to support organizers, cultural workers/strategists, social justice leaders, educators, artists, and more in transformative movements grounded in collective practice, deep democracy, healing justice, and radical connection.
Inspired by the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Grace Lee Boggs, and other visionary leaders, the Cohort invites participants to explore the 10,000 Beloved Communities Graphic Novel and Guide by Kristen Zimmerman and to practice the 8 Essential Elements of Beloved Community.
Participants examine the systems they are working within, tap into individual and collective wisdom, identify strategic leverage points, and collaborate on innovative interventions to shift how we live and relate to one another.
Meeting the Moment
At the heart of this program is a vital question: How do we transition from a world shaped by violence and extraction to one rooted in love, resilience, and regeneration? The Beloved Community framework offers a powerful pathway for healing justice, power-building, and radical connection. It supports leaders in transforming both their communities and the systems they navigate.
Program Overview
This is not a traditional leadership training. The Cohort integrates spiritual practice, cultural strategy, emotional wellness, and movement building. Participants include grassroots organizers, artists, educators, and leaders committed to social and economic justice. The program is co-led by the Beloved Communities Network and Movement Strategy Center.
- Virtual gatherings for group learning and reflection
- Small group practice sessions to deepen connection and experiment with new approaches
- An in-person retreat to culminate the journey
Key Benefits
Through participation in the Beloved Community Cohort, members develop:
- Healing Justice Practices to address trauma and build resilience
- Strategic Tools for navigating conflict, visioning, and advancing movement goals
- Creative Expression through storytelling, ceremony, and artistic practice
- Embodied Leadership that aligns values with action and deepens transformative impact
Participants explore:
- How Beloved Community strengthens healing justice in organizing work
- What conditions help communities repair harm and build trust
- How grief, ceremony, and story become powerful tools for healing and change
- How to lead through conflict while maintaining shared vision and strategy
Looking Ahead
Each new Cohort builds on the one before, evolving through the experiences and wisdom of its members. Learn about the outcomes of the first Beloved Communities Cohort. We are developing a practical guide and online resource hub to help organizations apply the Beloved Community framework in their work. These tools will include:
- Case studies and best practices
- A healing justice assessment rubric
- A web-based learning platform
- A train-the-trainer model to expand impact across networks
Our goal is to create ripple effects of healing, strategy, and connection throughout movement ecosystems.
Program Outcomes
At the conclusion of their journey, Cohort members will:
- Strengthen their ability to lead with healing justice and transformational vision
- Join a supportive, intergenerational network of movement leaders
- Gain access to tools, practices, and a living library of resources
- Co-create a shared path toward equity, healing, and systemic change
Partner With Us
Interested in collaborating or running a Lab? Get in contact with us to learn more.
DONATE NOW >>
Get in Touch with Us
We would love to speak with you
about the Beloved Community
Network.
For any questions or comments, or to reach out to us about our programs or offerings, please submit the completed form and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
