Liminal Works recruited 10 global LGBTQIA & Gender Justice Leaders to co-design solutions to share effective ideas and tactics across frontline movement leaders. Our first fellowship is running March - June 2025.

This effort comes at a critical moment for LGBTQIA rights and gender justice across the world.

About the program

The Co-Design Program is a participatory initiative for grassroots organizers and activists to actively shape movement technologies for people at the frontlines of liberation work.

About the inaugural (global) cohort

Ten (10) inaugural Fellows collaborate on the design of responsible tools to build and share tactics across liberating movements. This is the first step of building the CECI concept from the ground-up. At the end of this journey, the tools that we develop and test will be deployed to a growing network of LGBTQIA+ rights and gender justice leaders to improve our capacity to build progress at a time when it’s needed most.

Fellows represent a diverse, international and intersectional base of grassroots leaders who are close to the issues we work on together. They represent six (6) countries across five (5) continents. Here is a sample of representation that we measured:

100% experience two or more intersections that we observe (using the Matrix of Domination framework)
70% identify as homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, or other queer sexual orientation
60% identify as Two-Spirit, transgender, non-binary, gender-neutral, gender-queer, and/or Intersex
50% live in the Global South
40% have a disability

Meet Two of our Fellows - Sol and Lawrence

"My projects will flourish with a fellowship environment that will give me the tools to successfully co-design systems of change. I align with Liminal Works’ values of making collaborative-focused and social justice-oriented projects. I would also like to learn more leadership skills to create a sustainable movement while maintaining the collective vision. I would like to learn how to best articulate this idea to fully engage my fellow participants."

Sol Qari (they/them) is an artist, cultural strategist, and group facilitator located in Los Angeles, California. Their organizing background is rooted in youth empowerment and resource navigation, particularly in the realm of trans rights, disability justice, and community strengthening.

"I'm eager to participate in the Co-Design Fellowship cohort because I believe it offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with fellow grassroots leaders and technologists to design and develop innovative solutions that address the pressing needs of our communities. I believe that my participation would not only enhance my skills but also contribute to the development of effective tools and strategies for the LGBTI rights and gender justice movements. I'm excited about the prospect of being part of a dynamic and innovative community of practice."

Lawrence Phiri Chipili (he/him) is the founder of the first trans-led organization in Malawi: Lesbian, Intersex, Transgender and other Extensions (LITE). His work is deeply rooted in advocating for LGBTI rights and gender justice. His passion germinated from his own personal experience as Malawi's first publicly out transgender man and also the experiences of others which prompted him to establish a support group which then grew into a national organization.

You can read about all ten fellows at: https://www.liminal-works.org/inaugural-cohort

What is the impact of your gift? Recurring gifts lift the long-term program.

✊Fellows support & tooling for work in their communities ✊

➕ $75 : One year of movement and design tech platforms for the fellows to practice co-design
➕ $100-300 : Honorarium for one (1) of our ten (10) fellows for the time and energy they give to community tech

🛠 Program support & program tooling 🛠

➕$360: One year of design infrastructure for volunteers and program team
➕$500: One year of our secure movement data infrastructure for volunteers and program team
➕$12,500: Cost of labor for our team who design, run, and facilitate the program

✨ What blasting past our goal will enable ✨

Funds above our goal will contribute to prolonged tooling support for our fellows, and funding for our second cohort and the development cost of building what we design.

✅🏆$17,610: Covers the cost of our Inaugural Cohort (March-June 2025)
+🏆$15,550: Covers the cost of our Second Cohort (September-November 2025)
+🏆$42,500: The estimated cost of software development for the tools we're designing

Co-Design Fellowship for LGBTQIA & Gender Justice Leaders

Support our cohort of global fellows to co-design tech that's urgently needed for the movement