The Global Freedoms Theory of Change
An overview of who we are and what you can expect from us.
Who We Are
Global Freedoms is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to amplifying freedom movements, scaling human rights campaigns, and raising awareness about state-sanctioned extremism globally. We recognize the power of social influence, storytelling, and youth-led activism as key tools in pursuit of human rights. Global Freedoms was founded on a simple concept: because we recognize our oppressions as interconnected, we believe our freedoms are interdependent on each other.
Our inaugural project is the Iranian Diaspora Collective, founded as an ad hoc initiative in the aftermath of Jina Amini’s murder by the Iranian police in September 2022. Our goal was to expose Iran’s human rights abuses and amplify the bold and courageous resistance of young people all over Iran to audiences in the global community. Our Instagram was among the first to mobilize social media to amplify the citizen journalism covering the historic Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran and the police brutality against protestors and children.
Our landmark GoFundMe raised over $500,000 from almost 7,000 donors. The resulting out-of-home billboard campaign was launched by a team of best-in-class marketers and garnered $11 million worth of earned media. Our billboards were featured by MSNBC, CNN, The New York Times, Forbes, etc. Never before had the calls for total regime change and a new, secular government been given such a bright spotlight on the global stage and particularly for Western audiences.
To sustain global media coverage, we also developed a “living document” of reliable reporting about the protests and suppression in Iran to support media professionals, politicians, leaders, and activists in their efforts to talk about Iran. This living document was updated on an almost daily basis for over two years, and downloaded over 200,000 times. You can also find this living document on our Substack. It now serves as a one-of-a-kind archive of media coverage, white papers, and research reports on this contemporary revolution.
Our Theory of Change
Totalitarianism transcends national borders. Global Freedoms is founded on the premise that any effective resistance movements for freedom can not persevere in isolation.
The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) is a theocratic dictatorship that believes it has the religious authority and moral obligation to expand its Islamic conservatorship throughout the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. The IRI has effectively developed a transnational network of coalitions through the active sale of military equipment, natural resources, and people (literally - hostages). These transnational financial entanglements enable unprecedented levels of oppression and repression not only in Iran, but also around the world.
We founded Global Freedoms because we see now that we cannot sustainably “free Iran” without actively connecting with freedom movements throughout the world, most urgently Palestine, Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine, Nigeria, Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon, Armenia, the USA, and so, so many more. We must develop coalitional global networks. Coalition is hard. It will make us angry and frustrated. We will want to retreat back into our own silos and work with those who look like us and think like us. But we cannot survive in this world if we hide in these silos. Will you try to come with us? Will you disagree with us? Can we start a conversation, and maybe - just maybe - bridge our visions for a world that is safe and just and free for us all?
The Global Freedoms substack serves as a space for activists, artists, organizations, thinkers and leaders to actively connect in ways that exceed the nationalistic identities and borders used to separate us and our movements.
Global Freedoms foregrounds the importance of culture and storytelling to amplify the work of activists on the ground, scale human rights campaigns, raise broad awareness about injustice and empower people to join freedom movements globally. Our aim is to impact policy and politics through culture and driving the narrative.
Global Freedoms Substack
Here is what you can expect:
A weekly digest of local news that includes reliable and vetted reporting from human rights organizations, citizen journalists and media that draw connections across freedom movements and human rights abuses.
Curated and relevant white papers and research reports from vetted human rights organizations and think tanks.
Premium educational and entertaining short-form content from award-winning and acclaimed producers, including micro-documentaries and doc series.
Rare and hard to find films - short and feature, documentary and fiction - that represent critical resistance and freedom movements
Provocative and accessible reflections from thought leaders and scholars
Podcasts/vodcasts that explore the diversity of our movements and strategies for resistance and revolution.
Connection with like-minded people across our intersectional communities, through live discussions, book clubs, film screenings, and more.
Join the conversation by subscribing to our Substack, and sharing our work with others, and being in touch with us about your movements and work.