Brave Voices: Lisa on Purpose and Empowerment

As part of our Meet the Team series at Brave Future, we’re taking a closer look at the stories, values, and voices that power our mission. We’re proud to introduce you to Lisa, a Learning Mentor and Programme Coordinator,  a guiding presence for both our learners and our internal team.

Lisa, a lover of puns and knots, describes her work at Brave Future in one word: empowering. It’s a term she lives and breathes, both in her mentoring and in the way she approaches her role as a coordinator. She sees her work as fulfilling on many levels, both professionally and personally.

For Lisa, mentoring is a humbling experience. It serves as a constant reminder of privilege, intersectionality, and how under no circumstance these concepts should ever be taken for granted. Her coordination responsibilities, meanwhile, are grounded in the belief that this work breaks social barriers and delivers the message: you matter, especially to those who need to hear it most.

“Brave Future puts words into action.”

She affirms this wholeheartedly. Being part of the Brave Future team is, to Lisa, inspiring, rewarding, and empowering. She’s continuously in awe of how much the team is achieving despite limited resources and looks forward to seeing the continued scope Brave Future will reach through sheer determination and purpose.

Reflecting on her impact, Lisa finds the most meaning in watching her students not only implement the strategies they’ve learned but also pass them on to others. That, to her, is the very definition of meaningful change. It reflects a ripple effect, where one person shares their light, and others are empowered to do the same.

When asked what keeps her going, Lisa’s answer is simple and powerful:

“Because I can, and because it matters.”

Her “why” is rooted in the injustices and rejections her students, particularly those from marginalized communities, have repeatedly faced. If she can be the person to say “yes” when the world has told them “no,” then that’s what she’ll continue to do. Her students’ strength, compassion, and willpower are what give her the final push to keep showing up and doing better, for them and for herself.

Still, Lisa is always thinking about how to improve. A current focus of hers is finding communication strategies that are approachable, relevant, and impactful, ways to encourage every learner to grow into the best version of themselves, even in challenging environments.

And of course, no post about Lisa would be complete without a glimpse of her personal spark.

She shares:

“I love making knots and am a sucker for puns/alliterations. ‘When you don’t know knots, do lots!’ And my personal take on that is, even if you know knots, still do lots.”

In every way, Lisa brings that same playfulness, heart, and wisdom to her work and we’re lucky to have her as part of the Brave Future team.