OUR HISTORY

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Nearly 160 years ago, on June 1, 1863 Tubman coordinated the Combahee River Raid. Her covert interactions had given rise to vital information: torpedoes had been placed at specific locations along the riverbanks. The knowledge enabled three Union gunboats to safely navigate the waters, and in the process, transport soldiers who successfully destroyed several estates owned by prominent secessionists. As those soldiers were offloaded from the boats, enslaved people boarded. That night, more than 700 enslaved people were rescued and freed. 

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Our work is rooted in this spirit of historical justice advocacy; Tubman and countless others have instilled within us the courage to not only run toward our due freedom, but to also liberate our brothers and sisters along the way. We take our own first steps now - as researchers, practitioners, and leaders who collectively commit to resisting white supremacy, developing relevant work for our communities, and galvanizing empathy across cultures. 

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We are thrilled that you have decided to join us on this journey.

Thank you for joining us, honoring Harriet Tubman, her legacy and it's continued impact on our efforts to dismantle systemic oppression.

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Current Industries & Institutions​

The institute’s collective work is a mechanism for behavioral change in American workplaces. Our Evergreen and Efficacy Fellows are at the center of this effort: their research and revision generates a Harriet Tubman Effect (HTE), or a transformation defined by dismantling systemically oppressive structures - and supplanting them with tangible pathways for empathy, empowerment, and justice. 

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The HTEI is thus housed within organizations that seek to undergo such a transformation. The business partnership is unique: each organization serves as fiscal support for HTEI personnel and programming, which is curated to dismantle the systemic oppression that that organization exhibits. 

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As of August 2021, the HTEI is embedded in the following industries and institutions: 

Theatre Industry // Broadway Advocacy Coallition

K-12 Education //

Leadership Academy

Higher Education // Augsburg University or Metro Center

Corporate America // Bloom and Mathison

Houses of Worship // Oaks Church Brooklyn

FELLOWSHIP

Evergreen & Efficacy Justice Advocates

The Harriet Tubman Effect Institute provides Evergreen and Efficacy Justice Advocates with professional development tools, introspective work and social capital, thus positioning them to not only contribute to society, but also dismantle systemic oppression in American institutions.

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Throughout this three month opportunity, justice advocates from a variety of industries will engage in a research-as-learning fellowship, with the ultimate goal of designing resources, programs, facilitated sessions and curriculums that help citizens dismantle systemic oppression in their respective institutions.

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Nicole Johnson (she/her)

Adventurer and Igniter

Founder of the HTEI, focus on corporate America and higher education, curriculum design and
diversity, equity, and inclusion Strategy.

Bee Harris (she/her)

Illustrator and Policy Advocate

Creating vibrant art that inspires herself and others to embrace a life of color and to see the full spectrum of existence.

Rawlin Rosario (he/him)

Educator and Mentor

K-12 and higher education, school equity strategy, and leadership development specialist. Shifting school policy and cultural competency.
 

Belén Moyano (she/her/ella)

Torch Bearer and Builder

Building on the visionary ideas of advocates and creating resources to help serve their communities.

Emma Barishman (she/her)

Amplifier and Researcher

Researching white supremacy in the musical theater industry and its effect on professional wellness.

Sarah Powell (she/her)

Information Seeker/Communicator/Healer

Education Operations Director of the Harriet Tubman Effect with a focus on Music Theatre and Corporate America.

Natalie Alterman (she/her)

Educator/Amplifier/Community Builder

A lifetime educator who fiercely advocates for equitable systems of schools, charitable giving, and democracy.

Zuri Washington (she/her)

Speaker of Truth

K-12 Charter School Equity Advocate and media content curator in the Musical Theater Industry for truth seeking and resisting white supremacy.

Cate Benioff (she/her)

Illuminator and Content Creator

Musical theatre researcher of historical and present white supremacy. Cate is passionate about creating safe spaces of belonging for all theatre workers.

Carlita Victoria (she/her)

Mental health advocate and Founder of Darkness RISING Nonprofit, consistently fighting for equitable and plentiful resources for marginalized communities. 

Mental Health Educator 

Daryl A Ritchie (they/them)

Navigator and Mediator

Performing arts administrator and strategist. Providing support and crafting policies that affect sustainable institutional change.