Our History
It all started with Civil Rights tours.
Freedom Lifted was launched in 2012 as a travel company focusing on social movement history tours. Between 2012 - 2019, we led more than 700 students, teachers, clergy, activists, and families on tours to sites related to the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. Deep South.
During that time we collected 463 participants surveys. Responses revealed that 98.3% of all participants gave our tours an overall rating of either “great” (4 out of 5) or “outstanding” (5 out of 5).
How did we do this critical work?
We intentionally framed our travel to the South as immersive learning experiences in the strategic Southern campaigns of Black-led resistance to and the defeat of Jim Crow.
By combining reflective facilitation with expert talks on and off the bus, we helped participants gain a deeper context for the sites they visit and connect this history to the calls to action for racial justice today.
Image above and on home page: Daris Jasper
What’s next?
Freedom Lifted will lead its last tours in 2022 only for current clients.
However, we still deeply believe in the value of this type of travel. To this end, we’ve made all of our resources and knowledge accessible digitally and through consultation. We are happy to help group leaders plan their own trips.
Freedom Lifted now focuses on direct work with individuals and communities who want to lead with a social justice lens.
What we learned from curating and leading these journeys deeply informs our approach to leadership and organizational development.
Learn more about our learning lab, our justice at work training, and our facilitation work. We hope to partner with you in new ways in 2022 and beyond!
What Our Travelers Say
“[Mia] is an incredible curator and an intentional educator. I am thankful for her vision for sharing this important American history with students, so that they are empowered to be change makers.”
— High School Teacher
“I wish that everyone in the U.S. had the opportunity to take a trip like this.”
— 8th Grade Student
Past & Current Guided Tour Clients
