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Scheherazade Tillet

What would you like to accomplish within the next 5 years?

In the next five years, I would like to accomplish three professional goals. First, I would like my non-profit organization, A Long Walk Home, Inc. to further its mission and have three full-time staffed and fully-funded art programs for at-risk youth and for adults who have experienced violence. Second, I would like to publish a photo-journal book based on our multimedia performance, "SOARS (Story of A Rape Survivor)." And third, I would like to have a full-scale, traveling exhibition of my social documentary project "Living for the City" which examines the adverse impact that gentrification and revitalization has on working-class, communities of color.

What do you think are the biggest issues facing your generation?

While this answer can range from the current war in Iraq to nuclear proliferation to climate crisis, I believe that the one of the biggest issues impacting our generation is the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Under the broader rubric of sexual health (mis)education, my generation has come of age when having unprotected sex is can be seen as a form of suicide. Furthermore, we should think of the HIV/AIDS pandemic as a response to and a byproduct of deeply entrenched socio-economic equities. Whether it is sexual violence committed against women and girls, homophobia, under-funded sexual health education programs, or a lack of quality healthcare, the HIV/AIDS crisis is not only worsening on a global scale but remains shrouded in a stigma of silence and invisibility.

What do you hope to learn from more established leaders?

I would like to learn how to build a broader base of financial support. I stress financial support because many non-profits begin with the passion, creative ideas and political knowledge needed to start an organization, but more often than not, do not have of the financial training needed to create sustainable funding streams. As such, in order to improve my organizational/program capacity and achieve my fund development goals, I would like to learn how to balance the need for fund-raising with my desire to initiate accessible and politically-relevant programming.

What do you think more established leaders can learn from your work?

I think more established leaders can learn more about coalition-building from my work. By coalition-building and collaborative organizing, I refer to my constant attempt to reach out to and create programs with other individuals and non-profit organizations that have the resources or facilities to help A Long Walk Home, Inc. expand our services and fulfill its mission of using art therapy and the visual and performing arts to document, to educate, and to bring about social change by helping victims of trauma heal and increasing public awareness about anti-violence programs.

What is the most gratifying aspect of your work?

The most gratifying aspect of my work is being directly involved in changing lives. As an activist, therapist, and social documentary photographer, the work I do is "silent" work. As an art therapist and social documentary photographer the reward comes from witnessing, participating in, and encouraging an individual’s healing process and to see someone who was formerly dispossessed find their voice and heal. As an activist, the reward comes from being part of larger, international movement to end systemic violence against women and children.

What are the biggest obstacles in your work?

Like many others in my field, I work long hours in order to reach as many people as possible. As such, while you are helping people change their lives for the better, there are very little financial rewards or benefits to doing this work. If you come from a working-class background like I did, then having few financial rewards and constantly making financial sacrifices to do this work become emotionally taxing. This is directly linked to my second obstacle, which is making sure that I do not burn out and that I create a healthy balance of helping other and taking care of myself.

How do you work around those obstacles?

I have an extensive network of activists, scholars, artists, friends, and family members who not only support the political mission of my work, but donate their time, resources, and creativity to help me create sustainable A Long Walk Home programming.

What tools or resources do you need to help you continue your work?

First, I believe I need more mentorship from men and women in my field. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I would like to simply build upon the work and ideas that both my peers and more established leaders have developed and engage in more extensive coalition building. Second, I need more consistent financial support for my programs so I can work for A Long Walk Home, Inc. as a full-time, salaried Executive Director. This would not only enhance our organizational capacity but insure that we expand our services to more women and children.

What advice would you give to younger folks wanting to impact social justice issues?

My main advice to younger folks who want to impact social justice issues would be: one, maintain your creativity; two, trust your vision for social change; three, research and be able to define your "social" problem; and four, have a clear and comprehensive sense of what solutions or programs are more effective than others.

Define leadership.

Leadership means being a compassionate and democratic visionary. As a therapist, I have learned good leaders not only share their thoughts and insights with other, but really listen to the dreams of others and encourage those around them to take the risks that they need to achieve their dreams. As a social documentary photographer, I recognize that good leadership requires observing and understanding the needs of other. Instead of focusing on the one’s shortcomings, I tend to focus on their strengths and help them materialize their potential. Finally, as an activist, I believe a good leader is obsessed with equity, maintaining access, and eradicating disparities.