To be human in an aching world is to know our dignity and become people who safeguard the dignity of everything around us.
— Cole Arther Riley, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us
Meet the Team
Founder
Priscilla Forde
Within my worlds as a Bajan-American woman, an international development professional, and an emerging spatial justice practitioner, I am motivated by a simple belief: we have shared stake in each other’s wellbeing, healing, and liberation. As this interest involves both local and global intersections, my practice is dedicated to nurturing inclusive, healthy, and resilient communities and serving populations disenfranchised across social, economic, and environmental realms.
As an international development professional, I have advanced project performance, program design, and industry outreach efforts across various technical sectors including climate change adaptation and mitigation, water resources and governance, clean and renewable energy, and urban resilience and governance. Since 2019, I have contributed to $3 million-$65 million proposal development efforts that have focused on an array of urban, social, environmental, and service delivery issues in different regions, such as Southern Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
I am also the Founder of Spaces for Souls (spacesforsouls.org), an emerging, globally-focused spatial justice initiative that interrogates spatial and structural injustices that distance communities from their inherent value and seeks to build new realities through multi-and interdisciplinary approaches to spatial practice.
I am especially passionate about confronting global inequality, advancing multi-dimensional resilience in vulnerable geographies, and exploring liberatory approaches to social, economic, and environmental justice within global development.
I am a proud George Mason University Alumna, a current Urban and Regional Planning Master’s Student in Georgetown’s School of Continuing Studies, and a Global Cities Initiative Scholar for 2023-2024.
Operations Lead
Lidya Woldeyesus
My origin story begins in my ancestral land, Mendefera, Eritrea. I was born amid the Badme War, a violent border conflict with Ethiopia following Eritrea’s victory in her 30-year quest for independence. 26 years prior, my father joined the revolution at just 20-years-old. Centuries of colonization, Western imperialism, and neo-colonialism have immobilized the development of Sub-Saharan Africa; the present-day impact is profound. This generational and historical significance, however, is ripe with hope. One that envisions that another world is possible. Now more than ever, we must charge a new path forward to secure a sustainable future.
Within my lifetime, the world will see a complete transformation of our energy grid into clean energy with zero carbon emissions. As an emerging practitioner, I leverage Geographic Information System (GIS) and innovative sustainability frameworks to serve as a skilled urban planner and leader in Africa’s next fight in this climate crisis. The continent is grappling with environmental degradation, inadequate infrastructure, and a burgeoning urban population, all of which make it susceptible to climate-related disasters. Ultimately, I believe establishing sustainable, resilient, and liberated communities is intrinsically linked to addressing the climate crisis and eliminating racial and socio-economic disparities.
With a background in community organizing, politics, and data-driven policymaking, my nuanced approach to spatial planning recenters humanity in spaces. As the Operations Lead of Spaces for Souls, I support our work at the intersection of social justice, urban planning, and international development. My educational background includes a B.A. in Political Science and Civic Studies from Tufts University, and an ongoing pursuit of a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Georgetown University.