Meet an innoFaither is our series to introduce the inspiring optimists in the innoFaith world and what they’re working on and thinking about. We hope it helps you find and engage with each other across the network to advance faith-rooted social innovation and interfaith collaboration for social impact. Or just meet some cool people.
Meet Nikole Lim, Founder of Freely in Hope, which works to end the cycle of sexual violence through the leadership and advocacy of survivors. Nikole is a filmmaker, storyteller, and dedicated advocate. Her innovative work centers the leadership of sexual violence survivors in Kenya and Zambia, highlighting the power of survivors to lead us to a violence-free world. Freely in Hope has some fantastic resources for faith communities and others. Check out their Butterfly Effect curriculum for churches looking to help heal the trauma of sexual violence and their curriculum on advocating with survivors, among other resources available on their website.
What faith(s), if any, do you practice? Is your faith or practice bringing special inspiration or insight for you in this current moment?
I grew up in The Salvation Army evangelical denomination and at a young age, had a deep understanding of service to the poor. In my teens into adulthood, I continued working in contexts of extreme poverty across the globe and learned to extend my work beyond mere service by merging practice, theology, and divine, diverse relationships. Over the past decade of anti-sexual violence work, I have come to see and recognize that survivors of sexual violence have the potential to become the most powerful liberators in our world. My faith is inspired by Liberation Theology, Christian and Buddhist contemplative practices, and reciprocal relationships in community with survivors of sexual violence.
Where do you live?
I live in a four-generational household in the San Francisco Bay Area.
What's your favorite pastime?
I love traveling, hiking, and spending time with my family.
What are you working on currently?
I'm excited to transition the leadership of my organization to African survivor-leaders so that they can build systems that sustain survivor-leadership, have full autonomy in programmatic decision-making, and garner local financial resources that foster freedom. To continue advocating with survivors of sexual violence, I will be helping other organizations, churches, and institutions build programs and models that prevent sexual violence, center the leadership of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) survivors, and transform trauma within communities.
What question are you thinking about these days?
How can leaders uplift power within communities that have experienced trauma while also undoing colonizing methods of power, privilege, and oppression?
How can people find you?