Our Story
The mission of The Liber Institute is to embolden and equip students, families,
and educators to transform schools and the communities they serve.
Our vision is communities filled with equitable and transformative
learning spaces, designed and led by the people who live and learn there.
The Cangleska for Community Leadership
Executive Leadership Coaching for school leaders in transformation and change management
Professional Learning in Culturally Sustaining and Indigenous Pedagogies for classroom educators
CREATE Training for design team members to engage learners and the community in sustainable change
The Cangleska (“circle” in Lakota) is a school redesign community that provides;
As we [educators, learners, and families] work together to increase:
Learner engagement
Application of Indigenous education standards (such as the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings*)
Access to the instruction of ancestral languages
We are advancing a co-created vision for equitable and transformative education for all Indigenous youth.
*Oceti Sakowin means “Seven Council Fires” and refers collectively to the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people. The Essential Understandings combine existing state standards and tribal knowledge to combat the rise of intolerance and conflict in society by promoting appreciation and understanding of differences.
“They didn’t call us students, they called us Change Agents… We’re not learning from teachers; we’re learning and collaborating alongside elders and each other.”
— Youth Leader, Change Agent
THE LIBER INSTITUTE and CAMBIAR
Wayútȟokeča: Change Agents
In 2020, The Liber Institute and CAMBIAR launched a virtual design and leadership pilot program with Indigenous Youth from across the country.
Over the course of 10 days, Youth Change Agents engaged in deep dialogue and debates were challenged to consider alternate perspectives and encouraged to reflect on their experiences with empathy and compassion.
Our 2020 Youth Change Agents developed projects to positively impact their communities…
Bring Wayútȟokeča: Change Agents to My Community!
Our Values
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We use transformational leadership to facilitate positive change in individuals and social systems and develop our partners into leaders. Our end-goal is equity.
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We listen to the voices of our partner communities and let them drive the work. We keep kids at the center of everything.
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We create a sacred affinity space for educators of color to come together. We never do for people what they can do for themselves.
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We use empathy and human-centered design to solve complex challenges.
