Liberation Consulting was born out of a desire for liberation, not just inclusion .

Hideko Akashi
Founder/Lead Consultant
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970’s I knew that I was different.
I was not part of the mainstream. My parents were Japanese immigrants, and I was born and raised in the United States. For the majority of my childhood I did not have a place to talk about these differences. Not only that, I learned how to shift, contort and adapt to a dominant culture that I wanted to fit into so badly. I internalized negative messages about myself and socialized to believe that there was one one right way of doing and of being.
Looking back on my life, I realized that what I had needed was a space where it was safe to talk about and celebrate differences. That is why this work has always been intensely personal to me. I am able to see many facet’s of the experiences of others because I have lived experience in experiencing discrimination, oppression, bias, prejudice while also inhabiting areas of privilege and advantage.
I embarked on my journey with the guidance of many mentors and teachers. I attended workshops and conferences and engaged in my own therapy and counseling. I have gathered a team of close colleagues; each of them with a unique perspective and background. Together we share a deep practice and understanding of facilitating spaces which help individuals and organizations do the transformational work of liberation.
Gratitude and Appreciations:
The many mentors, teachers, leaders who have forged the path before us and have heavily influenced our philosophies and approaches:
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Dr. Valerie Batts, Terry Berman and all consultants at VISIONS, Inc.,
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Dr. Eddie Moore of the White Privilege Conference and the Privilege Institute
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Dr. Melanie Tervalon and Dr. Jann Murray-Garcia, creators of Cultural Humility
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Natalie Thoreson of Invision Consulting
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Alethea Cheng-Fitzpatrick of Co-Creating Inclusion
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Wendy Horng Brawer of Intune Collective
Friends and family of Liberation Consulting, without whom this dream would not have come to fruition:
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Cherie Lockwood, Sanjai Moses, J O’Malley, Amber Shipley, Alia Al-Sharif, Lisbet Sunshine, Nicole Siverson, Stella Sheldon, Corri Frohlich
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The LibConsulting Collaborative Group: Ariana Gil-Nafarrate, Ellen Morrison, Yoojin Lee, Soerny Cruz, Elisa Meza, Lyssa Ichikawa, Jeanne Firth, Jen Heifferon Wilson, Toyin Augustin