Our Services
EDUCATE
Foundational knowledge-building through learning events
Interactive workshops on systems of oppression, equity-focused leadership, and decolonized personal development
Extended courses, multi-session seminars, and support groups on finding your voice as a person of color, an advocate or a decolonized leader
One-on-one leadership coaching, facilitated group sessions (panels, moderated Q&A, ERG seminars), and book discussions
EXAMINE
Reflection and analysis of core issues and their root causes
Assessments and audits of company culture and policies
Survey design, administration, and data analysis to track key metrics
Facilitation of focus groups to understand internal and external issues and the development of solutions based on what’s uncovered
Conflict resolution and mediation
EMPOWER
Strategic guidance for driving change and using collective voice and power
Assistance with implementation of organizational change initiatives and serving as an accountability partner
Facilitation of goal-oriented small groups to work through problems and move towards a solution
Strategic guidance on best practices and development of policies that ensure equity
Assistance with community and coalition building for systemic change
Examples of Projects
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We are well-versed with conducting workshops, facilitating leadership retreats, and conducting seminars for companies and organizations. We’ve worked with academic institutions, companies, community organizations, and non-profits. We work with our clients and partners to choose topics of maximum relevancy for each audience. We also occasionally host low-cost or free workshops as a service to the community. See below for a list of topics that we’ve spoken about before.
Our sessions typically have three distinct sections in accordance with the Educate - Examine - Empower framework. First we look at the data and history behind the issue to define the problem. Next, we examine the role we play as individuals and institutions in the problem. Are we helping alleviate the issue or inadvertently contributing to it or being complicit? Finally, we move on to practical solutions - what we can actually do to move forward towards the change we’re looking for.
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For many topics, a single session isn’t really enough time to delve deeply into a topic. Real change requires time and space. If you think multi-session seminars or courses are what’s right for you, we can develop a curriculum to that end.
In 2024, we launched our first cohort for Find Your Voice, a support program for BIPOC to find their voice in community with other BIPOC leaders. The course content for this program was eight hours, with additional hours of facilitated peer discussion, monthly check-in calls, and fourteen sets of reflection exercises that corresponded to each core topic.
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Sometimes before you can really move towards the solution, you need to brainstorm with clients, staff, and stakeholders to understand the problem. If you need guidance on facilitation of focus groups and how to conduct them in a way that respects the humanity of the participants instead of the need for information, contact us. Most recently, we helped with the Quality of Life Study on Aging being conducted by the City of Austin, in partnership with Cortez Consulting.
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We have a social scientist with a PhD in social and organizational psychology on our team and have designed surveys and questionnaires for companies on things like employee satisfaction and organizational climate. When companies hire us to facilitate a workshop or lead a changemaking initiative, we typically send out a survey to understand the staff's needs and challenges so it can better inform our work with the company. Moreover, we are well equipped to use existing data to assess programs within the company.
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We’re happy to serve as accountability and thought partners for any changemaking initiatives you might be conducting in your organization. Whether it’s for guidance on new strategic plans, development of benchmarks and metrics for organizational climate goals, or brainstorming during leadership retreats, we’re happy to bring in the equity lens that is critical but too often overlooked.
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Since March 2023, we’ve run a monthly book club where we read books from women of color. We started this book club because women of color are still underrepresented in the publishing industry and when our stories are silenced, our existence is diminished. We wanted to do our part to amplify those stories. Our book club is a wonderful community of people supporting each other and talking about important issues facing our society. If you want us to facilitate book discussions in your organization or help you create a book club community of your own, let us know. We’re happy to help.
Signature Talks & Workshops
When it comes to anti-racism, people often struggle to move beyond gestures to meaningful action. The real work begins when you commit to taking anti-racism action that is rooted in historical understanding of systems of oppression and the wishes of the community you are serving. This workshop teaches provides a step-by-step guide on how to do that.
Beyond Performativity:
How to be effective anti-racist allies
Countering Islamophobia
& Anti-Muslim sentiment
Despite the global increase in hate crimes against Muslims and Arabs in the US, Islamophobia is a topic that is often missed in safe and inclusive spaces. This workshop analyses the various components to Islamophobia, including the racial aspect, so we can break the layer of invisibility and misinformation, to counter the stereotyping and discrimination of Muslims.
Finding Your Voice as
a Person of Color
For a person of color, finding your authentic voice can be difficult in a society that often tells us to be something other than ourselves. In this workshop for BIPOC, we take a look at racial trauma and the effect that it has on our physical and mental well-being. We also discuss how to start healing from that trauma, unlearn harmful mindsets and use our authentic voices to advocate for ourselves and our communities.
Tools for A Better Life
Conquer fears to live the life you want
Did you know that in the US, on average people work 8 extra hours a week? Our fear of failure and the need to live up to expectations often causes us to significantly overwork, leading to a decline in our physical and mental well-being. In this workshop, we show you how to overcome your fears of failure, cultivate confidence in yourself and shape life based on core values that are important to you and bring you peace and happiness.
Re-imagining Collective Liberation
for a better future
In a world beset by climate disasters and wars, the old ways of leadership based on meritocracy, individualism, and competition cannot help us. We need to re-imagine our collective liberation in bold and innovative ways to come out of this crisis. In our workshop, we show data that illustrates why we cannot thrive in broken systems. We teach you strategies on how to divest from harmful models and to instead create community centered solutions based around care and mutual aid.
Countering Anti-Blackness
in Asian communities
Being socialized in a post-colonial world has caused anti-Blackness to seep into many communities of color. In this workshop, we teach about the history of Asian and Black solidarity and reflect on the divide and conquer strategies like the model minority myth that has driven a wedge between these two communities. We’ll learn how to turn this knowledge into meaningful action and unite in our advocacy efforts together.
Leadership and Personal Development
Maintaining Boundaries
in culturally sensitive ways
While healthy boundaries are essential to being happy and living the life you want, it's hard to set it with the people we love the most. In this workshop, we discuss how to draw effective, culturally sensitive boundaries and start to break the cycle of inter-generational trauma. Attendees will get also get a toolbox of strategies and phrases in they use with their loved ones to set and maintain boundaries that help them breathe easier.
Navigating Stress and Burnout: Learning about energy and motivation
Dealing with chronic stress and exhaustion from overworking is surprisingly common in modern work culture. In this workshop we go into the science behind productivity and why resting your mind and body is so crucial for doing good work. We also teach you how to be mindful of your own physical and mental energies, as well as how to conserve it on difficult days. We end by strategizing on ways to replenish your tank by tapping into your core values, motivations and joy.
Effective Time Management:
Prioritizing values over efficiency
Here’s a hard truth - you can’t have it all. Unlike what most people believe, you can only maximize efficiency up to a certain point, so realistic time management relies on learning how to prioritize your most important tasks. This workshop gives you a step-by-step plan on how to organize and prioritize your tasks, say no to obligatory work that drains your energies, overcome procrastination and regain control of your time.
Crafting our Vision
For a new start
Whether it’s at the start of a new year or a new chapter, this workshop teaches you the tools to get clarity on your values and visions in a broken system. We do this by unlearning societal messaging and encouraging people to choose from a place of confidence and hope, rather than fear. Once we have that vision, we create an effective and sustainable roadmap to get you there, and teach strategies on how to stay rooted in your vision.
Academic Mentorship
for more equitable systems in research
This workshop illustrates the pervasiveness of bias, inequity, and racism within academia, and what we can do to dismantle it and build a better system. We discuss the barriers students from historically marginalized communities often face and how academic mentors can help them overcome those systemic challenges. Educators will get to reflect on their leadership style and obtain a toolbox of effective mentorship strategies.
Facilitating focus groups:
Gathering insights in an equitable manner
Marginalized communities can be distrustful of surveys and data collection due to previous experiences where their data wasn’t protected, or nothing came out of the study. In this workshop, we go through strategies to put participants ease and make them feel heard, so they can tell their story without fear or discomfort. Moreover, we talk about how to keep an equity framework in mind, where the focus is on the humanity of the participants first, instead of the need for information.
Reviews For Workshops and Trainings
“A brilliant, inspiring, and research-backed experience that's eradicating Islamophobia, one workshop at a time. Working with A Better Force was a reminder that our intersectional identity truly informs the work we do in the world. You can expect grace and compassion woven into the experience, which is appreciated. 🫶🏽”
— Jillian L.
“The team at A Better Force is truly committed to creating strategic, emotionally intelligent, compassionate, educational conversations around the much-needed topics of equity, diversity, inclusion, and leadership development. They are leaders in the true sense of the word: guiding folks towards a more positive and healthy vision for work, life, community, and civil society.”
— Lorelei G.
“I registered for the Islamophobia workshop and found it to be very accessible and informative. The leaders did a fantastic job of covering a dense topic in a relatively short amount of time. I've since leaned on my new knowledge when encountering "casual" Islamophobia, which opened space in conversations for new ways of thinking.”
— Joy B.
Reviews for Consultancy
“I had the good fortune of work with Sarah and A Better Force recently. I have a startup that is in the dating space and Sarah worked with us to develop and onboarding questionnaire. Its intent is to help people get a data-based blueprint for their relational patterns at the beginning of the dating program. Not only did we get everything done in a short period of time, the collaboration that our teams had was fantastic. We were able to share and exchange ideas easily and with flexibility that allowed for a truly unique outcome. I cannot recommend Sarah and the team at A Better Force enough. Consummate professionals with outstanding experience and work ethic. I look forward to working with them again in the future.”
— Tali Livni, Founder & CEO of Sh/p Dating
“I have known the co-founders of A Better Force for several years and have used their services in the past. This year when I was writing a proposal to NSF with a large team, I reached out to Dr Seraj with the goal of creating new workshops. She took the time to understand the proposed project, the composition of the team and the requirements from the FOA. Within a few days they got back to me with beautiful images and fantastic ideas for workshops. I look forward to working with them again.”
— Dr. Sriramya Nair, Professor at Cornell University
Reviews for Leadership Coaching
“I have been doing weekly coaching sessions with Saamiya since 2021. I struggle with chronic illness, ADHD and other life problems that keep derailing me. Sessions have helped me navigate these issues more effectively by breaking down overwhelming situations into manageable pieces to sort out one at a time. I originally started sessions to create structure for ADHD and manageable goals around chronic illness. Medication therapies did not help long term. Coaching and counseling type therapies helped me immensely over time. She made personalized goal sheets and helped me sort my thoughts so I could be more concise with my feelings. Through these, I realized sometimes I was mislabeling actions that contributed to energy drain I was not conscious of. Some sessions could be really difficult because I had to come to terms with things I didn’t want to believe were hindering me or still causing problems when I thought I had addressed them already. I like that she knows when to push at the difficult topics and when to ease up if I don’t appear to be ready. She won’t let me ignore an issue for long though.”
— Leslie N.
“Saamiya is very compassionate, a great listener, and very in tune with her clients. Her tailored approach cut straight through to what I needed, and she made it very easy to discuss the heart of my issues. Over the course of our sessions, I learned how to lift the wall of fear and make major strides towards what I truly wanted, not what others wanted for me.”