The Red Thread

Dear Systems Shakers,

There’s a reason our icon is a red thread. Throughout history, the red thread has symbolized fate, connection, and an unbreakable bond—whether it’s the ancient Chinese legend of the Red Thread of Destiny, the Greek myth of Ariadne’s guidance through the labyrinth, the Norse Norns weaving the threads of fate, and the red thread’s deep ties to the divine feminine as a symbol of intuition, creation, and resilience. Across cultures, it has represented both connection and defiance—marking those who refuse to be bound by oppressive structures and who dare to weave a new future. It is the thread that connects us, empowers us, and reminds us that our liberation is intertwined.

For us, the red thread is more than a symbol—it’s a declaration. It represents Systemic Liberation, the undeniable truth that our liberation is tied together, that we are not here to fix broken systems but to weave entirely new ones where equity, justice, and collective thriving are not distant ideals but daily realities.

This isn’t just a philosophy—it’s a framework for action. It shapes how we coach, consult, strategize, and build. It’s the throughline in everything we do, the reason we refuse to settle for anything less than real, radical transformation.

This isn’t just an idea. It’s the foundation of our work, our leadership, and our lives. It shapes how we coach, consult, strategize, and build. It’s the lens through which we see the world—and the reason we refuse to settle for anything less than real, radical transformation.

Systemic Liberation Is in Everything We Do

Virginia’s work and Justin’s work may look different on the surface, but they are deeply interconnected. Like the red thread, they weave together to form something stronger than the sum of their parts. 

We share more about this interconnection in this month's open letter.

 Read our February Open Letter

Check out the latest episode of the Massive Change Show:

Episode 7: New Resistance Roundtables In this special episode of the Massive Change Show, Virginia interviews Justin about the New Resistance Roundtables-an initiative rallyin... youtu.be

 “The word ‘activist’ conjures images of sit-ins, people circulating petitions and raising money and marching and organizing and meeting, and getting people to the polls. But it also means doing research, starting businesses, making loans, and changing one’s diet. When people creatively act on their moral intuition, all kinds of things happen. The world of activism is very big, diverse, and dynamic. And it requires—and helps us along in—transcending the collective trance.”

― Terry Patten