Co-Creation - Ft. Alia Whitney-Johnson w/Anita Nowak - Purposeful Empathy

Watch this episode featuring Alia Whitney-Johnson, Founder of Emerge, to discover why the IDG skill “Co-Creation” is not just a strategy—it’s a transformative practice when rooted in trust, equity, and our shared humanity.In this insightful conversation, Alia shares how her social impact journey—which began in Sri Lanka at the age of 19 —has been guided by a commitment to trauma-informed restorative practices and justice. She also emphasises how genuine co-creation requires psychological safety, inclusive language, and a radical reimagining of power dynamics. 00:00 Preview00:28 Introduction 01:05 About Alia Whitney-Johnson03:15 Alia’s backstory07:24 What is the mission of Emerge?10:16 How the IDG definition of “Co-Creation” resonates with Alia12:55 How do we create spaces for true “Co-Creation”?16:17 Inner work as the first step in “Co-Creation”19:51 How did Alia learn to hold space for and uplift other voices?22:38 The importance of shared leadership in “Co-Creation”24:16 How can “Co-Creation” transform youth partnerships?32:16 The humility required for “Co-Creation”- especially when being called out35:01 A story that shifted Alia’s perspective38:44 How does language influence “Co-Creation”?44:26 Supporting mental health in challenging contexts47:37 Alia Whitney-Johnson’s Purposeful Empathy storyCONNECT WITH ANITA✩ Email [email protected] ✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com✩ Buy a copy of Purposeful Empathy http://tiny.cc/PurposefulEmpathyCA✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak/✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast✩ Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/anitanowak.bsky.socialCONNECT WITH ALIA✩ Website https://www.aliawhitneyjohnson.com/✩ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aliawj/✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliawhitneyjohnson/SHOW NOTES✩ Inner Development Goals✩ Emerge✩ Freedom ForwardVideo edited by Green Horizon Studio