We are teaching changemakers wrong: Interview with Laura Mae Lindo

Yesterday, I went LIVE with Dr. Laura Mae Lindo — educator, former elected official, and Director of Black Studies at the University of Waterloo.We discussed how power actually operates inside systems — and why changemakers are often taught the wrong version of how change works.Watch or listen to the full conversation on Substack, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.What stayed with meThis conversation sharpened something I’ve been circling:Legitimacy is not one thing.Inside systems, legitimacy is often assumed — granted by title, role, or election.Outside systems, legitimacy is earned — through action, trust, and lived impact.And the two don’t always align.What I learned (or saw more clearly)1. Power rarely sits where we think it doesTitles can mislead. Influence often sits with advisors, informal networks, and proximity to decision-makers — not just those at the top.2. We are taught the wrong systemMany changemakers enter institutions believing they understand how they work.They don’t. And that gap costs time, energy, and sometimes credibility.3. One of the most effective interventions is simple — and uncomfortable“Say the system’s secrets out loud.”Name where power actually sits.Name how decisions are really made.Help others see the game they’re playing.Unsurprisingly, Naming is one of the elements of transformation that comes through in my PhD research.The cost of changeLaura Mae shared a concrete example from her time in public office: to remain in her role as a single mother, she would have had to personally absorb thousands of dollars in costs each year.Not everyone pays that price.Which reinforces something that is becoming clearer across my work:We are not just under-supporting changemakers.We are unevenly distributing the cost of change.One idea I’m still sitting with“You have to be both — inside and outside the system.”Not either/or.Inside:* access* influence* decision pathwaysOutside:* accountability* grounding* real-world impactThe work is in the tension.And one unexpected reframePower is not only heavy. It can be creative, relational — even joyful.That’s not how most of us are taught to approach it.If you take one thing from this conversation…Learn how the system actually works — not how you were taught it works.It may be the difference between being right and being effective🔗 References & Links* Dr. Laura Mae Lindo: https://lauramaelindo.com* Unthinkable Laughter: Reimagining Anti-Racist Education (Dr. Laura Mae Lindo, 2025).* Field Notes on Changemaking Q1 2026:https://changemakershandbook.substack.com/p/field-notes-on-changemaking-q1-2026* On Gender and the Cost of Change with Sujatha Ramani and Jenna Davey-Burns:https://changemakershandbook.substack.com/p/on-gender-and-the-cost-of-changeIf you’re trying to create change inside complex systems, this conversation is worth your time. Watch on Substack or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.Share this conversation with a changemaker in your network!Thank you, Susan Kain, Krsna PROUT Domine and everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.Changemakers’ Handbook is an audience-supported publication focused on professionalizing changemaking in a post-solutions world. Consider subscribing to join future live conversations and to access all posts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit changemakershandbook.substack.com/subscribe