Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Episode Featuring Sonya Passi
Release Date: December 2, 2024
Guest: Sonya Passi, Founder and CEO of Free From
Host: Design Matters Media
Introduction to Sonya Passi and Free From
In this compelling episode of Design Matters, Sonya Passi, the visionary founder and CEO of Free From, delves deep into the pervasive issue of gender-based violence and the multifaceted approach required to combat it. Passi introduces her organization, Free From, which is dedicated to eradicating violence against women and children through economic empowerment and systemic change.
Sonya Passi [01:46]: “Free From is the organization that has helped tens of thousands of survivors and is also helping to change the conversation about how survivors can heal and thrive.”
Early Entrepreneurship and Influences
Debbie Millman shares her early entrepreneurial venture of creating illustrated bookmarks at the age of five, highlighting her innate business acumen fostered by her entrepreneurial parents in Manchester, England. This early exposure to business laid the groundwork for her future endeavors.
Debbie Millman [03:01]: “Entrepreneurship was not just told to me, but shown to me. It's the only explanation I have for my bookmark business at the age of five.”
Millman’s childhood experiences, including observing her parents’ businesses and managing her own small venture, underscore the importance of practical learning and mentorship in developing business skills from a young age.
Transition to Social Justice and Law
Passi explores Millman’s shift from aspiring police officer to human rights lawyer, influenced by prominent figures like Cherie Blair. Millman recounts her realization of gender-based violence as an economic issue during her law studies at UC Berkeley, which propelled her into activism.
Debbie Millman [09:30]: “Understanding law and how you create laws and change laws and policy was going to be critical to my future.”
Millman discusses founding the Family Violence Appellate Project at 23, marking her commitment to providing legal support to survivors of domestic violence and setting legal precedents to protect their rights.
Founding Free From: Addressing Economic Insecurity
In 2016, inspired by her earlier nonprofit work, Millman established Free From. The organization uniquely focuses on the intersection of economic justice and intimate partner violence, recognizing that financial insecurity is the primary barrier to safety for survivors.
Debbie Millman [23:35]: “The Family Violence Appellate Project helped me see that gender-based violence is an economic issue. Free From takes the approach of this being an economic issue that has to be addressed as such.”
Free From implements various programs, including emergency cash grants, savings matching, survivor-run enterprises like Gifted, and legislative advocacy to create systemic change. The organization has provided financial support to over 9,000 survivors across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Innovative Employment Practices
Passi and Millman discuss Free From’s commitment to providing a living wage and comprehensive benefits to all employees, both at Free From and Chani Inc., a for-profit venture. This approach ensures financial stability for employees, fostering a supportive and sustainable work environment.
Debbie Millman [35:19]: “Both Chani and Free From have a salary floor of $80,000 base salary, ensuring nobody makes less than that as a starting salary.”
Millman emphasizes that paying employees well is not only ethically right but also economically sensible, reducing burnout and turnover while enhancing creativity and productivity.
Survivor Made: A Documentary of Resilience
Millman introduces Survivor Made, a documentary that showcases survivors thriving through community and economic independence rather than focusing solely on their experiences of violence. The film aims to shift the narrative from pain and tragedy to resilience and possibility.
Debbie Millman [41:35]: “The documentary captures survivors in their joys, their resilience... it puts me back together in a world where everything we watch is so startling and alarming.”
Directed by Drew Denny, the film employs a survivor-made crew to authentically portray the diverse experiences of survivors, emphasizing their strength and capacity to overcome adversity.
Policy Advocacy and Future Initiatives
Passi details Free From’s ongoing advocacy efforts, including the Survivor Financial Safety and Inclusion Working Group Act. This legislation seeks to protect survivors from economic abuse by requiring banks to implement safeguards and track relevant data.
Debbie Millman [59:00]: “This bill would require all federal regulatory agencies to be part of a working group focused on addressing survivor's economic abuse within banks.”
Looking ahead, Passi reveals plans to establish a credit union specifically for survivors, aiming to disrupt traditional banking narratives and provide tailored financial services that support economic independence.
Changing Societal Norms and Building Trust
In addressing societal changes, Passi underscores the necessity of believing in the possibility of ending gender-based violence and reorienting community support to trust survivors inherently. This shift is crucial for fostering an environment where survivors can rebuild and thrive without fear or stigma.
Debbie Millman [57:51]: “We have to change our orientation to trusting survivors. If we operate from that place, there's so much we can do.”
Passi advocates for strategic, multifaceted approaches to policy change, emphasizing the importance of tackling the issue incrementally while maintaining long-term commitment.
Final Thoughts and Call to Action
Passi concludes by encouraging listeners to watch Survivor Made to understand the transformative power of community and economic support for survivors. She highlights the film’s availability online and urges widespread viewing to inspire societal change.
Debbie Millman [62:55]: “Please tell everyone you know about the film and watch it yourself and share any feedback you have with us. We're really excited to share the film with you and start to change our misconceptions of what a survivor looks like.”
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
- Debbie Millman [09:30]: “Understanding law and how you create laws and change laws and policy was going to be critical to my future.”
- Sonya Passi [01:46]: “Free From is the organization that has helped tens of thousands of survivors and is also helping to change the conversation about how survivors can heal and thrive.”
- Debbie Millman [23:35]: “The Family Violence Appellate Project helped me see that gender-based violence is an economic issue. Free From takes the approach of this being an economic issue that has to be addressed as such.”
- Debbie Millman [35:19]: “Both Chani and Free From have a salary floor of $80,000 base salary, ensuring nobody makes less than that as a starting salary.”
- Debbie Millman [41:35]: “The documentary captures survivors in their joys, their resilience... it puts me back together in a world where everything we watch is so startling and alarming.”
- Debbie Millman [57:51]: “We have to change our orientation to trusting survivors. If we operate from that place, there's so much we can do.”
Accessing Survivor Made
To watch Survivor Made and learn more about Free From, visit survivormade-doc.com and freefrom.org.
This episode of Design Matters offers an inspiring exploration of how economic empowerment and strategic advocacy can address the deep-rooted issue of gender-based violence. Through Sonya Passi’s leadership and Debbie Millman’s insightful dialogue, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and innovative solutions in creating a world free from gender-based violence.