The Future Is Collective - by Niloufar Khonsari (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Transform workplace structures and empower cultures of care--a practical guide for nonprofit leaders and social justice organizations

This book is a powerful call for nonprofits and movement organizations to rethink their internal systems and processes--and to bring workplace culture and management into alignment with their political values and liberatory missions.

Drawing on two decades of experience in community organizing and nonprofit leadership, Niloufar Khonsari guides us in transforming our workplaces by decentralizing power; implementing collective governance structures; and centering principles of transparency, equity, and mutual care.

Khonsari demystifies collective management for fellow activists, nonprofit workers, and community leaders. This book is not a one-size-fits-all plan; instead, readers are encouraged to draw from its rich collection of real-world examples, case studies, sample workplace policies, tools developed by activist collectives, and personal reflections of movement leaders to explore what works best for their organization at its current stage of growth and evolution.

Khonsari also address how to communicate workplace changes to funding bodies--and why this is an essential part of your movement work. Crucially, this book looks at how to handle challenging workplace dynamics, everyday conflicts, and job terminations using a compassionate justice-centered approach. Khonsari calls for nonprofit and movement leaders to embrace conflict resolution as a generative practice--one that builds and strengthens us, nurturing both individual autonomy and collective responsibility.

Inspiring and hopeful, The Future is Collective guides nonprofit workers, activists, and community leaders toward a workplace culture of care that truly models the relational systems we want to see in the world.

Review Quotes

"The Future Is Collective brilliantly captures the zeitgeist of our times, offering a blueprint for workplaces that prioritize humanity over hierarchy. A refreshing and thought-provoking read that challenges the status quo and paves the way for meaningful change."
--EMILY GREEN, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist

"Our movements for liberation and democracy have been waiting for a book like The Future is Collective."
--JENNA PETERS-GOLDEN, worker-owner and co-founder of AORTA Cooperative

"The Future Is Collective not only challenges traditional norms but also empowers us with the tools to build workplaces, where equity and shared purpose drive innovation and success."
--ZAHRA BILLOO, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA)

"This book is the resource we all need--visionary, grounded, and urgently relevant."
--TIRIEN STEINBACH, former associate dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Stanford Law School

"The Future Is Collective is not just a book--it's a movement, a call to arms for organizations and leaders to embrace a more inclusive and compassionate future."
--NICOLE WIRES, director of the Nonprofit Democracy Network

" ... a groundbreaking exploration of reimagined workplace paradigms shining a compelling light on the power and potential of collective leadership."
--MAYRA PELAGIO, former executive director of Latinos United for a New America

"Hierarchical workplaces repress the love and care that could transform our world. Let's build workplaces where every worker can act on their deep yearnings to care for communities and the planet. The Future Is Collective shows us the way."
--JANELLE ORSI, founder of Sustainable Economies Law Center

"Khonsari boldly envisions a workplace where collective leadership and equity aren't mere buzzwords but the foundational pillars of every institution. A must-read for anyone who believes in a world where work is driven by compassion and shared responsibility."
--AZADEH ZOHRABI, executive director of Berkeley Underground Scholars

"Through riveting case studies and compelling narratives, Khonsari guides us toward a new era of collaborative leadership. The Future Is Collective is a beacon for all those disillusioned by outdated workplace models."
--GAIL SILVERSTEIN, associate dean for experiential learning at UC Law San Francisco

"Khonsari bridges the gap between the ideal and the achievable, presenting actionable steps to transform our workspaces into hubs of inclusivity and innovation. A seminal piece."
--CURTIS YANCY, director of philanthropy

"I am so grateful to Nilou Khonsari for sharing her 'real-life-tested' experience on how to build sustainable, people-centered organizations. Her insights are not only transformative but also essential for any leader looking to shape the future of work."
--LORENA MELGAREJO, executive director of Faith in Action, Bay Area

"At a time when many workers express great dissatisfaction with the status quo and experience burnout, this book shows us ways to establish sustainable and fulfilling workplaces governed by all involved."
--ANDREW I. SCHOENHOLTZ, JD, PhD, professor from Practice at Georgetown Law and faculty director of the Human Rights Institute and the Center for Applied Legal Studies

"With many of us spending more waking hours at work than doing anything else, we need to be looking for paths and opportunities that support workers. Khonsari's book brings concrete ideas and practices, along with personal stories both positive and negative, for how we can shift our workplaces to empower workers, meet their needs, and lead to creative solutions."
--REK KWAWER, former director of operations and board member of NASCO

"This book is a powerful antidote to the cultures of power-hoarding, disenfranchisement, and marginalization that are all-too-common in our current Western industrialized society."
--RYAN MATLOW, clinical associate professor and director of community programs
for the Early Life Stress and Resilience Program at Stanford School of Medicine

About the Author

Niloufar Khonsari is a movement lawyer committed to collective leadership in struggles for justice. They co-founded Pangea Legal Services, a worker-led migrant justice organization, the Immigrant Liberation Movement, and Migra Watch. Their articles have been published in Nonprofit Quarterly, Common Dreams, and the San Francisco Chronicle, among other outlets. Nilou's community-centered leadership has been recognized through several awards, including the BIPOC Pioneers in Justice Award from Levi Strauss Foundation (2021), the Community Impact Award by the Iranian American Bar Association of Northern California (2022), the Community Impact Award by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (2022), the Bernstein Parker Activist Writer Fellowship by the Mesa Refuge (2023), and the Unsung Heroes Award from Resonance Philanthropies (2023). They graduated from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service and Georgetown Law and have two decades of training by activists, undocumented organizers, and community leaders in dismantling oppressive systems.