Speaking Truth To Power

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Saba Ali for a wide-ranging conversation about speaking truth to power and turning advocacy into institutional change.

Saba shares her personal story, including childhood abuse and cultural abuse, periods of homelessness and addiction, and the long-term work of therapy and recovery that helped her reclaim her voice. She reflects on the impact of intersectionality in her life as a queer woman of colour with hidden disabilities, and why being listened to with compassion is often the starting point for change.

The discussion explores allyship in practice, particularly Saba’s work as a critical friend to the criminal justice system. She describes the importance of ensuring diverse representation in advisory spaces and bringing community voices directly into decision-making rooms rather than speaking over people.

Joanne adds her own experiences as a trans woman, including reporting hate crime and the difference empathetic policing can make. Together they discuss trust, safety, community support, and the need for connection and collaboration in challenging times for LGBTQIA+ people and other marginalised groups.