What does it mean to lead with authenticity in a system built to overlook you? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Elizabeth “Liz” Frederick, the Executive Director of Avenues for Justice: a nonprofit that's been disrupting the incarceration pipeline in New York City for nearly five decades. Liz shares her deeply personal journey from being a mentee at AFJ nearly 20 years ago to becoming its Executive Director in 2024. With honesty, heart, and fierce clarity, Liz reflects on the challenges of leadership as a Black woman in the criminal justice space, the life-changing impact of second chances, and why her mission is rooted in community, mental health, and real opportunity.
She doesn't just talk about justice reform, she lives it. Whether you're an entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, or advocate for change, this conversation will challenge the way you think about power, purpose, and what it means to fill your own shoes.
Show Notes
- How a two-hour conversation with AFJ’s founder changed her life
- Her journey from operations to COO to Executive Director
- The story behind the “big shoes” moment and choosing her own path
- Why AFJ never puts a time limit on a young person’s progress
- How the HIRE Up program provides access to education, employment, and mental health support
- Her experience navigating leadership as a Black woman in a white, male-dominated system
- Why consistent relationships are the foundation of AFJ’s impact
- How AFJ keeps recidivism under 6 percent across all five boroughs
- Her approach to caring for staff who carry the emotional weight of this work
- Why listening to young people is the most important leadership skill she’s learned
Quotable Moments
- I don’t have to fill anybody’s shoes but my own
- Young people need jobs, not jails
- These aren’t bad kids. They’re brilliant and navigating broken systems
- Second chances only work when you stick with people long enough to matter
Guest Contact Info
Name: Elizabeth “Liz” Frederick
Title: Executive Director, Avenues for Justice
Website: www.avenuesforjustice.org
Email: efrederick@avenuesforjustice.org
Instagram: @avenuesforjustice
YouTube: Avenues for Justice
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