About Shamillah
Feminist, social justice coach for leaders and organisations
Hi, I am Shamillah Wilson.
Most people call me Sham. I was born in Cape Town, South Africa.
If you ask me what I do, I would tell you that I am a feminist social justice coach, and a process architect and choreographer. What you need to know about me is that I am a high achiever introvert – which enables me to accomplish anything I set my mind to. As a coach, this speaks to innate patience, endurance and a willingness to move forward. As someone good at achieving what I set my mind to, one of the things that I strive to deliberately do in my work and life is to create greater balance, connection and joy in how I show up in the world.
I believe that my superpower is my ability to hold space for courageous conversations for individuals and groups; particularly conversations that explore the complexity of interactions, our worlds and our work. My feminist politics and practice allow me to work across institutions, ideas and intentions, and most importantly to work with power intentionally and with care. I believe that I am most effective as a catalyst and a provocateur. I can comfortably and with agility navigate situations across a full spectrum of complexity.
I am most curious, excited and joyful about how I can accompany people on their own journeys of discovery!
Lions’ Head and Robben Island, Cape Town, South Africa
What I have to offer as a feminist, social justice coach
I believe we are all here to learn and master what we are meant to teach and share with others.
I will confess that growing up there was always a part of me that believed that someone was going to save me someday. It took me some time to realise that nobody was coming to rescue me from whatever life circumstances I was experiencing.
Early experiences in my life led me to feel powerless and helpless. This in turn helped me to learn the valuable lesson of my inner power. Unsurprisingly, this is also what drew me to activism. I felt a deep need to speak out, give a voice to, and be an advocate against, any form of injustice. My earlier expressions of empathy in my activism were expressed in the form of ‘rescuing’ others. I have since come full circle on my journey and know that I am much better suited to being a catalyst, mentor, sometimes guide and powerful collaborator. I feel that what I have to offer is what I have drawn from my journey, and also what I continue to learn, to support those who work with me to create more fulfilling lives.
What interests and drives me in my life and work is how to:
Remain connected to joy, gratitude and wellbeing as we work to create an equal and just world.
Find extraordinary tactics to counter inequality, intolerance and violence in the world.
Work with power – navigating it, naming it, surfacing it, challenging it and transforming it in ways that embody a practice of radical respect and love.
Create spaces of learning and dialogue that allow us to try out new ways of doing and being.
Build the practice of working and moving with discomfort.
Model truth-telling in its best form while holding each other through complex conversations and doing the work of healing.
Create the collectives (organisations or institutions) or formations of our imagination – aligning our practice with our politics.
Accept the imperfections of practice.
I invite you to take a step on your journey of getting the most from this one life you have been given. Connect with me.
