Leadership
Each of us excels in our unique talents, yet we achieve greater heights when we unite. The common thread among us is our dedication to our crafts, our keen eye for growth opportunities, and our commitment to elevating the voices that promise to make a meaningful difference in the world.
Founder
Frederick Joseph is a Yonkers, NY raised two-time New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. His books include a poetry collection, We Alive, Beloved, two books of nonfiction, Patriarchy Blues, and The Black Friend, a collaboration, Better Than We Found It, a children’s book, The Courage to Dream, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the forthcoming Kirkus Starred reviewed YA novel, This Thing of Ours.
Joseph’s books have been named an Amazon Editors’ Pick, notable by the International Literacy Association, Best Children’s Book of the Year by Bank Street College, a Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice selection, nominated for the In The Margins award, Booklist Editors’ Choice, a Notable Trade Book for Young People by the National Council for Social Studies, a Dogwood Title by the Missouri Associations of School Librarians, as well as longlisted for the Green Earth Book Award, and more. He has written for The Boston Globe, Essence, Huffington Post, AdWeek, and Cosmopolitan, and won both the Letter Review Poetry prize and a Letter Review Essay prize. His most recent writing on politics and culture can be found on his Substack.
Joseph’s writing and philanthropic work go hand-in-hand, and he has been recognized for community investment by Forbes 30 Under 30, the Comic-Con Humanitarian of the Year award, The Root100 list of Most Influential African Americans, and was most recently honored with the 2023 Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award, as well as the 2024 Allyship Award at Lincoln Center’s Black Girl Magic Ball. He has been a featured speaker at the UN HeForShe Summit, and has worked with fortune 500 companies and presidential candidates on their DEI efforts. He lives with his wife Porsche and dog Stokely in New York City.
Director of Community Partnerships
Heidi Bailey brings over 30 years of volunteer experience and a commitment to building strong, equitable communities to her role as Director of Community Partnerships at We Have Stories. An Indiana native and proud Chicagoan for over 28 years, Heidi is dedicated to social justice, sustainability, and advocacy, with a particular focus on empowering children and families.
A biological and adoptive mother of three, Heidi began her journey in community engagement through the Cabrini Green Tutoring Program. Her ability to foster collaboration and engage communities has been a cornerstone of her success.
Heidi has served on both local and international nonprofit boards, including Partners in Health, and contributed to COVID-19 programming initiatives through We Grow Chicago. She is an advocate for children with diverse needs and a passionate supporter of equitable access to education and resources. As a small business owner, avid reader, and lifelong learner, Heidi brings a unique blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and hands-on leadership to her work.