We recently connected with Hawah Kasat and have shared our conversation below.

Hawah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back, what’s an important lesson you learned at a prior job?

One of the most important lessons I learned came from my early days running a nonprofit I co-founded called One Common Unity. For years, we were operating out of the back of my house, with barely any funding and a vision that felt almost too big for the world to hold at the time—using arts and education to interrupt cycles of violence and inspire healing in youth and families.

I was young, idealistic, and deeply committed—but I quickly realized that passion alone wasn’t enough. I had to learn how to build systems, manage people, fundraise, and most importantly, let go of control. There was a moment when I was completely burnt out. I was trying to do everything myself because I believed that if I didn’t do it, it wouldn’t get done “right.” But what I learned is that leadership isn’t about being indispensable—it’s about building a team you trust, and letting others rise.

That lesson shifted everything. It taught me that the sustainability of any business—nonprofit or otherwise—depends not on how hard one person works, but on how well you cultivate a shared sense of ownership. That experience shaped the way I lead now: with more humility, more listening, and a commitment to collaboration over control.

Hawah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m an author, educator, TEDx speaker, and nonprofit leader dedicated to creating spaces where healing, justice, and creativity intersect. Over the past two decades, I co-founded and led One Common Unity, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that utilizes mental health care, arts education, and social-emotional learning programs to break cycles of violence and support youth and families in healing.

At the heart of my work is the belief that we all have the capacity to be protectors—not just of each other, but of the earth, our children, and our collective future. This philosophy is central to my podcast, Everlutionary: Healing and Transforming the World, where I explore science, mysticism, philosophy, social justice, and spirituality through conversations with changemakers from across the globe.

This work is also reflected in the creation of Roots to Sky Sanctuary, a 125-acre regenerative farm and healing arts center. In 2020, I helped launch the sanctuary, which is a living, breathing space dedicated to ecological stewardship and collective healing. It’s rooted in the belief that land itself can be a teacher, and that reconnection to nature is essential for personal and cultural transformation. Our mission is to offer a refuge where people can return to stillness, experience community care, and remember their place in the web of life.

What sets my work apart is the fusion of inner healing and outer action. I strive to create brave spaces where genuine transformation can occur, where individuals feel seen, and where they leave more connected to who they are and why they’re here. In pursuit of that mission, I lead retreats, offer workshops, and give keynote speeches at major conferences and festivals.

I’m most proud of the communities I’ve helped cultivate, communities that have grown beyond me and continue to carry the work forward in meaningful ways. Whether it’s a young person finding their voice on stage for the first time, a man rethinking what masculinity can look like, or an individual simply remembering how to breathe again—I live for those moments.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that my worth is measured by how much I produce or how many people I can take care of. Like many people who come from communities where survival is a generational struggle, I inherited a belief that rest was selfish and that I had to constantly prove my value through service, sacrifice, and hard work.

There was a period in my leadership when I hit a wall—emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I was giving everything to others but leaving nothing for myself. It wasn’t sustainable, and worse, it was out of alignment with the very values I was trying to embody in my work.

I had to unlearn the belief that burnout is noble. I had to learn that rest is not just restorative—it’s revolutionary. That slowing down, saying no, and making space for joy and stillness are also acts of leadership. It’s a lesson I’m still practicing, but it’s made my work and life far more honest, grounded, and whole.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One of the biggest pivots in my life came when I chose to step down as Executive Director of the nonprofit I co-founded and led for over 20 years. One Common Unity was a labor of love—a place where I poured my energy, heart, and vision into transforming systems of violence through arts and education. But over time, I began to feel a deeper dissonance. I realized that the nonprofit industrial complex, as it currently exists, is often a symptom of the very systems it claims to fix.

This wasn’t just a career shift—it was a philosophical one. As I spoke about in my TEDx talk, “How Greed Can Save the World,” I’ve come to believe that real transformation won’t come from within broken systems designed to manage inequality. I no longer believe in pouring my life force into a structure built to maintain the illusion of progress. That realization demanded a pivot, not just in work, but in worldview.

Stepping away allowed me to reclaim my energy and redirect it into work that feels more aligned: launching my podcast, “Everlutionary,” co-founding Roots to Sky Sanctuary (a B Corp), and designing retreats that help people connect with their purpose and possibilities. This pivot gave me space to ask bigger questions, to slow down, and to lead from a place of creativity rather than constraint.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.HawahKasat.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hawahkasat/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hawah.Kasat
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hawah/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@everlutionary