Episode 6 - Reclaiming Relationship as a Leadership Strategy with Cedar Landsman & Lucien Demaris

In this rich and reflective episode, Jennifer Sconyers sits down with Cedar Landsman and Lucien Demaris, the visionary co-founders of Relational Uprising, to explore how relational culture can transform organizations from the inside out. Together, they unpack the limitations of individualism in U.S. culture and make a compelling case for centering relationships—within teams, communities, and movements—as a radical and necessary act of change leadership.

Relational Uprising supports mission-driven organizations in building deep connection, mutual understanding, and sustainable team cultures. Their approach is a powerful counter to the transactional norms embedded in dominant systems, and one that honors embodiment, belonging, and collective resilience.

🧭 What You’ll Learn

• What relational culture really means—and why it's critical for sustainable change
• How individualism undermines social change work and what we can do instead
• How somatics and embodied leadership intersect with systems change
• The role of storytelling and resonance in rebuilding trust and community
• How Cedar and Lucien work with mission-driven organizations to cultivate collective capacity
• When organizations should consider relational culture work (hint: it’s not just when there’s a crisis)
• Why tending to bias and inclusion requires more than a checklist—it requires connection

🧠 Wisdom & Insights

• “We tend to think of relationships as a side effect of the work. But what if relationships are the work?” —Cedar Landsman
• “We must tend to the relational aspect of embodiment—it’s essential for protecting our communities and building resilience.” —Lucien Demaris
• “Isolation is not a resilient state. Leaders thrive when they are well supported.” —Cedar Landsman

💡 Highlights

• Cedar’s journey from food justice and urban planning into relational systems change
• Lucien’s background in somatics, wellness, and his critique of disembodied wellness culture
• How their methodology is different: not plug-and-play, but a deep practice of collective awareness
• ALC’s swimming pool analogy: shallow, medium, and deep work—and how
• Relational Uprising fits in Real-life applications across sectors: nonprofits, cooperatives, higher education, and faith communities
• Why this work is especially important now, amidst DEI backlash, organizational burnout, and social isolation

📆 Upcoming Opportunities

• Relational Uprising has a residential advanced workshop coming in Fall 2025.
• A prerequisite intro workshop is required.

Join the interest list at relationaluprising.org to be notified when a new intro workshop is scheduled. They’re also hosting a leadership convening focused on the unique challenges in progressive and social justice organizations.

🔗 Connect with Relational Uprising

🌐 Website: www.relationaluprising.org

🎧 Subscribe & Follow Want more stories of bold leadership and culture change? Subscribe to the ALC ChangeMakers Podcast on Spotify and follow us at jennifersconyers.com