photo of Laila sitting cross legged in a chair. They're wearing a light green shirt with a collar, a dark green vest, and burgandy pants, and a gold necklace. There is a ivy plant to their left, and above them is a block print of a red snake

Photo credit: Yaara @tenderheartphoto

Salaam alaikum! My name is  Laila R. Makled (they/he). I also go by Amir!

I am a full-spectrum Event Producer, a Facilitation, Communication, and Radical Mental Health First Aide Educator, and Peer-Support Worker. I am also a Writer, Mutual Aid Organizer, and Operations Strategist. My writing has been featured in AutoStraddle, Washington Blade, and Adi Magazine.

I have created tools such as the Beginners Guide to Event Accessibility, Impactful Gatherings Workbook and Resource Guide, and The Basics of an Impactful Agenda because I am passionate about ensuring folks have access to the foundations needed for care-focused equitable, and accessibility-centered gatherings and facilitation.

I have a proven 12+ year track record in organizing and facilitating impactful projects, parties, educational events, conferences, summits, retreats, rallies, and festivals from conception to closeout, in close collaboration with community partners and leaders.

A woman with dark curly hair and tattoos on her arm is smiling with her eyes closed while holding a lemon and standing next to a dark brick wall. She is reaching up to pluck lemons from a lemon tree overhead, with bright sunlight illuminating her face and the surrounding greenery.

Photo credit: Yaara @tenderheartphoto

I am committed to working with community-centered groups and people. I offer public workshops, custom capacity building programs, event and programming logistics and consulting, and coaching and peer support.

My work is trauma and power-informed, disability justice-centered, somatic and belonging-based, grief spacious, and global majority-affirming.

I am disabled, autistic, gender fluid, 2nd gen, and mixed Arab Indigenous (Lebanese & Palestinian) white (western European).

Some more things about me are…I like using media to story tell and comment on communication strategies, I’m learning how to dabke, and my mom is very special to me.

I am an ongoing student of Healing Justice, Black feminist wisdom, indigenous land wisdom, and queerness as political orientations.

See what people say about working with me

Here are some projects folks have hired me for!

A woman with short dark hair, wearing a black face mask and an orange jacket, points to the right while holding a clipboard with papers in her left hand. She is standing outdoors with a group of people, some also wearing face masks, on a sunny day.

Photo Credit Caravan Film Crew

  • Served as lead organizer and campaign manager of two rallies/press conferences hosted at the California State Capitol with over 150 attendees, and international news coverage

  • Developed a 4-track, full-day program around drug policy & harm reduction advocacy for the National Cannabis Festival for five years

  • Developed and facilitated two 10-hour education programs for six-eight facilitators on trauma-informed, somatic-based facilitation, de-escalation techniques, feedback, and communication

Young woman with tattoos smiling while receiving a package in a delivery truck with boxes inside, outside view of trees and palm trees through the window.

Moving supplies for the Media Justice Team Retreat

  • Supported a Director of Operations in managing a $150k budget, vendor contracts, food, accessibility, COVID-19 safety and staff communication and travel logistics of 4-day staff retreat for 30 attendees

  • Developed and presented eight 90-minute workshops to 60-200 people, as well as advised 40+ grantees 1-on-1 on accessibility-centered event facilitation and decision making; confidence; restorative justice & financial repair; values aligned-management; and giving and receiving feedback.

A person wearing a pink face mask and black hoodie standing next to a whiteboard with notes about Boundary Cycle, holding two thumbs up.

“Life Cyle of a Boundary” Workshop for Restore Oakland’s HOPE Circle

  • Created space for a small team who navigated many Executive Director transitions over the years and collaboratively developed a plan to move forward and re-establish trust

  • Gave a training and collaboratively created a resource support Zine for a tenants rights organization to support their help phone line staff members in supporting folks who are expressing suicidal ideation

Outdoor event in a wooded area with a seated audience facing a stage where a person is speaking. Decorations include hanging paper lanterns and streamers. There are signs, including one reading 'Land of Unlearning,' and a QR code displayed on a stand.
Group of diverse people on steps protesting with signs, including a woman at the podium speaking, wearing masks, outside a government building. Signs include messages like "End the Culivatation Tax," "The Choice is Clear, No Cannabis Tax Here," and "No Drug War 2.0 Rally."

Photo Credit: Caravan Film Crew, Supernova Women Press Conference

“I can say hard things” workshop at an outdoor queer festival

A woman with dark curly hair leaning against a dark gray wall, smiling with crossed arms, outdoors with lemon tree branches in the background.
Check out my store for cool resources :)

Photo credit: Yaara @tenderheartphoto

 
Testimonals <3
contact me :)
Young woman with curly hair smiling, holding a pink rose, wearing makeup with colorful eye designs, layered necklaces, a denim vest with embroidered details, a white long-sleeve shirt, and maroon pants, standing against a blue background.

photo credit:
Marcella Sanchez & Diamond Wave Arts

contact me :)