Emily Ling is an interdisciplinary practitioner whose work encompasses advocating for justice in marginalized communities and actively creating the Beloved Community she longs to see. Drawing from her experience in regenerative design, racial justice work, public policy, and spirituality, she assists educational institutions, nonprofits, and individuals who are seeking to more fully and critically engage in generative and liberating practices. A native Texan, Emily currently lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and serves as the Farm Educator at Threshold Retreat where she addresses food insecurity and builds community across the rural-urban divide through sustainably growing and sharing healthy food.
Her prior work has included a diverse range of endeavors across multiple disciplines which have all been centered in nurturing ethical relationships within communities. Her passion for criminal justice reform and restorative justice led to positions at organizations including the ACLU of Texas and the Texas Jail Project where she advocated for legislative and policy changes on behalf of those who experience incarceration. Emily’s knowledge of religious communities and the complexities of advancing the public good led her to serve as the Social Justice editor of the EcoTheo Review, and to teach workshops for pastors and clergy at educational institutions including Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and Boston University. Additionally, her commitment to strengthening ecological and social resilience has included such work as managing a regenerative farm that employs refugees, supporting clergy in disaster relief efforts post-Hurricane Katrina, and creating celebratory and educational events to raise support for collaborations between local farms and social-justice nonprofits.
Emily holds a Master of Divinity and Certificate in Religion and Conflict Transformation from Boston University, a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas, and a B.A. in Sociology from Baylor University.