Nelson Mandela Foundation x Free AF: 50 of world’s most inspiring people share their path to freedom

Creatives, athletes, artists, musicians, and thought leaders from around the world share personal stories about their path to freedom, inspired by Nelson Mandela’s ethos: Free yourself. Free others. Serve every day.

LAGUNA BEACH, CA (SEPTEMBER 22, 2026) – Free AF – the non-alcoholic drinks company on a mission to give people the genuine freedom to choose whether they drink or not, on their own terms – is partnering with the Nelson Mandela Foundation to embark on a groundbreaking book, film, and exhibition: The Free Project.

Inspired by Nelson Mandela’s ethos: Free yourself. Free others. Serve every day, Free AF’s founder, and social entrepreneur, Lisa King, brought together award-winning publisher and film-maker Blackwell & Ruth, creative collective The Tuesday Club and acclaimed photographer Magdalena Wosinska for this first-of-its-kind project.

Part social movement, part cultural institution, The Free Project brings together 50 of the most interesting and inspiring people in the world – among them actors and producers LaTanya and Samuel L. Jackson; singer-songwriter Mon Rovîa; actors Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Jurnee Smollett; James Beard Award-winning chef Gregory Gourdet; female longevity researcher and podcaster Kayla Barnes-Lentz; actor and producer Theo Rossi; and many more – for an open and honest conversation about freedom, their personal struggles to find it in their own lives, and what it means to them.

Dr. Mbongiseni Buthelezi, Chief Executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said, “Nelson Mandela understood freedom not as an individual achievement, but as an ongoing responsibility to others. The Free Project reflects that understanding by bringing together voices from many different backgrounds and experiences, each offering a personal perspective on what it means to free oneself, to help free others, and to live in service of one’s community.”

A percentage of every Free AF drink sold, together with royalties from The Free Project, which will debut in a 2027 book, exhibition, and documentary film series, will go to the Nelson Mandela Foundation to support its work in mobilizing Nelson Mandela’s legacy through dialogue, memory, leadership and advocacy in pursuit of more just, equitable, and democratic societies.

King’s path to The Free Project began with a personal act of liberation. She made a decision to stop drinking after a bout of vertigo she associated with drinking gin and tonic, and having made that decision began encountering societal pressure – people assumed she was pregnant or boring. She resolved not to bow to this pressure and, on the path to “freeing herself and freeing others”, founded Free AF in 2020. Currently, the non-alcoholic canned cocktail brand offers nine flavors including (Margarita, Mango Margarita, Chili Margarita, Apero Spritz, Paloma, Cucumber G&T, Espresso Martini, Whisk#y Ginger and Vodka Spritz) and is distributed across major retailers nationwide including (Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, Sprouts and Walmart).

“There’s a seismic change going on. The more I learned about it, the more I realized that many of the most incredible and inspiring people in the world are making positive choices like mine in regard to changing their relationship with alcohol,” says King. “The Free Project is not just about not drinking. It’s about 50 extraordinary and courageous individuals – creatives, athletes, artists, musicians and thought leaders – with personal stories and inspiration on their own path to freeing themselves, freeing others and serving their communities; values at the heart of Nelson Mandela’s lifelong commitment to freedom for himself and for others.”

Selected excerpts will be available on Free AF and the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s social platforms and at af-drinks.com with the book, exhibition, and film releasing in 2027.