MY WORK

Writing + Publications

Academic writing and publications here.

My Substack here.

Joy Goddess Projects

Joy Goddess Projects are spaces created to celebrate the power of women in the African diaspora. A place that values collaboration in order to build coalitions and cultivate wellbeing.

All experiences are designed to foster the connection of our shared gifts and resources. It is an open invitation to Black women identified students, educators, activists, entrepreneurs, community leaders, faith leaders, healers, health workers, artists, and creatives of all kinds to participate.

A note on why I chose to call my work Joy Goddess Projects. Poet, writer and social activist Langston Hughes called A’Lelia Walker, daughter of Madam C.J., the “Joy Goddess of Harlem“. She was famed for her ability to create spaces that celebrated the joy and creativity of the Harlem Renaissance in 1920’s New York. When I heard this I thought, that’s my mother and my grandmother. They were the joy goddess matriarchs of my family and their communities. The name is a nod to the ‘Joy Goddess’ of Harlem A’Leila Walker, my mother Sadie, and my grandmother Shirley.

WOMANIST PRACTICE CIRCLES

Guided by a womanist spirituality, the healing circles incorporate contemplative practices that alleviate the effects of historical and contemporary trauma for Black women. They are defined as practices rooted in spiritual and/or culturally derived traditions of women in the Black diaspora.

The Womanist Practice Circles are a six-week virtual or in-person series facilitated by myself and guest facilitators. Please contact me for more information.

SOMATIC PRACTICE SESSIONS

These gentle movement practices are facilitated somatic meditations. They are open to everyone, but designed specifically to center the lived experiences of women of the Black diaspora and other communities of color (e.g. Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino/a/x, etc.). The sessions incorporate a Womanist contemplative framework rooted in the work of contemplative practitioners and womanist scholars. They are best facilitated for small (8 – 10) or medium (12 – 25) sized groups.