intellectual and philosophical lineage

on this page i share a bit of background about the knowledge i have received throughout my years.



personal studies is an exploration of what i am currently investigating and contemplating along with some of the folks that work has nestled into my spirit


education lists the formal programs i have been involved in


books of note shares some of the pieces i have read that hit my heart once upon a time and have stayed there ever since



thank you for diving deeper into my genius.

the wellness of people navigating the complexity of today’s society

  • impact of existing in and surviving our current society on the body (stress, shame, trauma, systemic oppression)
  • interdisciplinary approaches to solving social (justice) issues
  • interconnection of flawed systems and institutions (including industrial complexes) and their consequences on people
  • intersection of liberation and justice, and wellness as a tool to facilitate these practices
  • internal liberation (self) vs external liberation (society) and all the layers in between
  • interpersonal relationships as a vessel for both harm and healing (family, community, stigma, shame, abuse)
  • nuances of culture and personal experiences integrated into every aspect

currently expanding, exploring, and contemplating

  • liberation and freedom
  • culture of wellness
  • radical mental health
  • somatic abolitionism
  • right relationship and reciprocity
  • healing justice
  • my ancestry and lineage
  • black queer feminism
  • psychedelics, plant medicine and herbalism
  • anti-capitalism/economic justice
  • abolition, transformative and restorative justice

notable teachers and mentors

  • Dra. Rocio Rosales Meza // spiritual and decolonial guide
  • Toi Smith and Business for the People // doing business differently
  • Brionna Ned // slowing down and being present

2016 - 2020

  • criminology and criminal justice - bachelor of arts
  • inside out prison exchange program
  • (professional) spanish - minor and intensive studies
  • psychology, political science - minor
  • women 2 women international leadership program

2021 - 2022

  • business for the people member - doing business differently
  • certified yoga teacher - 200hr training at one point one
  • coaching foundations - better up training program
  • national service programs (leadership and justice)

2023

  • psilocybin peer support program - PsiloHealth
  • embrace yoga’s roots - Susanna Barkataki
  • accountability mapping - Daria Garina
  • foundations in somatic abolitionism - Resmaa Menakem 

currently engaging 

  • soul of leadership - Nisha Moodley
  • divine alignment - Dra. Rocio Rosales Meza 

these books made me stop and think. i read some of them almost a decade ago and they still live in my heart. ask me about any of them <3


nonfiction & fiction listed in the order i first read them


nonfiction

  • The boy who was raised as a dog and other stories from a child psychiatrist's notebook // Bruce Perry
  • Race to incarcerate: A graphic retelling // Sabrina Jones, Marc Mauer
  • Just mercy // Bryan Stevenson
  • You're more powerful than you think: A citizen's guide to making change happen // Eric Liu
  • The on-purpose person: Making your life make sense // Kevin McCarthy 
  • The mindful universe: A journey through the inner and outer cosmos // Mark Westmoquette
  • My grandmother’s hands: Racialized trauma and the mending of our bodies and hearts // Resmaa Menakem
  • Beyond survival: Strategies and stories from the transformative justice movement // Leah Laksh Piepzna-Samarasinha, Ejeris Dixon
  • Rest is resistance // Tricia Hersey
  • All about love // bell hooks

fiction

  • The perks of being a wallflower // Stephen Chbosky
  • Slaughterhouse-five // Kurt Vonnegut
  • Americanah // Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche
  • 1984 // George Orwell
  • The people in the trees // Hanya Yanagihara
  • Homegoing // Yaa Gyasi
  • Parable of the sower // Octavia Butler

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