By Nadirah Adeye, Course Manager

This is a letter for Black folks who find themselves the “only” (or one of very few) in their workplace, community, spiritual groups, etc. It is also applicable to almost anyone who finds themselves the only [insert targeted group or identity] in a space on a regular basis and surrounded by those from dominant or normative groups.

I see you. I am you. And I have been you in many times and places in my life to varying degrees of success. Here are some of the ways I’ve found to navigate the vital practice of self-care for my “other” self.

1. Know/remember your why — Regularly revisit your intentions for being in said space. What did you come to learn or receive? What did you come to bring, offer, or teach? Is it still matching up and does the relationship feel reciprocal? As often as necessary, check in and revisit or reassess to be certain that the balance remains one that works for you, your needs, and your capacity.
   
   
2. Lean into your loving, supportive communities — Studies have shown that the experience of being the only person of color in a white environment can cause rates of stress and anxiety to increase, and reports of wellness to decrease. We need to have people and places we can go to where we can relax and be at ease. We need spaces where we can just be without needing to explain or translate ourselves. These connections are nourishing, nurturing, and invaluable to maintenance of our wellness and grounding.
   
   
3. Lean into your spiritual and self-care practices — Studies have also shown that many black and brown folks’ systems such as heart rate and blood pressure are “revving” at higher rates during the day and take longer to throttle down at night (one example of the toll that systemic oppression, racism, and even “unintentional” microaggressions can take on our bodies). We need to make it a practice and a priority to create space, ease, peace, and gentleness in our minds and bodies and lives whenever and wherever possible.
   
   
4. If none of the above is working anymore, it's okay to leave — I am currently watching (yet another) mass exodus of black and brown people from a white spiritual space after one too many missteps and overt or covert acts of harm or willful blindness. It is okay to recognize that a space, organization, or relationship is not equipped or prepared to hold and sustain us, and to decide to seek or create another where we may be safer, more seen and heard, and where our whole selves are welcome to show up. Sometimes, the most important thing is to know that we have our own backs in that regard, and for our spirits and bodies to know that we are listening when they tell us, “I'm done here.”

I've been seeing these conversations increasing in many communities and organizations. Leaders are asking, What does it mean to be inclusive?... What does success look like in this arena?... And reaching out to connect with those who are already modeling what success looks like. Witnessing and participating in these discussions in various places of my life makes me hopeful — and I balance that hope with the recognition of the importance of being centered in ourselves as people of color, rooted in Spirit, in communion with our ancestors, and plugged in to the Divine.

When we can check in with the Sacred (and our Beloved Deities and Self) we can know or trust that our actions are the best, next-most loving step — for ourselves and extending outward to those around us. With Spirit's wisdom we can know when to stay or to depart; when to lean in and when to hold our peace; when to push for change and when to recognize when our energies could be best used elsewhere — such as reaching out to a fellow BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] who is also navigating this journey/experience and needing some loving care for their “other” self.

Editor’s Note: We’re honored to include three exclusive video interviews in this issue of Catalyst — all of which speak to the urgency inherent in these troubling times.

Leading off, Mutima Imani talks about the importance of Black History Month and shares the heartbreaking story of why she dedicated her life’s work to advancing social justice.

Next, Yeye Luisah Teish shares her insights on issues ranging from the value of cultural stories to the global impact of Black Panther to healing longstanding wounds through creative expression.

And Tony award-winning actress Tonya Pinkins discusses her latest film, TV, and theatre projects, her passion for creating meaningful work, providing opportunities for talented artists, and empowering women.

An invitation from Shift Network co-founder Devaa Haley Mitchell to join the Inspiring Women with Soul summit:

A new wave of feminine healing and transformation is sweeping across our planet, lifting up women of every age, color, and belief system. While this cultural shift in consciousness continues to gain traction, there are sure to be obstacles on the way to lasting cultural change.

We need strong and open-hearted leaders... women who are living examples of the power, compassion, and courage we were each made to embody. And we need to step into our own full Self to model this for other women who will be strengthened by it.

During our FREE online Inspiring Women with Soul summit from March 1–14, you’ll discover amazing women leaders who are on fire with possibility and purpose. Women who’ll tell you the truth and help you navigate the journey of transformation as you travel it in your daily life. Speakers include Marianne Williamson, Lisa Nichols, Sandra Ingerman, Sarah Prout, Daisy Lee, Marci Shimoff, and many more. To register for free — and get a sneak peek at some of the topics that will be covered — click here.

And be sure to check out the new blog post by Shift Network President Stephen Dinan, which explains “Why Democrats Should Aim for 50–50 in 2020.” Here’s an excerpt:

In the early phases of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, something quite wonderful has organically arisen: the field of major candidates is at least 50% women. There are many reasons why this ratio is valuable and worth preserving. It should give the large number of potential male candidates who have yet to make a decision a real, principled sense of hesitation about entering and throwing off this balance. To read more, click here.

Finally, we’d love to hear your answer to the question, What African American — past or present — has inspired you the most, and why? To share your thoughts in our Facebook Page community, click here.

When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.
— Unknown

Mutima Imani on Black History Month and the Need to Transition From Fear to Love
Video interview with Phil Bolsta

In this 73-minute video interview exclusively for Catalyst, social justice visionary Mutima Imani shares her thoughts on the importance of Black History Month, why we need to shift the paradigm around the color black, the beauty that is waiting for anyone who reaches across cultural lines, and the heartbreaking story of why she chose the work of social justice.

An excerpt:

Take a breath with me, because this is my story, and it's a hard story. This is why I'm committed to the work. So as soon as he did it, the youngest boy started saying, "I want to go with my oldest brother," and my brother and my sister-in-law got him help and support. And 12 years later, he did it too, the same way. When I realized... and then at the first... when the first son did it, I'm a Religious Science minister, they asked me to speak at the funeral, and I was just like furious. Like, what the hell do you think I'm going to say? I just sat there and I prayed, prayed, like, "Oh, use me, Spirit." I called my nephew's name, "Please, please speak through me." And whatever I said calmed everybody down. It was on Martin Luther King's birthday. That's the day that they had the funeral.

And whatever I said, people were just coming up and hugging me. But as soon as I got out of being the role of the minister, I went right back to my anger. So I realized that I was so angry because I felt so helpless. What could I have done or said to help this young boy that I loved? And then when the second one committed suicide, it almost killed me. My blood sugar was over 500 for three weeks. My body completely shut down. And I promised myself and my boys that I would be a champion in this world around race relations.

To watch the video and read the transcript, click here.

Yeye Luisah Teish on Storytelling, the Global Impact of Black Panther, and Expressing Your Creative Gifts
Video interview with Phil Bolsta

In this 48-minute video interview exclusively for Catalyst, Yeye Luisah Teish, a storyteller, writer, artist activist, and spiritual guidance counselor, shares her insights on issues ranging from the value of cultural stories to the portrayal of people of color in the media to healing wounds through creative expression.

An excerpt:

My concern these days has to do with what has been labeled, quote unquote, fake news, which is just the baby brother of fake history. If we consider that the past 5,000 years, the story that we call history has been in the hands of and told by, number one, the people who are conquerors, who are invaders, wherever that is, number two, the people who had access to education and to printing and had various other kinds of resources. So the more I learn, the more I am suspect of the accuracy of what we have been taught as history.

To watch the video and read the transcript, click here.

Tonya Pinkins on Acting, Directing, and Empowering Women
Video interview with Phil Bolsta

In this 7-minute video interview exclusively for Catalyst, actor and activist Tonya Pinkins discusses her latest film, TV, and theatre projects, and her passion for creating meaningful work, providing opportunities for talented artists, and empowering women.

An excerpt:

I really love working on television. I've done so many years in the theater. Television is kind of an opportunity to learn a new skill set. It's a lot of fun for me to get to be on a TV set and practice new things. I like to learn.

I've been doing a lot of shadowing in television, wanting to move into directing television. I'll be spending June in Austin, Texas, shadowing with Michael Satrazemis who's the producer/director of both Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead. I will be shadowing him as a director in June. I'm a new Fulbright Scholar. I'm going to Russia in April to teach at the Theater Institute in Yekaterinburg, which is the third largest city in Russia.

To watch the video and read the transcript, click here.

6 Ways Well-Intentioned People Whitesplain Racism (And Why They Need to Stop)
By Maisha Z. Johnson
First published on EverydayFeminism.com

If you’re white, you may have whitesplained without realizing it. To understand whitesplaining, now picture yourself in the following situation. I’m venting about my day, and I tell you I’m angry that a white neighbor told me, “I don’t even see you as Black.”

Would you reassure me that my neighbor meant well? If you do, don’t be surprised if I’m just as annoyed as you would be if a man tried to explain your experience with street harassment to you. Usually, signs of whitesplaining include a condescending tone and a paternalistic assumption that a person of color doesn’t know enough to accurately articulate their own experience.

To read more, click here.

Newspaper Ads Placed by Former Slaves Seeking Missing Relatives to be Read on Stage at Villanova
Kristin E. Holmes
First published in The Philadelphia Inquirer

Photo by Margo Reed, staff photographer

“I am very anxious to get in direct correspondence with them,” she writes. "Anything you can do for me, an ex-slave, will be highly appreciated.” The beseeching words that Whaley penned — part of her letter that appeared in the Baltimore Sun on Aug. 26, 1911 — are about to reach a new audience...

To read more, click here.

Black America: #BlackPerspectivesMatter with Tonya Pinkins

Actress Tonya Pinkins joins Black America host Carol Jenkins to discuss "colorism" and the perspective of a black woman. Tonya Pinkins also discusses her influences throughout her career, her work in Gotham on Fox and 11.22.63 on Hulu, and why she exited the play Mother Courage.

To watch the video, click here.

The Power of Defining Yourself
TED Talk by Amma Asante

Amma Asante, the director of the Hollywood movie Belle, found that working in Hollywood where only 0.4% of directors are black females places her under pressure to live up to a definition bestowed upon her — one that did not match own own self definition. A passionate speaker, Amma asks us to consider that we are all a combination of many worlds put together and when those worlds meet, progress can follow.

To watch the video, click here.

Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
TED Talk by Luvvie Ajayi

Luvvie Ajayi isn't afraid to speak her mind or to be the one dissenting voice in a crowd, and neither should you. "Your silence serves no one," says the writer, activist, and self-proclaimed professional troublemaker. In this bright, uplifting talk, Ajayi shares three questions to ask yourself if you're teetering on the edge of speaking up or quieting down — and encourages all of us to get a little more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

To watch the video, click here.

The Father Of Four With No Hands Or Legs

A father of four without arms and legs proves that everything is possible, despite losing his limbs due to meningitis at the age of two. Joseph Reed, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, says he had an unhappy childhood in a foster family, and even experienced suicidal thoughts while growing up. Today the 34-year-old is a happy man and lives his life to the fullest — he is a father of four, a husband, and holds down a full-time job. The man, nicknamed by friends “Nub Zero, the No-Legged Hero,” is a great inspiration to his family and friends and everyone around him.

To watch the video, click here.

Undercover Granny

Undercover "grandmother" Troy Mullins, a 26-year-old female long drive champion, goes to the Genesis Open to prank some unsuspecting kids. Sporting four hours of prosthetics and Hollywood makeup, Granny puts on a driving range show for the ages and shows kids that you can crush it off the tee at any age. Click here to watch the 4-minute video.

Weaving Strands of Will
Web of Light Subtle Activism Series

Join Subtle Activists and life partners David T. Nicol and Kate Naga the first Saturday of each month for their Web of Light Subtle Activism Series, in which they tap into a different quality of our shared essential presence as a strand of light in the global Web. March’s presentation, “Weaving Strands of Will,” is designed to fortify and transmute the experience of being ungrounded and distracted. Click here to listen on Saturday, March 2.

• Shift Network Update
• Featured Media
• Featured Articles
• Profiles
• Movement News
• Action of the Week
• Shift Spotlight
• Shift Impact
• Partner Spotlight
• Featured Artist
• Allies of the Shift
• Back Issues

Like Us. Collaborate!

Read Lori Lakin Hutcherson’s article on white privilege in this issue, reflect on the examples she offered, and challenge yourself to be more aware and empathetic about the day-to-day experiences of people who don’t look like you.

Awaken Your Rhythm: Discover Drumming for Spirituality & Health — A Free Video Event With Speaker, Author, and Music Therapist Christine Stevens. Discover how drumming can help you reduce stress, release negative feelings, boost immunity, and ignite creativity. Wednesday, February 27, at 5:30pm Pacific

Discover the Power of Practical Animism: Reclaiming Intimacy and Kinship Through Earth-Honoring Rituals & Practices — A Free Video Event With Psychotherapist and Animism Teacher Daniel Foor. Find out why reconnecting with elemental energies and the Earth can help you remedy cultural hurts and feel a deeper sense of belonging now. Saturday, March 2, at 10:00am Pacific

Time to Rise Up!: Let’s Show Up & Step Up to Evolve Our Democracy for Real — A Free Video Event With America’s “Coolest” Mayor, Heidi Harmon, and special guest Marianne Williamson. Receive powerful insights for how to engage politics in a spiritually aligned, deeply fulfilling way that changes the conversation and builds the future we know is possible! Wednesday, March 6, at 5:30pm Pacific

Opening Your Third Eye: Tap Into the Ultimate Source of Peace, Intuition & Bliss — With Spiritual Teacher, Filmmaker, and Speaker Raja Choudhury. Activate your gateway to higher consciousness and access vast reservoirs of peace, stillness, inner light, and divine guidance.
New 9-Week Live Video Training Starts Wednesday, February 27

The Matrix of Magic: Unlock the Spiritual Dimensions of Your Being With Meditation & Botanical Medicine — With Plant Medicine Pioneer David Crow, LAc. Experience deeper levels of healing by revitalizing the spiritual dimensions of your being by activating your prana and qi with essential herbs and oils.
New 8-Week Live Audio Training Starts Wednesday, February 27

Shamanic Journeying With the Spirits of Nature: Establish Reciprocal, Healing Relationships With Animals, Trees & Other Allies of the ‘Middle World’ — With Shamanic Teacher Sandra Ingerman. See Nature through the eyes of a shaman, and move into your “spirit self” to talk with different species, learn from them, and enable them to learn from us.
New 7-Week Live Video Training Starts Tuesday, March 5

Qi Medicine Advanced Training: Deepening Into Ancient Chinese Techniques for Healing, Prevention, Personal Empowerment & Soothing Inner Peace — With Author, Acupuncturist, and Master of Qigong and Tai Chi Dr. Roger Jahnke, OMD. Benefit more fully from Qi Medicine through entrancing movements – and self-massage – which can transform pain, insomnia, stress, and disease into vitality, health, and JOY.
New 12-Week Live Video Training Starts Wednesday, March 6

Body Balance Formula: Holistic Health Practices & Coaching to Increase Your Vitality, Longevity & JOY — With Bestselling Author & Renowned Nutrition and Hormone Health Authority Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo. Receive live coaching and support — as you reset your thyroid and rebalance your adrenals for unstoppable health. New 9-Month Program Starts Wednesday, March 6

Upcoming Events (all subject to change:)

March
• Inspiring Women with Soul
• Desda Zuckerman 7-week course
• Christine Stevens 7-week course
• Plant Medicine Summit
• Heidi Harmon 8-week course
• Daniel Foor 14-week course
• Andrew Harvey 10-week course

April
• Chloe Goodchild 8-month course
• Ken Page 7-week course
• Devaa Haley Mitchell 4-week course
• Ancestral Healing Summit
• Wendy De Rosa 7-week course
• Robert Moss 12-week course
• Energy Medicine & Healing Summit

May
• Evelyn Rysdyk 7-week course
• Peter Russell 7-week course
• Michael Beckwith 5-week course

Essie Justice Group

Essie Justice Group is a nonprofit organization of women with incarcerated loved ones taking on the rampant injustices created by mass incarceration. Our award-winning Healing to Advocacy Model brings women together to heal, build collective power, and drive social change. We are building a membership of fierce advocates for race and gender justice — including Black and Latinx women, formerly and currently incarcerated women, Transwomen, and gender non-conforming people.

Click here for more information. Click here to make a donation.

GirlTrek

GirlTrek is the largest public health nonprofit for African-American women and girls in the United States. With nearly 100,000 neighborhood walkers, GirlTrek encourages women to use walking as a practical first step to inspire healthy living, families, and communities. As women organize walking teams, they mobilize community members to support monthly advocacy efforts and lead a civil rights-inspired health movement.

Beyond walking, GirlTrek’s active members support local and national policy to increase physical activity through walking, improve access to safe places to walk, protect and reclaim green spaces, and improve the walkability and built environments of 50 high-need communities across the United States.

Click here for more information. Click here to make a donation.

The Philharmonik

The Philharmonik, born Christian Gates, is an American hip-hop, future-soul R&B recording artist and producer from Sacramento, California. He debuted in 2018 with the album “The Philharmonik.”

His music blends contemporary rap and hip-hop influences like J. Cole and Kanye West with classic R&B, soul and funk artists like Stevie Wonder, Prince, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Parliament, and Earth, Wind & Fire. He also cites pop rock influences like The Beatles, Steely Dan, and The Police.

The Philharmonik’s musical beginnings started in Cleveland, Ohio where he was born. He began taking classical piano at the age of age after he attended a concert with his mom. When he returned home from the concert he began to play songs he heard note for note. His family signed him up for piano lessons with a teacher who played for the Cleveland Orchestra and thus his training began.

The Philharmonik participated in a community choir and church choir, because his mom felt he sounded like a member of the Vienna Boys Choir (Just like a mom). Cutting his mom’s dreams short, The Philharmonik ended his participation when he could no longer hold back the rhythm in his soul set afire after he discovered hip-hop. The Philharmonik is known for his electrifying live performances.

Click here to visit The Philharmonik’s website.
Click here to listen to The Philharmonik’s music
Click here to watch The Philharmonik’s videos.

Solar Action Alliance

Peace Through Commerce

Evolutionary Leaders

The Foundation for Conscious Evolution

The Shift Movie

Humanity's Team

Green America

The National Peace Academy

Sacred Centers

Center for Sacred Studies

International Cities of Peace

Agape International Spiritual Center

Gaiafield Project

Click here to apply for inclusion above.