Celebrating Black voices in mindfulness
This Black History Month, we are acutely aware of the need for a greater platform for Black voices, authors, and teachers in mindfulness, meditation, and mental wellness. The most- quoted and heavily- featured app CEOs, authors, podcast hosts, and speakers in mindful meditation are simply not reflective of the broader American community.
This isn't just unfortunate, it has meaningful implications for systemic injustice.
Mindfulness has been shown to reduce or prevent unhealthy levels of stress, regulate emotion and foster a sense of connection. Thousands of studies have documented its benefits, but if you aren’t aware of mindfulness, and don’t have access to mindfulness programming, you’re much less likely to be able to use it to support your physical and mental health.
Science also shows that we learn best from people with whom we relate: people with similar cultures, histories, and life experiences. As the saying goes, “You have to see it to be it.” Seeing someone like ourselves practicing and benefitting from mindfulness, increases the odds that we will benefit from it too.
Layered onto those facts is that chronic diseases are exacerbated by systemic racism: chronic pain, stress that can impair, high rates of trauma, and the burden of illnesses such as insomnia, asthma, diabetes, obesity, etc. As a mixed-race woman, I'm uniquely aware of the mental and physical health privileges that have been granted to me as I pass for white when compared to my Black mother.
As we enter the second half of a special 29 days honoring Black History this year, we wanted to celebrate Black Mindfulness leaders, researchers, influencers, authors, and voices that we learn from, follow, and admire:
SEBENE SELASSI, writer, teacher, and speaker who explores the themes of belonging, resilience and well-being through meditation, creativity and nature. Tonight (Feb 15) we are hosting a free virtual community Read Along of her book "You Belong with a guided meditation that supports our ability to deepen our own sense of belonging - join us here from 7-8pm EST. Pre-registration is not necessary.
GEORGE MUMFORD, the celebrated teacher that mentored Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan he wrote "The Mindful Athlete" Reflecting on his work with Mumford, Kobe Bryant shared "the art of mindfulness is to be neither distracted or focused, rigid or flexible, passive or aggressive. I learned just to be.”
KENJI SUMMERS is a certified mindfulness instructor that works at the intersection of Web3 and Mindfulness to teach mindfulness and guide meditation for "high performers that want balance in their lives" He writes about his journey meditating for 2,000 days straight and shares that we have "more to unlearn than you have to learn."
MATTHEW HEPBURN, Teacher and Senior Content Strategist at Ten Percent Happier, Core Teacher at Cambridge Insight Meditation Center and Mindfulness Meditation Teacher at Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Concord. He shares, "unless you look at meditation as a team sport, it's impossible to keep your practice going."
IMANI FARLEY, writer, yogi, social impact strategist (at JP Morgan Chase, Nike and more), philanthropy advisor, entrepreneur and artist, Imani is a certified Meditation and Breathwork instructor, has completed over 800 hours of anatomy and physiology, injury prevention/care, medical evaluation and served as a first responder and athletic trainer. She currently serves as Director of Corporate Engagement at OneTen.
LAURYN NWANKPA, a social impact strategist, start- up advisor and investor, and entrepreneur. As the former and first Head of Social Impact at Headspace, she worked to ensure the organization was accessible, relevant and affordable to all. Lauryn established Headspace for Educators, the Headspace’s flagship social impact program, was a founding member of the diversity, equity and inclusion taskforce, and deepened Headspace’s role in the greater LA community through strategic philanthropic and nonprofit partnerships. She currently serves as Co-Director at Brand Citizens.
LORENZO LEWIS, founder and former Chief Visionary Office of The Confess Project, a leading national grassroots movement that empowers barbers to become mental health advocates for men of color. He turned pain into purpose and reduces stigma surrounding mental wellness support rooted in safe spaces and community. He is a Roddenberry Fellow, frequent speaker and currently leads TCP Ventures.
JENEE JOHNSON, Program Innovation Leader: Mindfulness, Trauma, and Racial Equity at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. She shares: “My practice around mindfulness is a practice of reclamation—an African principle called sankofa, reclaiming what was left behind or what was lost. Mindfulness gives us the chance to rewrite that narrative," read more from Mindful Magazine's "How to Honor Black History Month in Your Mindfulness Practice"
Let us know who else you'd like to celebrate!
We are proud to be committed to continuing to a vision that can make mindfulness as accessible as a toothbrush - a tool people can easily use every day to care for themselves. It’s not beholden to insurance, a copay, or an annual appointment. We can easily take it with us wherever we go.
A key component to that accessibility is celebrating and centering community - and Black leaders - in our awareness building.
Ella Crivello
Executive Director