meet our clan weaving together from this realm + beyond to offer up their open black, native, and indigenous veins to our collective remembrance.
our circle keeper
photo by jenny rebecca mcgaughlin
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xochitlcoatl bellx is born from the womb of Adriana, a mestizo cultura, and border experiences from Acapulco, Mexico to Los Angeles, Califas to Boston, MA. moving wildly as we have always been, xochitlcoatl flows with the gifts of ancestor + spirit, baring witness and acting from the messages that they are needing to share. she communes with plant beings, four-legged, finned, and people beings to support the healing of the tapestry of our oneness.
xochitlcoatl offers support and companionship for individuals + families in life transitions, such as emotional or health changes, first moon, menstrual cycle, birth, postpartum, abortion, loss, bereavement, and miscarriage. she weaves her mesoamerican cultura, the indigenous, african, + european knowings + healing ways in supporting others with herbal, massage, energy & rebozo support. she believes in your autonomy, medicine, and advocates for our collective healing. weave with her by visiting Semilla of Ixchel to learn more about her birthkeeping, one-on-one session, and wisdom-shops. |
Meet our clan
LUla ChristopherRitual FacilitatorLula is an initiated Elder/ Bokara, (one who teaches the skills, guiding him/her through the process) in the Tradition of the Dagara People of Burkina Faso, West Africa. She is a certified Ritual Leader, completing a three year apprenticeship program and a two year study course exploring Indigenous African Spirit Technology and the Healing Wisdom of Africa with Elder Dr. Malidoma Some, Ph.D., Burkina Faso, West Africa.
Lula’s vision is that women’s gifts as leaders and healers are recognized and affirmed and that women’s leadership is continually developed and nourished through all stages of our lives from girlhood to womanhood through our sage years. CarmenLeah AscencioMindfulness + Yoga FacilitatorCarmenLeah Ascencio, LICSW, MPH, CPC, RYT is an ecotherapist, radical life coach, educator, trauma-sensitive yoga instructor, community theater artist, and a student of plants and the earth, who specializes in working with survivors of violence and abuse and queer and trans people of color. She has over 15 years of experience working in domestic and international non-profits that address violence against LGBTQ people, partner abuse, sexual violence, the commercial sexual exploitation of children, refugee resettlement and positive youth development. She has worked for organizations such as GEMS in New York City, the International Rescue Committee, the Center for Global Health and Development at Boston University, Apne Aap Women Worldwide in Delhi, India, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, the Violence Recovery Program at Fenway Health and Black Girl Dangerous Media. She is currently an ecotherapist and life coach in private practice and a course instructor at Boston University School of Social Work. CarmenLeah is a Kripalu certified yoga teacher and teaches yoga for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder and is trained to facilitate Theatre of the Oppressed. She completed an herbalism apprenticeship for BIPoC with Seed, Root & Bloom to connect to the earth and her ancestors. CarmenLeah is also a Boricua queer femme, ocean devotee, novice surfer and freediver, student of the Dharma, Ashtanga yoga practitioner, outdoor explorer and super enthusiastic mother of an awesome 2 year old.
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Luana MoralesDrum Journey + Meditation FacilitatorLuana has been a Reiki practitioner since 2005 in the Traditional Usui System of Natural Healing. As a Reiki Master Teacher, she is able to initiate other healers into the practice. She also integrates healing practices from different Indigenous Medicine traditions into her Reiki treatments. She is committed to being present and being of service at every phase of life, from it's beginning, during pregnancy, to the end, during the dying process. She truly sees the beauty in all of it. She is especially interested in supporting people through transitions be it a move, divorce, loss of a loved one, health issue, or other important life change. She also has a commitment to supporting and holding sacred space for transitional age girls whether they are experiencing their first cycle, becoming teenager, or graduating high school.
Kea'nia GulleyFood as Medicine FacilitatorKea’nia is a food healer, doula, and budding herbalist based in Brooklyn, NY. Born to a Southern Belle mama and a Northern People's Man papa, Kea’nia is a beautiful balance of poise and grit. She will be your gentle whisper in the quiet times. And ignite fire into the spaces that call for movement. Keania obtained a Masters in Gastronomy from Boston University where she focused on the role of ancestral diets in addressing contemporary health issues. As the Culinary Coordinator at BU Food & Wine program, Kea’nia had the honor of cooking along side renowned chefs such as Jacques Pepin, Barbra Lynch, Barten Seaver, and Kristen Kish. She currently uses her culinary knowledge to provide holistic meals for women of color as they enter the realm of motherhood. Keania founded Blackbird Belly to provide herbal remedies, food counsling/ education, and meditative movement to help women celebrate every stage of childbirth. Kea’nia is committed to helping women of color align their spiritual and physical bodies with traditional foods as she believes food is one of our most ancient ancestors that we can call on for healing. Her lineage holds caregivers,lovers, healers, fighters, teachers, and gatekeepers. Kea’nia looks back to the duality of ancestral wisdom to offer care that is comprehensive, affirming, and heart-centered.
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Community Partners
La Loba Loca |
Leah Penniman + Soul Fire Farm |
Loba (Loba/they) is a Queer educator, herbalist, activist, consultant and life style influencer. Their work encompasses Andina identity, Reproductive Justice, doula work and plant connections. Loba is currently based in Los Angeles, CA but is constantly traveling for work and research all over the US (Turtle Island) and Latin America (Abya Yala).They have facilitated over a hundred trainings and skill shares in universities and community groups on herbalism, plant relations, social justice, healing justice and autonomous health. Loba is invested on disseminating information with the hope that self-knowledge and (re)cognition of abuelita knowledge will create a future where we can depend on ourselves and communities.
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Soul Fire Farm is a BIPOC-centered community farm committed to ending racism and injustice in the food system. We raise and distribute life-giving food as a means to end food apartheid. With deep reverence for the land and wisdom of our ancestors, we work to reclaim our collective right to belong to the earth and to have agency in the food system. We bring diverse communities together on this healing land to share skills on sustainable agriculture, natural building, spiritual activism, health, and environmental justice. We are training the next generation of activist-farmers and strengthening the movements for food sovereignty and community self-determination.
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2018: Revision Farm, Melissa Alexis, East Coast Healing Village, Mama Martin