Together we will create a more equitable world by nurturing skillful justice advocacy and the depth to act on it.
I love being an intellectual. But I’m not interested in transmitting more head knowledge or facilitating yet another “diversity, equity & inclusion” training so we can check that off our to-do lists. I’m passionate about full-bodied and full-organizational transformation. Since the mind and body are one, I integrate social science research and somatic practices to support people as they pursue justice. As a social psychologist, I help individuals and organizations transform paralyzing shame and fear into self-compassion and skillful justice action. As a public theologian and somatic facilitator, I help individuals and organizations unlock their embodied wisdom as well as other bountiful resources as they journey toward personal and collective liberation.
SIGNATURE RACIAL LIBERATION WORKSHOPS
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Integrating social science research, dynamic storytelling, playful body movement, and interfaith/no-faith spiritual practices — Dr. Cleveland presents 5 stages of BIPOC racial identity development and 6 stages of white racial identity development. For each stage, she shares research that uncovers what’s going on beneath the surface, a primary fear that keeps people trapped in that stage, a new intention to which to pivot, and mindfulness-based practice to support the new intention.
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Drawing from historical and social science research, Dr. Christena Cleveland presents the surprising origins of modern-day anti-Blackness, discussing how the origins shed light on the ways that white supremacy continues to shape the thoughts, emotions and behaviors of all people today. Dr. Cleveland illuminates how understanding the roots of anti-Blackness can help people of all races to identify their unique pathways to liberation.
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Once we acknowledge the reality of systemic inequality, we are left with the daunting task of identifying how inequality manifests in our communities and institutions. This workshop introduces social science research to help us assess our community/institutional culture(s) and illuminate the systemic processes that contribute to the mattering of some people and the marginalization of others. Dr. Cleveland also offers practical strategies on how to create a more equitable culture within the spaces we inhabit.
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Most academic and corporate spaces value equity but take a linear and somewhat antagonistic approach to the obstacles that arrive on their journey to equity. Often, our well-intentioned efforts toward equity require us to view inequity as yet another pesky problem to be solved, rather than a unique opportunity to develop a robust and sustainable community care process.
When we see equity as simply a problem, we are susceptible to numerous dehumanizing problem-solving fallacies such as hiring processes driven by tokenism, infinite nauseating meetings to talk about the problem, and a narrowly-focused equity pathway that paradoxically overlooks the human beings at the heart of our communities.
Join us as we breathe new, human-centered life into the equity process.
SIGNATURE SACRED BLACK FEMININE WORKSHOPS
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The Mothering God delights in you – all of you, especially the parts that feel most vulnerable and tender. In this brand-new workshop, Dr. Christena Cleveland:
identifies several key distinctions between the Mothering God, common patriarchal conceptions of god
illustrates the ways in which the Mothering God differs from our earthly birth parents
introduces 8 universal ways in which the Mothering God speaks lovingly and directly to our deepest longings
shares some of the most illustrious names for the Mothering God from across history
leads a somatic practice into the heart of the Mothering God
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The Mammy stereotype is the most enduring stereotype about Black women. Indeed, the Mammy – the buxom, motherly Black female caregiver who worked in white households and nursed white children – has poisoned America’s spiritual imagination and continues to justify the racial hierarchy that places white women above Black women. As a result, many white people who claim devotion to the Black Madonna run the risk of viewing Her primarily as a mammy who solely exists to meet their (white) needs. If so, such devotees may miss out on the Black Madonna’s mystical and healing invitation into the kind of sacred activism that radically supports Black dignity and flourishing. Join Dr. Christena Cleveland as she uncovers truth about the historical and ongoing relationship between white women and Black women and illuminates how the Black Madonna’s Black body has the power to set us all free.
What People Are Saying
“I feel like I'm being held for the first time in my life and the embrace is coming from the inside. Dr. Christena Cleveland has offered essential language to clarify and identify what has been transpiring and transforming in my life for a long time. This gift of language and insight has straightened my back, lifted my chin, and helps me shine with divine abundance. It's been here all along. My deepest honor and gratitude to the entire team for making this course possible.”
— L. F.
“Come gather, soak and seep into your body wisdom with Christena as your teacher as she names conscious or subconscious realities, holds space for the complexities of our unique liberation journeys, and honours us with hysterical story telling. It's a beautiful time. Scratch that- it's a sacred time.”
— R. C.
“Grounded in the sacred feminine of the Black madonnas, Christena fosters a powerful and meaningful space of spiritual learning and deep community. I am deeply grateful for the journey, my personal growth, and that of the collective.”
