Community is not simply about shared identity or proximity but about shared commitment. It is forged through collective accountability, deep listening, and the honoring of histories that shape our present.

Through my healing, may I rewrite what is possible.

At a recent summit on Haitian liberation, Professor and Mambo Bayyinah Bello reminded attendees of the importance of developing more firm relationships with our power, by intentionally tending to our relationships with spirit, nature, and community. Healing circles represent one such modality of intentional maintenance with oneself, community, and ancestors while pursuing the long struggle of liberation.

This year’s altar is in reverence of the waters with the following in our hearts.  Salt water cleanses us and fresh water gives us life. This duality draws on the sacred stories of two orishas (personifications of the forces of nature) - Yemaya and Oshun. 

African-centered healing is a key practice that has often taken place in community settings in the form of ritual, ceremony, and circle.