"Embodying Resilience, Empowering Ourselves" Workshop

*This event is organized for and by people of color and indigenous leaders (POCI) as a supportive and courageous space.

While code-switching is a superpower and intersectionality offers an approach for contending with complexity, there is no doubt that living daily at the margins and in continual countering of oppression is challenging to the mind/body/spirit. As POCI, practices for understanding healing and embodying resilience are especially critical for managing the historical and ongoing effects of racism and trauma.

Join LOCUS at the upcoming "Embodying Resilience, Empowering Ourselves" workshop as an opportunity to witness and experience resources and tools for building personal connection and resilience. The event will feature two local bodyworkers, Ayo Clemons and Femi Akinnagbe, who will share about their practices and lead attendees in experiencing those healing modalities.

Hosted on Wednesday, April 26 from 6:00pm - 8:30pm at People's Movement Center, an emerging collective of People of Color, Indigenous, Queer and Trans healing justice practitioners striving to build leadership, economic sustainability, and healing spaces for ourselves and broader communities, the evening will include light appetizers, relationship-building, embodied practice, and intentional reflection. Join us for an evening of connecting with and caring for yourself and others in community.

**Please note that the People's Movement Center asks entrants to remove their shoes at the door, so feel free to bring socks or slippers to make yourself comfortable.

***The workshop will include a short yoga session - we will have some mats available for use but encourage those of you who have your own yoga mats to bring them.

Femi Akinnagbe received his Masters of Science degree in Physiology, Biophysics and Complementary and Alternative Medicine from Georgetown University, and is a nationally certified massage therapist. Currently, he is a medical student at the University of Minnesota where he hopes to serve as a bridge between Eastern and Western healing modalities for both mind and body. Femi completed his 200-hr yoga teacher training at Your Yoga in 2014, and is currently enrolled in the 2-year long Mindfulness Yoga and Meditation Teacher Training through Spirit Rock insight meditation center in Woodacre, CA to receive his 500-hr yoga teacher certification.

Ayo Clemons is a body and energy worker, organizer and racial justice advocate. In 2012, she began the Global Somatics Practitioner Program created by Suzanne River. This program anchored her love of various healing and wellness practices including dance, writing, meditation, visualization, self reflection, self awareness, metaphysical healing techniques, etc. After graduating in 2014, she became a part of the People’s Movement Center to support space for individual and collective healing. Ayo’s life and organizing experience has given her a unique perspective on how systems of oppression can manifest as individual and collective trauma. Her certification in the Global Somatics Process has provided tools and techniques to support the healing of that trauma through tapping into the natural body as a powerful healing resource. Ayo is particularly interested in providing and supporting space for Black women and Black women organizers and community workers to heal.

An initiative of Minnesota Rising organized by and for emerging leaders of color and indigenous leaders, LOCUS seeks to create community, build resilience, and advance identity-driven leadership. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/locusmn/!