EQUITY • HEALING • JUSTICERoom to Breathe:
a BIPOC online wellness retreat
WELCOME TO ROOM TO BREATHE
cultivating space for authenticity, release, and community since 2020
Room to Breathe is a virtual wellness retreat focused on people of color working in predominantly white institutions, curated by Rebecca KellyG and co-produced by Theon Freeman with sessions led by an incredible team of practitioners and facilitators dedicated to liberation and wellness.
have questions?
Scroll To the Bottom for our FAQ.
For companies and GroupsHost a Room to Breathe Retreat for Your affinity or Resource Group
Modeled after Rebecca’s signature Room to Breathe retreat, this retreat offers an experience and curriculum for companies that have affinity or resource groups. Groups can use the retreat and resources as a tool to guide their work together.
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Wellness Tools✓
Facilitation suggestions✓
culture shift strategies
In-person gatherings
Rebecca also facilitates immersive Room to Breathe celebrations in-person for communities to come together.
Recently she hosted a Juneteenth event featuring art, sound ceremony, and community kitchen.
the Room to Breathe RetreatMeet your facilitators
Rebecca KellyG
{SHE:HER}
Rebecca is the creator of Room to Breathe, a multidisciplinary healing artist and equity and justice consultant rooted in anti-racist practices. As a former civil rights attorney, her approach is informed by experience in structural and institutional advocacy and understandings of oppression. As an artist and facilitator, her methods are led by heart, inquiry, and intuitive communication. Rebecca supports the cultivation of self-love and accountability for collective justice with individuals and organizations. She holds such honors as Civil Rights Legal Fellow & Associate Counsel with The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and The Adjunct Professor Award for Diversity and Inclusion from Wagner College. Her work has been included in American Theatre Magazine, Rolling Stone, Playbill, and Elia Alba’s book The Supper Club. She has a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law and a B.A. in Theatre Performance from Wagner College.
SessionSound Healing & Self-Care
In this session, we identify, challenge, and heal conditioned beliefs imposed on us by society that can feed internalized oppression. This workshop includes live soundscapes, community dialogue, and tools for self-care and reflection.
CARLOS ALBERTO
{HE:HIM}
Carlos has 20+years of meditation experience. Since certification in 2016, he teaches in many wellness studios, corporations, and nonprofits. He has offered meditation sessions to every grade of NYC public schools and digital meditation content for the Dept. of Corrections in MA. As creator of TimeToSIT.com he offers on-demand content and live virtual sessions online
SessionGrounding Mediation
Carlos is offering a grounding meditation to stimulate a state of calm, alert, presence to support your experience during the retreat. He will also offer tools and techniques to implement throughout your daily life that can support your inner equanimity and interactions with others.
VELINE MOJARRO
{SHE:HER}
Veline is an artist, educator, and reproductive justice advocate from Los Angeles, California. Her work operates at the intersection of art, social justice, and equity. Veline is a co-founder of SHIFT: Sexual Harassment Prevention, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Consulting and Director of Equity, Safety, and Inclusion for every one, a Goldenvoice initiative to prevent and stop any form of harassment at Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals. She previously was a Lecturer in the Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance at UCLA, where she also served as Director of Community Programs for the UCLA Art and Global Health Center.
SessionCultivating Care within Predominately White Institutions
In this workshop we remember Community Care as a strategic tool in disrupting white supremacy culture. We will lean into the collective knowledge of the room, and build practices to find possibilities as we navigate PWI's.
Meenadchi
{SHE:HER}
Meenadchi (she/her) is a somatic healing practitioner whose work centers the softness of meeting our best self and deepening into our collective light. Using a blend of Family Constellation Therapy and Non-Violent Communication, Meenadchi supports inquisitive individuals and entreprenuerial changemakers in reconnecting with the intuitive wisdom of your bodies so that we can co-create intergenerational healing by changing the way we speak to ourselves, each other, and the universe. Meenadchi holds a clinical license in occupational therapy and has historically served communities impacted by gender-based violence, complex trauma, and serious mental illness. She is the author of Decolonizing Non-Violent Communication (2019).
SessionExpanding Capacity to Be Seen
The safety that comes with not being seen, with blending into the crowd, is an experience that is exceedingly high amongst BIPOC communities. In this workshop, we'll explore what it feels like to release intergenerational fears of being seen, so that we can trust our vibrancy and purpose to steward our journey and our purpose. Things people will need to bring: 4 small objects and an open tabletop or floor space to work in
crysta bloom
{SHE:HER}
Crysta Bloom is a trauma informed Somatic Healer who centralizes body awareness as a primary agent for healing, taking the therapeutic experience beyond words. She holds certifications in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy and Somatic Attachment Therapy, as well as being a therapeutic yoga teacher. She draws from her education and life experiences to offer a heart-centered, integrated approach to healing, love, and pleasure.
Crysta approaches her work with the belief that we have bodily wisdom that holds all the answers we need to self heal. When we tap into this benevolent knowing our body becomes a shelter to hold it all. We create more safety in ourselves for expansion and deeper access to breath. Arriving back into our bodies with more grace, truth, and fullness.
SessionRestorative Movement & Care Team
In this somatic embodiment session, we get curious about what it might feel like to move through the world in a state of benevolence, authenticity, and freedom. As we explore our essential nature, we begin to discover how our internal resonance might outwardly transmit hope, change, and radical self-love.
Crysta will also be present throughout the retreat to offer support and a place to rest for any participants who need it through embodiment practices.
cassandra lam
{SHE:HER}
Cassandra Lam (she/her) is a Vietnamese-American trauma-informed somatic healing facilitator guiding people who feel tired, stressed, and stuck-in-survival to rest. In March 2021, Cassandra created Collective Rest in response to the collective exhaustion and grief she witnessed first-hand while hosting rapid-response healing circles for BIPOC & AAPI communities. As a neurodivergent daughter of refugees living with complex PTSD and chronic pain, Cassandra is passionate about creating spaces of safety, healing, and empowerment rooted in community care. Presently, she resides on the unceded lands of the Cherokee (Asheville, NC) with her partner and their senior cat
SessionCollective Rest
A guided relaxation practice that will support your mental health through breathwork, visualization, and meditation. In this healing space, we will lay down, separately but together, for a soothing journey towards rest.
dr. kenly brown
{she:her}
Kenly (she/her) is a postdoctoral fellow at Washington University in St. Louis in the Department of African andAfrican American Studies. She earned a PhD in African Diaspora and African American Studies at theUniversity of California, Berkeley with a designated emphasis in Women, Gender, and SexualityStudies. Her research interests and teaching agenda draws from her interdisciplinary training inBlack intellectual thought and social science situated at the nexus of race, gender, and institutionalviolence. While at Berkeley, she co-founded the Black/Girlhood Imaginary working group and servedas a project manager in the Justice Interaction Lab. Her research has been supported by the FordFoundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowship and AERA Minority Writing Fellowship. She currently runs theBlack Girlhood Studies Lab, housed in the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Equity at WashingtonUniversity in St. Louis..
sessionCultivating Seeds of Abolition in (Work) Life
In this session, we will learn about the importance ofrelationships and harm reduction in work culture to creategenerative and innovative strategies to make collectiveimpact.
chiara maya
{she:her}
Chiara is an artist, life designer, and spiritual consultant from the north redwood coast of California.She grew up immersed in Native American sacred rituals, learning from the wisdom of esteemedtribal elders. That foundation was the driving force to continually explore the power of sourceconsciousness and access to infinite intangible intelligence. Chiara founded her spiritual consultingcompany Reveal Your Light in 2015 and is certified as an Advanced Akashic Records Practitioner andas an Advanced Personal Pathway and Lifeway Practitioner. Chiara teaches two courses a year,Creative Life Design, a unique and adaptive approach to creating a more satisfying and meaningfulway to engage with life, and Tapping into Flow: Soul Rhythm Connection. Her work is based on herpersonal transformational experiences of healing and growth as a recovering perfectionist and iscentered on revealing your inner-most sacred truth to better navigate your life from a deeplycongruent and aligned perspective.
sessionTapping into Flow: Finding Rhythm through Celebration
This introductory course shares an overview of how to access ourunique soul rhythm through the Four Commitments of Flow: SelfRespect for Safety, Reconciling Fears, Self Care Rituals, and thena deep dive into Cultivating a Mindset of Celebration. Throughthis exploration of the fourth commitment we will understand whywe are worth celebrating and walk away with a personalizedtemplate for our own celebration rituals
theon freeman
{he:him}
Theon Freeman is a Community Builder, Producer & Facilitator that centers his work and values around Community, Culture & Connection. Coupled with a passion to uplift and amplify BIPOC voices, Theon prides himself on crafting a life that is led by joy. He is also a Wedding Officiant & Entrepreneur.
event strategistTechnical Support & Care Team
Theon is available for production and technical support throughout the day.
Tickets closed
for yourself or BIPOC employees of an institution, organization, or group
sponsor a ticket for an individual or small budget organization
to support Room to Breathe & Sponsorship Tickets
Approaching your employer
to purchase tickets
We’ve created a form letter to help you approach your employer. Please get in touch at roomtobreathe@rebeccakellyg.com if you have any questions or would like assistance in communicating with them.
If cost is a barrier to attendance, we offer a sliding scale.
FAQ
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The retreat is for people who work in predominantly white institutions, organizations, or groups and identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or as a Person of Color.
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Predominantly white institutions can commit space during the work week for BIPOC staff to rest and build community with support from practitioners and facilitators dedicated to liberation and wellness.
Now more than ever, institutions are asking: how can we put action behind our internal commitments to change culture? Room to Breathe is a step on that path that centers BIPOC needs.
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The retreat is offered biannually.
The upcoming Room to Breathe takes place on Friday, March 17, 2023 from 10:00am-5:30pm.
Sign up with your email address on this page and follow us on IG for upcoming retreat and programming dates.
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Visit the ticketing section of this page to purchase a ticket or donate to the fund. You will be taken to our EventBrite page to complete the purchase.
This event is funded by predominantly white institutions, organizations, and white allies.
Purchase options:
Organizations may purchase tickets for up to 10 BIPOC employees of an institution, organization, or group
BIPOC individuals working at PWIs may purchase tickets for themselves
Pay it forward - sponsor a ticket for an individual or small organization
Donate - to support our scholarship fund
If cost is a barrier, email roomtobreathe@rebeccakellyg.com for availability of Sponsorship Tickets and Sliding Scale options
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Equity: Debiasing and anti-racist programming can sometimes require BIPOC to unearth wounds requiring healing, and/or put an undesired spotlight and emotional labor on BIPOC members.
Room to Breathe provides an important BIPOC-only space to counter this dynamic.
Healing: Operating in predominantly white spaces, even while those institutions or groups are evolving, can contribute to weathering for BIPOC staff and community members. Weathering refers to the physical and emotional conditions that can result from continuous exposure to “microaggressions” and systemic racism. Room to Breathe provides BIPOC with an opportunity to share and heal from these experiences.
Justice: The uprisings and calls for accountability and racial justice highlighted serious inequities in access to healthcare and wellness, especially for marginalized communities. The need for change hasn't disappeared.
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Yes, we have a limited number of scholarships available. Contact us at roomtobreathe@rebeccakellyg.com for more information.
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Yes!
Sign up with your email address above and follow us on IG for upcoming retreat and programming dates.
2023 SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
times listed in EST
10:00 am
Welcome
10:20 am
Meditation & Mindfulness
11:30 am
Restorative Movement
12:00 pm
Lunch Break
1:00 pm
Community Care & Unlearning Internalized Oppression
2:45 pm
Sound Session & Processing Grief
3:30pm
Self-Compassion & Restoration
4:40 pm
Collective Rest
5:20 pm
Close Out
Non-Presenting Room to Breathe Facilitators KENLY BROWN PHD
{SHE:HER}
Kenly is a postdoctoral fellow at Washington University in St. Louis in the Department of African and African American Studies. She earned a PhD in African Diaspora and African American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley with a designated emphasis in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
Her research interests and teaching agenda draws from her interdisciplinary training in Black intellectual thought and social science situated at the nexus of race, gender, and institutional violence. While at Berkeley, she co-founded the Black/Girlhood Imaginary working group and served as a project manager in the Justice Interaction Lab. Her research has been supported by the Ford Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowship and AERA Minority Writing Fellowship. She currently runs the Black Girlhood Studies Lab, housed in the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Equity at Washington University in St. Louis.
2022 SessionCultivating Seeds of Abolition in (Work) Life
In this session, we will learn about the importance of relationships and harm reduction in work culture to create generative and innovative strategies to make collective impact.
CHIARA MAYA
{SHE:HER}
Chiara is an artist, life designer, and spiritual consultant from the north redwood coast of California. She grew up immersed in Native American sacred rituals, learning from the wisdom of esteemed tribal elders. That foundation was the driving force to continually explore the power of source consciousness and access to infinite intangible intelligence. Chiara founded her spiritual consulting company Reveal Your Light in 2015 and is certified as an Advanced Akashic Records Practitioner and as an Advanced Personal Pathway and Lifeway Practitioner. Chiara teaches two courses a year, Creative Life Design, a unique and adaptive approach to creating a more satisfying and meaningful way to engage with life, and Tapping into Flow: Soul Rhythm Connection. Her work is based on her personal transformational experiences of healing and growth as a recovering perfectionist and is centered on revealing your inner-most sacred truth to better navigate your life from a deeply congruent and aligned perspective.
2022 SessionTapping into Flow: Find Your Rhythm through Celebration
This introductory course shares an overview of how to access your unique soul rhythm through the Four Commitments of Flow: Self Respect for Safety, Reconciling Fears, Self Care Rituals, and then a deep dive into Cultivating a Mindset of Celebration. Through this exploration of the fourth commitment you will understand why you are worth celebrating and walk away with a personalized template for your own celebration rituals.
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