Session Type(s): Panel
Audre Lorde said: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Working to change the world while neglecting ourselves and our immediate communities depletes us and replicates patterns of trauma, harm, and extraction. We need a radical, ongoing investment in our own healing. The panelists will share and explore their commitments to cultivating a culture of self and community care in order to build power and increase sustainability in social justice work.
Johnaé Strong is a writer, healer, and creative based in Chicago and Accra, Ghana. She has a background in education and has taught all ages from toddlers to adults including serving as a Restorative Justice practitioner. A large part of her work has integrated political education, healing, and organizing including her tenure as a founding member and Co-Chair of the Chicago chapter of BYP100, an organization a part of the national Movement for Black Lives. Currently, she is founder & CEO of Strong Visions Productions, a multimedia company committed to honoring the beauty and wisdom of BIPOC folks through education, healing, and the arts. She is on all social media @johnae_alyse