This truly feels like a dream come true!
For years I have been working on my healing and on my wellness journey, and while I cannot say its been an easy one, its been a full one for sure!
When I completed my yoga teacher training in 2018, just one day before my 28th birthday, I knew I wanted to take this practice and do so much more, give so much more. At the time I was still teaching in New York City and thought that one day I’d like to host a retreat for women of color that allowed us to connect with each other, our inner most parts of ourselves and to be in a beautiful space or country where we felt held. I now have the opportunity to do that and so much more!
…
At the beginning of 2020 I was completely heartbroken and devastated. I was living in New York City, living slightly above paycheck to paycheck and I was in a leadership role that I had worked so hard to get to in my career as an educator, but the job - in many ways - was draining the life out of me. Like many educators, burn out was all too real, I was dealing with the demands of leading in a charter school and was working under leaders who could care less about my well being. In setting boundaries, saying no and sharing the importance of self - care, I was deemed selfish, difficult, and was literally told that “my wellness had to look different because I was a leader.” I was suffering. I showed up to that job - as I had all of my jobs - being 100% committed to the work, to the teachers I was coaching and the young people we were serving, but I was not well. I was not allowed to be well. I was experiencing anxiety unlike never before, had serious trouble sleeping, and was battling depression and panic attacks. I was eating through my emotions and had severe pain from terrible menstrual cycles. My body was speaking to me and I felt like if I stopped, I’d be judged, ridiculed and ostracized even more than I was already experiencing and I did not want to let others down, but I was, in turn, neglecting myself entirely.
…
In February of 2020 I decided to take a medical leave at the recommendation of my therapist, psychiatrist, and those closest to me who knew that I was in really bad shape. The work environment, the lack of support from the leaders directly around and above me, and the inability to truly lean into and trust myself left me debilitated. I knew I had to make a shift. I mustered up the courage to speak to my HR director and my principal at the time and inform them that I’d be taking a medical leave.
I took a medical leave, went to Bali for a yoga retreat the following week (President’s week on the East coast where many schools are off for a week) and while in Bali, feeling entirely held and supported by my faith and those around me, I made the incredibly difficult decision to resign from position as a school leader.
I returned to New York City, began looking for jobs and then two weeks later everything shut down due to the Covid Pandemic. To say that I was in a complete panic and place of despair would be an understatement. I pulled together my savings, continued applying for jobs, found a coupon that would allow me to buy and stay on my anti - depressant and anti - anxiety meds and decided I needed to apply for unemployment.
During this time, I launched my educational consulting business, began to teach yoga and meditation virtually for those who really needed it, and even hosted my first virtual retreat for educators of color.
It became clear to me during this time that I had to believe in and bet on myself. What did I have to lose? I felt like I was already close to my rock bottom during this season of my life. Once my lease ended in New York, I packed up and moved back to my hometown of Columbus, Ohio and while I healed from the absolute trauma that was my time in New York City, I leaned more into what had been placed inside of me to birth. …
As I leaned more into my own healing (journaling, taking walks, yoga, time with my therapist, I also began working with an energy healer), I became closer to myself. I wanted to offer what I gained and experienced on my healing journey to other women, especially women of color.
…
When I was a student at Spelman College, I had the opportunity, privilege really, to be one of seven women to compete for the title of Miss Spelman. Spelman women - if you don’t know - are incredible Black women, so I still smile today at having been chosen among so many to represent my alma mater in this way. My platform at the time was entitled “Imprints” and focused on supporting women and girls through on emphasis on identity, purpose, faith and self - love.
In my years working in schools as an educator, I implemented Imprints as a mentoring program for young girls, and now I have launched She, Imprints as the second installment in my business to work toward the liberation & healing of communities of color.
She, Imprints serves at the intersection of wellness and justice for women and girls of the global majority. Black women, especially, are indeed magical. We truly are. But we are not invincible. Not only do Black women die in larger numbers than our counterparts to heart disease, some cancers, and during childbirth, the intersections of our identity cause us to experience unique harm in this world. Black women and girls are not only deeply brutalized by racism, we are also harmed by patriarchy, sexism, toxic masculinity, and still others of us are harmed by transphobia, homophobia and xenophobia … and the list goes on.
As an educator and racial & social justice warrior, I know that women and girls of the global majority are not simply unwell because of processed foods, food desserts and unequal access to quality education, water and health care. I founded this organization because I know that our wellness is tied up in our fight for equity and social justice. Racism, capitalism, poverty and patriarchy not only have direct and generational impacts on our well - being, I also recognize that systems of oppression impact what we eat, the messages we take in about self care and wellness and often the difficult decisions we make or are unable to make that prohibit us from being well.
It is all connected.
So, yes, while She, Imprints will host beautifully fun retreats and events, we are also uniquely positioned to work against systems of oppression - like racism, sexism, phobias, isms, capitalism, poverty and patriarchy - that really cause us the most harm.
We have designed curriculum for young women and girls, we offer workshops and training around wellness and advocacy, we offer yoga and meditation and we serve our community and advocate for those who have been the most marginalized. We believe in holistic and communal care.
We are elated to serve, to lead, and to hold space.
And we are so glad you are here to join us!
In light, love & liberation,
Jamilah
—--
To learn more about our work, please visit: www.sheimprints.org; or write to us at info@sheimprints.org