Our Vision
A Welcome from Our Hosts
The Embodied Social Justice Summit is dedicated to exploring the intersection of oppression and embodiment; how social and political structures are embedded within bodies (we include the psyche when talking about the body); and how through engaging the body we can respond to the social justice issues of our time, and begin the work of dismantling oppressive systems in our reach towards personal and communal liberation.
Where somatics meets social justice, for us, is where fear and paralysis can become the fire that fuels sustainable activism in the world. We wish to make this exploration as broadly accessible as possible.
We believe an embodied social activism is a sustainable social activism.
There is a growing community exploring and teaching at the intersection of somatics and activism. This summit is intended to join our voices together for an incredibly powerful event. With the presence of each participant and presenter, we wholeheartedly believe that we can build sustainable and embodied processes for personal and social transformation.
This conversation and exploration doesn’t end with the Summit. Our hope is that the Summit is itself an invitation for all of us to challenge how we’ve conceptualized and divided mind/body/spirit, and how we might begin to reimagine ourselves, others and the world we live in.
We welcome you on this journey.
In Love,
Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Rae Johnson, Dr. Sará King & Dr. Scott Lyons
About Your Hosts
Rev. angel Kyodo williams
Co-Director of the Embodied Social Justice Certificate
Rev. angel Kyodo williams is an author, activist, master trainer and founder of Transformative Change. She has been bridging the worlds of transformation and justice since her critically-acclaimed book, Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living With Fearlessness and Grace was hailed as “an act of love” by Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker, and "a classic" by Buddhist pioneer Jack Kornfield.
These days, almost all of her time is devoted to advancing the work ignited by her co-authored book Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love & Liberation to have the conversations necessary to become more awake and aware of what hinders liberation of self and society. The Connections, Circles and Conversations that have emerged from Radical Dharma confront head on the most formidable and critical impediment to justice and social transformation of our time. They have initiated profound healing and deepened commitment to dismantling oppression across lines of race, class, sexual orientation and other divides.
Her work has been widely covered by such publications as the New York Times, Boston Globe, Ms., Essence, Buddhadharma, and On Being with Krista Tippett. Rev. angel happily splits time between Oakland, CA and Brooklyn, NY with her partner Elena and African Grey parrot-friend Mitra. Whether in writing, teaching or speaking, her voice is unique. She was made for these times.
Rae Johnson, PhD, RSMT
Co-Director of the Embodied Social Justice Certificate
Rae Johnson, PhD, RSMT is a scholar/activist and registered somatic movement therapist who currently chairs the Somatic Studies specialization in the Depth Psychology doctoral program at Pacifica Graduate Institute.
The author of several books – including Elemental Movement, Knowing in our Bones, and Embodied Social Justice – Rae teaches and trains internationally on embodied micro-aggressions, somatic research methods, and the poetic body.
Dr. Sará King
Co-Director of the Embodied Social Justice Certificate
Dr. Sará King is a UCLA-trained neuroscientist, political and learning scientist, education philosopher, social-entrepreneur, public speaker, and yoga and mindfulness meditation instructor. She has over 20 years of experience as a research scientist, and specializes in the study of the relationship between mindfulness, complementary alternative medicine, community health and social justice.
Dr. Sará King is currently a post-doctoral fellow in Neurology at OHSU (Oregon Health Science University), a Garrison Institute and Society for Neuroscience Fellow, the executive director of Peace in Schools, a transformative mindfulness education non-profit, the founder of MindHeart Consulting through which she offers up “The Science of Social Justice” framework for contemplative research and facilitation of which she is the creator, and a dharma teacher with Presence Collective.
Dr. Scott Lyons
Dr. Scott Lyons is dedicated to teaching embodiment as a way of exploring human development, healing, growth and transformation. Scott’s deep passion is to integrate somatic practices, transpersonal inquiry and scholarly research into the creative and healing arts.
Scott is a Clinical Psychologist, Doctor of Osteopathy, and Mind-Body Medicine practitioner who specializes in therapies for infants, youth and adults. Scott has been actively involved in transgender healthcare and GLBTIAA+ rights, and is a life long student in the intersection of embodiment and social justice.
Scott is a Certified Body-Mind Centering™ Teacher and Practitioner, Cranio-Sacral Therapist, Visceral Manipulation Therapist, Neuro-Developmental Therapist, Infant Developmental Movement Educator, Registered Movement Therapist and Educator, Trauma Therapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Thai Massage Practitioner, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Mindfulness-based Executive Coach, Experiential Anatomy/ Developmental Movement and Yoga Practitioner, and a 500-hour registered yoga teacher. Additionally Scott holds a BFA in Theater/Psychology, MFA in Dance/Choreography, MS in Clinical Psychology, and a PhD in Clinical Psychology and Mind-Body Medicine.
Scott is the founder of The Embody Lab and has had the privilege of teaching workshops and trainings throughout the United States, Europe, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Scott was an adjunct professor at New York University from 2007-2010 where Scott co-taught the Viewpoints Studio with Mary Overlie. As an artist, Scott’s work has been performed at BAM, Symphony Space, Dance New Amsterdam as well as theaters throughout the United States and Europe.
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THANK YOU
TO OUR SPONSORS
You Belong Here.
As we dive into the depths of who and how you are during this 5-day summit, it is instrumental to know that you belong; that you have a like-minded and nurturing community who will support your experience; that you are exactly where you’re meant to be.
