Education

Professional Experience

Babalawo, priest of West African Yoruba Orisa tradition, 2000-present.

• Conduct religious ceremonies and spiritual consultations.
• Teach classes and conduct workshops.
• Support individual and community religious and spiritual practices.

Sole Proprietor, Healing and Liberation Counseling, Consultant, Babalawo, Clinical Social Worker, New Haven, CT, 2012-Present.

• Integrate mental health, spiritual health and social justice assessments and interventions throughout practice.
• Provide consulting and professional development for organizations and agencies.
• Conduct ceremonies, workshops and consultations utilizing Yoruba religious practices.
• Provided psychotherapy services 2012-2021.

Wellness and Liberation Coordinator, Recognizing and Eliminating disparities in Addition through Culturally relevant Healthcare (REACH) Program, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, virtual, 2020-present.

• 8 month program to train underrepresented minority clinicians entering the field of addiction treatment. 
• Develop and implement Self-Preservation & Healing Module
• Monthly sessions with Scholars
• Quarterly sessions with Mentors

Leadership Development, Community Leadership Program(CLP), CEIO Organizer’s Path(OP), New Haven and Hamden, CT, 2014-2020.

• Co-facilitate nine month leadership program for local community leaders(CLP) 2014-2020.
• Develop curriculum and support recruiting for leadership program(CLP) 2017-2020.
• Coached activists and organizers(OP) 2018-19.

Clinical Social Worker, 2006-2014. 

• Clifford Beers Clinic(CBC), New Haven, CT, 2006-2014,
  • Conduct intakes, risk assessments, crisis management/interventions, case management and individual, group and family interventions.
  • Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Program within Specialized Services Program for youth with Problem Sexual Behaviors (PSB).  
• West Haven Veterans Administration(VA) (Internship), West Haven, CT, 2007- 2008.
  • Conduct intakes, risk assessments, crisis management/interventions, case management and outpatient interventions.
  • PTSD Outpatient Clinic and Psychiatric Emergency Department

Social Justice Engagement, 1985-present.

• Transformative Justice Group, New Haven, CT, community members who met to address sexual assault in community in non-punative manner centered on restorative justice practices with the person who caused harm.  2019-2021.
• Uprooting Racism in the Food system Immersion (URFI), Soul Fire Farm, facilitated education of healing concepts and liberatory practices for participants, 2017.
• Marta Sotomayor Fellow, Smith College School for Social Work, provided confidential consulting on issues of ableism, gender oppression and racism, partnered with various College offices on institutional responsibility for harm and creating institutional change, 2016-2018.
• Movement Justice Collective, organized to bring a justice lens to a dance community and to promote institutional change at a dance retreat center, Earthdance, MA, 2017-2018.
• Member of Board of Directors, Common Ground High School/New Haven Ecology Project, when addressing racial and economic disparity among students, staff, curriculum, hiring practices and community programming, 2009- 2011.
• Successfully organized undergraduate students to eliminate inappropriate on-campus job recruitment by the CIA, Middlebury College, 1990.
• U.S. Delegate, 13^th World Festival for Youth and Students, Pyongyang, North Korea, 1989.
• Student organizer, Third World Awareness, Brookline High School, organized to have the Town of Brookline’s Retirement Board to divest $125,000 of Teacher’s Retirement funds invested in companies doing business in apartheid South Africa, 1985.

Artist, Boston, Washington DC, New York, New Haven, 1992-present.

• Poet and fiction writer, open mic and literary events, Literary Happy Hour, Black Minds REwired, Permission to Fail, 2016-present
• Woodcarver, design, build and sell original art, 1997-Present

Workshops/Facilitation

• Ancestor Tent, Juneteenth Celebration, International Festival of Arts and Ideas, New Haven , CT 2023.
• “Roots of Blackness, Indigeneity, Humanity and Healing”, Racial Justice Institute, virtual, 2022.
• Spirituality and Resilience for Black Men, Sankofa Institute, Bridgeport, CT, 2022.
• Restoration Circles, My Reflection Maters, virtual, 2022.
• Ancestor reverence as a spiritual practice, My Reflection Maters, virtual, 2022.
• Ancestor reverence as a source of liberation and healing, Root Down Program, 2022. 
• Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Conference, New Haven Public Schools, virtual, 2022.
• Opening libations and prayers, Juneteenth Celebration, International Festival of Arts and Ideas, New Haven, CT, 2021. 
• Healing from racialized trauma, Fannie Mae Educational Fund, New Haven, CT, 2021. 
• Parent Workshop, My Reflection Maters, virtual, 2021.
• Grief Session, COOP High School, New Haven, CT, 2021.
• Grief Session, EMERGE, New Haven, CT, 2020.
• Community Leadership Program, Co-Leader, Hamden, CT 2014-2020.
• Black Obsidian Retreat, Incarnation Center, Deep River, CT, 2019.
• “Introduction to Yoruba Orisa Tradition”, Elm City Montessori, New Haven, CT, 2019.
• “Community Conversations with Tagan Engel”, Kehler Liddell Gallery, New Haven, CT, 2019.
• Ongoing Healing Ceremonies, West River/West Rock, New Haven, CT, 2016-Present.
• CEIO’s Organizers Path Program, Coach for community organizers, New Haven, CT, 2018-2019.
• “Youth rites of passage program”, Black and Latin(x) Youth Immersion, WildSeed Community Farm and Healing Village, Millerton, NY, 2018.
• “Community Conversations: love and beauty as resistance”, Kehler Liddell Gallery, New Haven, CT, 2018.
• “Rise and Fail of the N Word”, WCGMF, Rhinold Ponder and Kehler Liddell Gallery, Organizational team, led opening and closing event, community discussions, New Haven, CT, 2018.
• “Self Care Expo: Ancestral Connections”, Afro-American Cultural Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 2018.
• “Undoing Racism in the Food System Immersion”, Soul Fire Farm, Grafton, NY, 2017.
• “Ancestor Healing Practice”, Soul Fire Farm, Grafton, NY, 2016.
• “Healing with our Ancestors”, CEIO, Deeper Change Forum, New Haven, CT, 2015.
• “We are alive, NOW! Healing with our ancestors, speaking with our hearts”,  Peaceful Dragon Temple, Two Streams Zen, Westhampton, MA, July 2014.
• “Digging Deep: How Our Own Physical/Emotional/Spiritual Health Impacts Our Lives And Those Of Our Clients”, Healing the Generations Conference, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation/Clifford Beers Clinic, CT, 2013.
• “Parenting 101″, West River First Annual Family Forum, West River Neighborhood Services Corporation, New Haven, CT, 2013.
• “Integrating indigenous approaches to bereavement with clinical therapeutic practices”, Healing the Generations Conference, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation/Clifford Beers Clinic, 2012.
• “Cultivating Compassion: Mindfulness Practices with Youth with Problem Sexual Behaviors (PSB)”, Healing the Generations Conference, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation/Clifford Beers Clinic, 2011.
• “The Impact of Mental Health Issues on Students Behaviors and Physical Health While in School”, CT Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Critical Issues in School Health Conference, 2011.
• “Spirituality: Bringing it into the room”, Healing the Generations Conference, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation/Clifford Beers Clinic, 2010.
• “Addressing Trauma In Our Schools: Helping Nurses Help Children”, with Lester Bentley, MS and Tara Davila, LCSW, CT Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Critical Issues in School Health Conference, 2010.
• “Clinical Implications of Indigenous Spiritual Practices and Traditions”, Healing the Generations Conference, 2009. You Inc., 2009.  Clifford Beers Clinic, 2006 and 2009. West Haven VA Hospital, 2008.  Smith College School for Social Work, 2006-2008.

Professional and Program Development, Organizational Training

• National Clinical Scholars Program (Yale school of Medicine) 2022, National Black Food and Justice Alliance 2022, Semilla Collective 2021/2022, CANS Program/United Way 2021, William Casper Graustein Memorial Fund 2016 and 2021, CT Bail Fund 2019, All Our Kin/Early Head Start 2018-2020, WildSeed 2018-2019, Quinnipiac University 2017-2018, The Word 2017, Hartford Youth Scholars, 2017, The Future Project 2017, Perrin Family Foundation Grantees 2015, Common Ground High School 2014-2015, Perrin Family Foundation 2014, New Haven Ecology Project 2013, Music Haven 2011.
• “Reflective Supervision Sessions”, All Our Kin’s Early Head Start Program, Staff and Providers, Ongoing, New Haven, CT 2018-2019.
• Curriculum Committee, Community Leadership Program, New Haven, CT, 2018-2020.
• DELTA Project, Youth leadership program, Neighborhood Music School, New Haven, CT, 2017.
• Clifford Beers Clinic, Developed mindfulness curriculum for adolescent males with Problem Sexual Behaviors(PSB) within an Intensive Outpatient Program(IOP)2010.

Panels/Speaking

• Guest Speaker, “Love Babz Love Talk”, Intersection of Yoruba practices, justice and mental health, WNHH Community Radio 103.5 FM,  2018-present.
• Guest Speaker, “Spirituality and Self Care”, Dive-In-Justice podcast, Center for Whole Communities, 2020.
• Panel, “Spirituality, Faith and Religion: Creating a Time and Space for Connection, Wellness and Hope for Health Care Providers”, New England Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, virtual, 2021.
• Guest Speaker, National Clinical Scholars Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 2022.
• Panel, Deeper Change Forum: Circle for Black Men, CEIO, virtual, 2021.
• Panel, Lost/Found, Kehler Liddell Gallery, New Haven, CT 2022.
• Guest Speaker, “Spirituality and Social Work,” Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, 2019.
• Panel,“Still I Rise: Navigating Collective Black Trauma and Resilience”, Black Solidarity Conference, Yale University, 2019.
• Panel, “Reflections on the Smith College SSW Community of Color”, Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, MA, 2017.
• Keynote, “Networking Orientation for Students of Color”, Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, MA, 2017.
• “Elder Talk”, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA 2016.
• Keynote, “The Powers of Smith (and Beyond): Smith Alumni Speak”, Smith College School for Social Work, 2014.
• Panel, Anti-Racism Symposium, Smith College School for Social Work, 2013.
• Panel, Curriculum Day, Smith College School for Social Work, 2012.
• Opening Address, Healing the Generations Conference, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation/Clifford Beers Clinic, 2010.
• Opening Welcome and Prayers, Builders of Hope Breakfast, Clifford Beers Clinic, New Haven, CT 2009.
• Valedictorian, Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, MA, 2008.

Groups

• Transformative Justice Group, New Haven, CT, 2019-2021
• Community of Orisa practitioners, biweekly, New Haven, CT 2019-present.
• Community Healing Ceremonies, West River, New Haven, CT 2016-present.
• Common Ground High School, Student and Parent Support Groups, 2012-2016:
  • “Freshmen Transition”, “Grief and Loss”, “Guidance Team Support”, “Guy Talk”, “Healthy Relationships”, “Senior Stress Management”, “Sex and Drugs”.
• Clifford Beers Clinic, 2008-2013:
  • To address anger, healthy sexuality, mindfulness practices, problem sexual behaviors, social skills, and trauma, for adolescent males that have exhibited Problem Sexual Behaviors(PSB) and in an Intensive Outpatient Program(IOP).

Boards, Programs and Organizational Partnerships

• Two Streams Zen Peaceful Dragon Temple, Advisory Council, 2012-present
• Community Leadership Program, Co-Leader and Fellow, New Haven, CT, 2014-2020.
• Healing and Liberation Collective, New Haven, CT, 2017-2018.
• Community Leadership Program, participant, Cohort 10, 2011. 
• Board of Directors, New Haven Ecology Project, New Haven, CT, 2009-2011.
• All Our Kin/Early Head Start, ArtEcon, City Wide youth Coalition(CWYC), Clifford Beers Clinic, Co-creating Effective and Inclusive Organizations (CEIO), Common Ground High School, Community Leadership Program, CT Bail Fund, CT-CORE, Earthdance, EMERGE, The Future Project, Hampshire College, Hartford Youth Scholars, Kehler Liddell Gallery, Montessori School of Northampton(MA), Music Haven, Neighborhood Music School, New Haven Ecology Project, One Village Healing, Organizers Path(CEIO), International Festival of Arts and Ideas, Perrin Family Foundation, Quinnipiac University, REACH Program, Semilla Collective, Smith College School for Social Work, Soul Fire Farm, Two Streams Zen Peaceful Dragon Temple, West Haven VA Hospital, West River Neighborhood Services Corporation, WildSeed, William Casper Graustein Memorial Fund, The Word, Yale University, You Inc..

Teaching/Advising/Fellowships

• Environmental Leader in Residence, Common Ground High School, New Haven, CT, 2022-2023.
• “Ancestor Reverence as a spiritual practice”, online course, 2020-2022.
• “Introduction to Yoruba Orisa Tradition”, One Village Healing, New Haven CT, 2019-2020.
• Marta Sotomayor Fellow, Smith College School for Social Work, 2016-2018. Provided confidential consultations to students, faculty, advisors, and administrators on issues related to ableism, gender and race.  Worked with school to change institutional systems of oppression. 
• Adjunct Professor, “Community Based Practice with Children and Families”, Smith College School for Social Work, 2013 and 2015.
• Community Practice Project Advisor(CPPA), Smith College School for Social Work, 2016/2017.

Published Writings

• Together or separate: Implications for expressing progressive social justice work and spiritual practices. Graduate Thesis (M.S.W.) Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, MA, 2008.