From 2022-2024 we partnered with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to amplify our commitment to racial equity and transformative solidarity. Through this collaboration, we empowered grassroots advocates by providing them with access to restorative tools and a supportive community. Our cohort of 17 advocates are now driving positive change on a global scale.
Burnout among racial justice leaders is real. The compounded stresses of entrenched, systemic injustice and advocacy work can disrupt every aspect of our lives—our relationships, our workplaces, and our communities, in addition to our individual health. Trauma is a significant public health issue. Yet, with the right tools to address and move beyond the burnout, leaders can move through trauma and gain a deeper understanding of self and others, greater wisdom, and more compassion. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM) equips leaders with the training and tools necessary for personal healing and resilience building.
In August 2022, CMBM launched our partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to bring our model of self-care and mutual support to racial justice advocates across the United States. CMBM Faculty and member of the W.K. Kellogg Solidarity Council on Racial Equity (SCoRE), Diane Wolk-Rogers, MEd, NBCT, recognized the need for racial justice advocates to gain access to the CMBM model for self-care and mutual support.
Through her advocacy, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has generously supported the participation of racial justice advocates in CMBM training, with 17 advocates joining our March 2023 Online Professional Training Program in Mind-Body Medicine. In this five-day training, participants engaged deeply with our evidence-based model and forged connections with professionals around the world. More than two-thirds of participants continued on through CMBM’s Advanced Training Program, and several became Certified in Mind-Body Medicine.
Impact
The W.K. Kellogg Racial Justice Cohort consisted of 17 passionate changemakers committed to transformative community healing and racial justice. They came from diverse communities grappling with historical, systemic racism and communities reeling with the aftermath of racist acts of mass violence. They also made global impacts through their work with refugees and asylum-seekers.
Following PTP, 100% of survey respondents agreed that the training program prepared them to apply mind-body medicine techniques in their work or personal life. As a result of the training, participants brought mind-body medicine to refugee-status youth, women from the Iranian diaspora, communities ravaged by mass shootings, youth detention centers, public schools in Baltimore, and many other communities. Here are what a few of our scholars had to say about the program:
Testimonials
Despite being in the early stages of the program, these scholars have begun sharing the CMBM model in the communities they serve and are seeing significant positive outcomes.
‘Thank you’ are two small words that go a long way. How do you say ‘thank you’ to someone who gave you the opportunity to re-discover yourself and introduced you to so many other amazing people who are on the same journey? I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn skills and practices to heal myself and then teach others to do the same. Thank you.
This training was life-changing. It introduced me to people from around the world. I was able to hear, connect, and empathize with other people’s pain, trauma, and lifestyles. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life as a young Black man and I’m very thankful to have been able to participate in this program.