Introduction
We all come to a point in our lives when we desire some kind of change. There may be times when that change comes as smooth as silk, and other times when we can’t work out a way to go about it. For those of us lucky enough to be comfortable in our current reality, change may be something we want nothing to do with. Regardless of where we fall on the spectrum, I believe we can all agree that the current state of our world demands a massive and fundamental change – a change that leads to a healthier, happier planet. But what exactly needs to change? Ourselves, for starters.
At one point or another, we may feel called to change our habits, skills, circumstances, and relationships in order to grow or be at our best. The beautiful thing is that when we make the effort to change ourselves, the benefits often ripple outward to the communities we are a part of. But it is also true that change can feel really hard and uncomfortable. It is during these difficult transitions that our communities can serve as essential sources of support – offering encouragement, inspiration, knowledge, and accountability. This has never been more urgently needed than it is now.
The urgency of this support becomes clearer when we look at the deeper roots of our need for change. We are living through times in which disconnection has fueled the harmful and destructive cycles we see today – a disconnection that was compounded and solidified into our collective reality through the massacre and forced removal of Indigenous communities from their ancestral lands and the enslavement of African people. In many of these communities, spiritual and socio-political ways-of-being were rooted in reciprocity and harmonious co-existence with Nature. Recovering and honoring that wisdom is part of how we begin to heal the harm of the present.
Nature teaches us that the most resilient ecosystems are not the ones where only the strongest survive – they are the ones with the most diverse, interconnected, and mutually supportive relationships. The same is true for human societies. The mental health crisis, the climate crisis, and the crisis of social and environmental injustice that BIPOC and TransLGBQIA+ communities continue to disproportionately experience are not separate emergencies. They are symptoms of the same wound: a collective severing from Self, community, Nature, and the Divine – and that is exactly what Angelic Musings y Virtudes (AMYV) was built to heal.
To address the disconnect at the root of past and present harm, AMYV has developed a holistic and decolonial framework that aims to transform this destructive cycle into a regenerative cycle of Connection. Our framework (Figure 1) comprehensively targets healing at the individual, community, and societal (i.e., structural) levels via three interconnected pathways of integration: restorative self-elevation, resilient community building, and socio-ecological regeneration. It is a framework grounded in the understanding that a healthy planet is one made up of healthy societies that are built from healthy communities composed of healthy individuals. Here is how our framework addresses change at every level of Life:
Restorative Self-Elevation (Healthy Individuals)
Restorative self-elevation refers to the intentional and intuitive actions individuals take toward their healing, growth, and development – which promote greater connection to Self and the Divine. Our programs create spaces and experiences that offer tools and opportunities for this work within group containers grounded in accountability, mutual support, and uplift. We model a holistic approach to wellness, integrating physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being in ways that center Afro-Taino and other non-traditional ways-of-being. In our weekly wellness programming, this is practiced through the four dimensions of holistic well-being – Move, Nourish, Connect, Be (Open Source Wellness).
Because healing from disconnection requires consistent, embodied practice, our virtual wellness program meets people where they are and is geared especially toward Queer-Trans Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (QTBIPOC) and neurodivergent (or diffabled) folks, while remaining open to all. Our sliding-scale pricing model is designed to reallocate resources from more-resourced participants to mission-aligned charitable initiatives.
Representative recurring services include:
- Meditation Mondays – “Sit with Me”: Group, zen-style meditation sessions focusing on presence and authentic being (Connect; Be).
- Together Tuesdays – “Bonfire Chats”: Free local community conversations on community-solicited topics that elevate, inform, and build cross-difference community (Connect).
- Wellness Wednesdays – “Tea Time w/ E”: A curated tea ceremony woven into a group or one-on-one health and wellness coaching experience designed to foster intentional connection, nourishment, and embodied healing with support from plant allies (Connect; Nourish).
- Teteo Thursdays – “Areito” Dance Rituals: Taíno-inspired dance ceremonies that encourage high-energy movement and connection with Self and the Divine (Connect; Move).
- Fun Fridays – “Pause, Reset, Play!”: Light-hearted, game-based sessions focused on grounding, nervous system reset, and joyful play (Connect; Be).
- Soulful Sundays – “Spiritual Advocacy”: Non-denominational group prayer offerings using songs, chants, poems, spoken word, letters, and other expressive forms to foster individual and collective spiritual advocacy (Connect; Be).
Our offerings also include mission-aligned products that aim to heal, empower, and connect individuals with themselves, the Earth, and the Divine. Items include digital and sticker sigils (visual symbols that represent specific intentions), organic herbal blends, ceremonial aromatherapy candles, and crystal/stone accessories (e.g., waistbeads, necklaces, bracelets, candle plates).
Resilient Community Building (Healthy Communities)
Resilient community building focuses on strengthening connections among people with shared identities, experiences, or geographies via our group wellness offerings. It also works to strengthen community capitals (natural, cultural, human, social, political, financial, built) through art, environmental literacy, skills training, advocacy, mutual aid, community engagement, and socio-ecological regeneration.
The deep healing required to elevate out of the current paradigm of harm does not happen in a vacuum – it requires the fertile soil of community to take root. That’s why, beyond our weekly wellness offerings, we aim to build spaces and experiences for extensive collective engagement. Some of our planned programs include hosting quarterly community seminars and work-groups to educate the public on established and emerging environmental topics, invite community participation in research efforts (community-based participatory research), and gather input on regenerative projects.
Other planned programs include:
- Volunteer & resource fairs that combine service, skill-building, and celebration;
- Wellness retreats that connect individuals with their best selves through communion with healing and restorative Nature;
- Youth camps that provide a fun environment for learning, connection, and community service.
Socio-Ecological Regeneration (Healthy Societies)
Socio-ecological regeneration encompasses environmental monitoring as well as research- and data-informed, regenerative urban community and land development practices. Given that urban environments have been shaped by the few with political and financial power, the distribution of resources and amenities tends to reflect the underlying prejudices, assumptions, and ambitions held by these individuals – often causing harm and remaining disconnected from the real needs of the communities that form part of the landscape.
To identify socio-environmental injustices and guide interventions that remediate harm to vulnerable communities, we will:
- adopt a participatory research approach,
- create opportunities for collective visioning, and
- seek community-led implementation of regenerative projects.
This includes supporting existing and establishing new urban community gardens and other green spaces that revitalize people and the ecosystems they inhabit. Community gardens in particular are treasure troves of social and ecological services. They naturally include community-building opportunities and plants – including native species and edible varieties – that provide healthy food for people, shade and heat mitigation, flood buffering and storm-water management, clean air, and critical habitat for diverse urban wildlife.
Regeneration also means reckoning with the industries that accelerate harm. That’s why we also plan to host seasonal sustainable fashion auctions that feature uniquely curated sets of upcycled and vintage apparel and accessories. These auctions are meant to help foster environmental consciousness by increasing awareness of the harm caused by the wasteful and destructive fast fashion industry, while raising funds for our socio-ecological research and regenerative projects. Each purchase will also include a mini, branded sewing kit to reinforce the ethic that “mending is better than ending” – thereby reducing textile waste and encouraging longer garment lifespans.
Together, these pathways help transform harmful disconnection into a regenerative cycle of healing, belonging, and shared stewardship.
Conclusion
No great change is achieved in isolation. The transformation we are proposing to facilitate cannot come to fruition without support and input from you – the people we serve. Though we have taken it upon ourselves to lead the effort of creating a healthier and happier planet, healing the disconnect at the root of global harm is a collective responsibility.
We believe that when we [re]connect with:
- ourSelves, we align with that which brings us joy, health, and overall well-being in Life;
- Community, we engage reciprocally and respectfully with others who share an understanding of our experience of Life;
- Nature, we honor all Life around us by integrating natural cycles and rhythms to live in greater harmony with our environments;
- The Divine, we commune with our Universal Source in the understanding that we are both part and whole within the collective ALL.
The change required to heal our planet begins with a single step – a step we would be honored to take alongside you. If you too are an Earth Angel who feels called to be part of this work, there is a place for you here. You can:
🌱 Serve as a Board Member: Help us govern, grow, and stay grounded in our mission.
🫱🏿🫲🏾 Collaborate: Partner with us on a project or program.
💖 Donate or Sponsor: Fuel the work that communities need most.
👣 Follow Along: Subscribe to our newsletter and join us in spirit.
Click below to take your next step.