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Here is a growing list of some wonderful teachers that have helped me learn and unwind. When I’m opening to new voices, I find it helpful to feel into them with intentional connection first. Some guidelines to do that are:

1. Stay open and connected while exploring – deep belly breaths, a receptive posture.
2. This very short blog always opens me and may help you prepare.
3. Call upon some of the forces and people who brought you to this point – invite them to watch and learn with you (in spirit 🙂 Just see how that feels.
4. Scroll through the timelines and websites ~ follow links ~ watch videos.
5. Feel into who they are, what they are teaching, and to whom they are speaking.
6. Remember that while some information may be helpful for your own personal needs, not everything is created and shared with you in mind. 
7. Listen in a new way – beyond cognitive, read between the lines, feel them.
8. Pay attention to when you may feel the binary – good/bad, loud/quiet, angry/kind, etc and how it feels in you? Be curious why it’s coming up in you.
9. Read the comments if available as well as the replies to comments to learn, but please do not comment, like or share during this exploration period.
10. Perhaps follow some with differing styles and perspectives.
11. If inclined and able, pay them for their wisdom and emotional labor in sharing – join their Patreon sites, buy their books, make a one-time payment.
    • If purchasing their books, consider doing so from a Black-owned bookstore such as Brain Lair Books, A Room of One’s Own or Eye See Me.
12. Most importantly…pay attention to how it all makes you feel – emotions, physical body feels, mind chatter. All of it. No judgement of yourself. Just take note.

Black Women to Follow, Listen to, Learn from… Week 1 consider those in the highlighted area below.

• Rachel Cargel: https://rachel-cargle.com/
  • The Great Unlearn (must be a Patreon supporter)
  • TedTalk, Red Table, etc. 
• Layla Saad: http://laylafsaad.com/
  • The Good Ancestor Academy (and podcast)
  • Me and White Supremacy book/workbook
• Chakita Sarnise Patterson: https://chakitasharnise.com/
  • United Street Tours (Nashville)
  • Learning to Rise Together/The Classroom – curricula
  • 7-Day Antiracism Challenge
• Imani Barbarin – Crutches and Spice: https://crutchesandspice.com/
  • Ableism and Black perspective
• Leesa Renee Hall: https://leesareneehall.com/ 
  • Explore Biases Now (book) & Expressive Writing Prompts (series)
• Three Token Brown Girls: https://www.threetokenbrowngirls.com/
  • IG highlights ‘Basics’ + podcast

Black Women to Follow, Listen to, Learn from… Week 2 consider those in the highlighted area below.

• Alicia Garza: @chasinggarza + https://aliciagarza.com/ + @ladydonttakenopodhttps://blacklivesmatter.com/herstory/ + https://www.thefeministwire.com/2014/10/blacklivesmatter-2/ (another version of Herstory)
• Patrice Cullors: @osopepatrisse + @reformlajails + @blmlosangelosWhen They Call You a Terrorist (book)
• Artist and activist (BLM); daily actions in link tree
• Opal Tometi: @opalayo + https://www.opaltometi.org/  + @diasporarising
• adrienne maree brown: @adriennemareebrown + http://adriennemareebrown.net/ Pleasure Activism, Emergent Strategy (books)
• Lots of interviews, podcasts, posts, etc. 
• Ericka Hart: @ihartericka + http://ihartericka.com + https://erickahart.podia.com   Webinars, IG feed, videos, etc. 
• Laverne Cox: @lavernecox + https://lavernecox.com Disclosure (film)
• AC Dumlao: @mx.acdumlao + https://callmethey.com

Indigenous Folks/Groups to Follow, Listen to, Learn from… Week 3 consider those in this highlighted area

• Delores Huerta – @deloreshuerta + https://doloreshuerta.org/ 
• Dr. Rosales Meza – @dr.rosalesmeza + https://www.drrosalesmeza.com/ 
  • Note: This information may resonate with us and be helpful, but stay present in the fact that it is not created for us.
• Lil Native Boy – @lilnativeboy
• Standing Rock Sioux Tribe – @standingrocksiouxtribe + https://www.standingrock.org/ 
• Indigenous Goddess Gang – @indigenousgoddessgang + https://www.indigenousgoddessgang.com/ 
• Soundwalk app – @soundwalk_app + https://soundwalkapp.com/ 
  • Voices of the Myaamiaki – Little Turtle Memorial, 640 Lawton Place, Fort Wayne, IN 46805
• Native approps – @nativeapprops + @amrpodcast + https://www.adriennekeene.com/ 
• Ndn collective – @ndncollective + https://ndncollective.org/ 
• Land back revolution – @land_back_revolution
• Nativeland – @nativelandnet + https://native-land.ca/ 
• Oren Lyons – https://www.facebook.com/OrenLyonsFaithkeeper/ 
• Deb Haaland – @debhaalandnm + https://debforcongress.com/ 

Poets to Follow, Listen to, Learn from… Week 4 consider those in the highlighted area below

Note: Live poetry readings are powerful, so consider seeking them out for those below and others you discover.

• Norma Johnson: (featured in class): https://allinspirit.com  
  • Our Stories Become Us: https://dazzledenver.com/speaks/our-stories-become-us/
  • A Letter to My White Friends: I Didn’t Tell You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UVIgjuovt8
• Andrea Gorman: https://www.theamandagorman.com/ + @amandascgorman
• Alexis Pauline Gumbs: https://www.alexispauline.com/ + @alexispauline
• Danez Smith: http://www.danezsmithpoet.com/bio-encore + @danez_smif + live readings on YouTube
• NatashaTmiller: https://buttonpoetry.com/natasha-t-miller/ + @natashatmiller (IG) + @tmillerpoetry (FB) 
• Javon Johnson: https://buttonpoetry.com/javon-johnson/ + @javonism (IG) + @javonjohnsonn (FB)
• Joy Harjo: https://www.joyharjo.com/ + @joyharjoforreal (IG) + @joyharjo (FB)
• Claudia Rankine: http://claudiarankine.com/ 
• Button Poetry (publisher): https://buttonpoetry.com/ + @buttonpoetry + YouTube channel
• The Poem Market – Kourtney Jones: @thepoemmarket 

Local Artists, Activists, Groups to Follow, Listen to, Learn from… Week 5 consider those in the highlighted area below

• Changemakers: https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersFW/ + @changemakers.fw
• Courageous healing: https://www.courageoushealing.org/ + @courageoushealinginc
• Art Leadership Center: https://www.facebook.com/TheArtLeadershipCenter/ + @theartleadershipcenter
• Hyperlocal impact/Family and Friends Fund: https://www.familyandfriendsfund.org/ + @hyperlocalimpact
• Project Activate Southeast (PASE)/Sharon Tucker: https://www.wowo.com/councilwoman-sharon-tucker-announces-entrepreneurial-pitch-program-for-southeast-fort-wayne/ + https://www.facebook.com/sharon.tucker.3110
• Michelle Chambers: https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/michelle-chambers-at-large.html + @votechambers
• Green Hair Revolution: https://www.beautynailhairsalons.com/US/Fort-Wayne/380988401955492/Green-Hair-Revolution/ + https://www.facebook.com/GreenHairRevolution/ + @green_hair + https://www.inputfortwayne.com/news/GreenHairRevolution.aspx
• Fort 806: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fort-806/id1435008603 + @fort806
• Lyndy Bazile/Afroplump: https://lyndybazile.com/ + @afroplump
• DJ E-Clyps/Blacklight Media: https://www.blacklightmediafw.com/ + @djeclyps + @blacklightmediafw
• Ron Lewis: @rontothelewis 
• Teresa Yarbrough: https://www.expressionsstudiogallery.com/ + @expressionsstudiogallery
• Theoplis Smith/Phresh Laundry https://www.phreshlaundry.com/ + @thatlaundry
• Kibwe Cooper: @darkchild_21