Black Creative Healing: The Podcast

A space for radical conversation,

mindful collaboration, & wholistic* visioning centering Black Communities.

*our gratitude to Indigenous Scholar Renee Linklater for the intentional re-spelling of the term "wholistic."

We use it here to indicate the wholeness with which we enter into relationship with ourselves, our art, and our communities.

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An image of an illustrated Teal afro surrounds a Brown Face. The words Black Creative Healing are spread throughout the hair and skin.

Black Creative Healing is a platform dedicated to radical conversation, mindful collaboration, & holistic visioning centering Black Communities. Conversations and arts-based collaborations are facilitated by Music Therapists Natasha Thomas and Adenike Webb, and feature professionals from across the professional spectrum of the arts, humanities, and everyday life. We discuss and explore our own creative approaches to healing as a restorative and ongoing transformative act, informed by current events and guided by imagination and care for our communities.

Now on Youtube!

a screenshot from the “BCH Survival Collab” video – it is a Zoom screen capture with three participants. In the top two frames, Black female presenting figures are posed mid-dance. On the left, Anika McDonald is in a room backlit by sunlight coming through a pride flag with the black power fist on it. In the upper right frame, Natasha is posed against a garage wall adorned with hanging fabric in shades of purple and tan. Fairy lights are strung above her head. In the bottom frame Tiffany Morris plays guitar while sitting in a purple onesie against a lavender wall. The text “We Are Not Afraid to Be” is overlaid evenly across the three frames of the screen, in fluorescent blue and pink. Surrounding the screenshot is text from the caption/thread, in various shades of blue/teal, yellow, and pink/purple.

Click the image to view.

Once there, explore our channel to also access our NEW Season 2 Trailer on Youtube as well!

Holding Space for this Journey:

We are your co-conspirators co-facilitators, conversational doulas and fellow travelers ...

NATASHA THOMAS

ADENIKE WEBB

PAST EPISODES

Access Audio (+ Transcripts!) via the info & links below!

BCH 101: with guest Vilissa Thompson

Vilissa Thompson LMSW - Vilissa is a macro-minded social worker from South Carolina. Ramp Your Voice! is her organization where she discusses the issues that matter to her as a Black disabled woman, including intersectionality, racism, politics, and why she unapologetically makes good trouble.

In our Collaboration for Black Creative Healing, Vilissa, Natasha & Adenike discuss the necessity of self-care within the Black Community (particularly amongst Black Helpers, Disabled Women & Femmes), and play with the idea of creating safe and healing spaces.

You can access a transcript of this episode HERE: https://www.dropbox.com/s/z0m065u3lbt9meo/BCH%20101%20Transcript.pdf?dl=0

LISTEN to BCH 101

BCH 102: Diovanni LaBeija

Diovanni LaBeija is an Afro-Latinx dance artist and queer art historian. She is a member of the Royal House of LaBeija (NYC Chapter), has appeared as a featured performer on FX’s hit TV show "Pose", and has danced with Vogue troupes at the Apollo Theater and El Museo del Barrio. Her choreography and art focus on Afro-Latinx culture, spirituality and the Trans identity and experience.

In our collaboration with Dio, Adenike & Natasha dive deep into the history of Ballroom as a part of broader Black History, as well as relating it to African Diasporic Spiritual practices and how those are connected to Black & Queer history as well.

You can access a transcript of this episode HERE: https://tinyurl.com/y72umh6s.

Listen to BCH 102

BCH 103: Jenni Graham

Jenni Graham, LCAT, ATR-BC, MPS is a Nationally Registered &

Board Certified Art Therapist, therapeutic coach & the CEO of Trauma Free University. Jenni co-creates compassionate & empowering spaces of healing, liberation & connection for collective & individual healing from trauma experiences through a lens of restorative mental

& emotional wellness.

In our collaboration, Adenike, Natasha & Jenni discuss the generational and collective aspects of trauma, as well as the power of art to help bring to the surface and integrate aspects of the self that we may not realize have always been there.

You can access a transcript of this episode HERE: https://tinyurl.com/y429ag52

Listen to BCH 103

Text based graphic featuring a photo of Nsamu Moonga and text from the episode description on the webpage

BCH 104: Nsamu Moonga

Nsamu is a music therapist and psychotherapist born and raised in Zambia. Nsamu earned a BA in Psychological Counseling from the University of South Africa and MMus in Music Therapy from the University of Pretoria. A therapist grounded in holistic anti-oppressive practice, Nsamu works with people exploring health and lifestyle choices, medical complications, human sexualities and gender, spiritualities and religious experiences, psychosocial support, and learning enhancement. His music therapy experience span health, medical, and school settings, and centre human development programing, design and facilitation, community infrastructure and social development, cross-cultural living and working.

In our collaboration for Black Creative Healing, Nsamu, Adenike & Natasha discuss colonialism's impact on African Diasporic Peoples, Indigenous perspectives on creativity, and share in an intimate exploration of affirming each other through music. Nsamu's definition of music is not to be missed!

Nsamu is a classically trained singer and enjoys dancing. His interests include lifelong development, learning, and critical theory-informed research. He enjoys long-distance running and writing mystical poetry. He is a foodie, enjoys mentoring youth, and loves being an uncle.

Nsamu's affiliated with the Health Profession Council of South Africa, South African Music Therapy Association, South African National Art Therapy Association, and Institute for Creative Conversations.

You can access a transcript of this episode HERE: https://tinyurl.com/y3y9fhp2

Listen to BCH 104

BCH 105: Our LIVE Season Finale!

Recorded as part of a live event, this episode features returning collaborators from season one of the podcast, as well as some folks from our earlier video blog days. We were joined by Anika MacDonald, Hakeem Leonard, Zelda Lockhart, Nsamu Moonga, and Vilissa Thompson, but also by general members of the Black Creative community on the webinar “stage” with us, if you will, including (in no particular order) Jamilia Jacobs (who you’ll hear referred to as JJ during the broadcast), Kamica King, Shana Oshiro, kei slaughter, Kerri Williams, LeAndrea Wallace, Chantise Hunt, and Keva Melvin.

Other community members, including our non-Black allies, sat in the audience of the webinar, and we thank them for honoring the important role of bearing witness and holding space as we centered Black creativity and joy, played creative games and shared in conversation around topics of community and care, particularly in light of the US Presidential Election and the construct of survival.

We dedicate this episode to our families and loved ones, who have walked (and continue to walk!) beside us.

A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/142qi1umnqntmyg/BCH%20105%20%28Natasha%27s%20EDIT%29.docx?dl=0

Stay tuned for Black Creative Healing Season 2, coming in 2021!

Listen to BCH 105

THE BLACK MUSIC THERAPY NETWORK, INC.