about SJ
SJ loves side stretching, coffee, chocolate, rhyming, drag queens, dinosaurs, her two yorkies—blake + sage, and feels honored to be a 21st century Taurus earthling. She started her community capacity building organization in 2015, with copper jewelry artisan, Mila, known then as “social energy miners”. With a Master’s in Public Health, SJ holds experience in biological, social, psychological and race-related research, behavioral health programming, and youth and community education workshops.
In January 2018, she was certified by Yogis in Service for trauma-informed yoga teaching and uses evidenced-based "12 Principles of Growth" to structure her classes. She is insured through beYogi. SJ currently serves as a sexual and reproductive health educator, spending a month in Kampala, Uganda observing a youth edutainment organization and launching a self-care photovoice initiative. She believes self-care is the foundation of holistic health and wellness.
Her goal is to bring continuous access of yoga, self-care, and resilience workshops to underserved people of color. She collaborates with local artists to create meaningful impact: "ShaChakra" is a commissioned art piece designed to mindfully superimpose galactic blackness on our chakra energy system. SJ seeks investors and collaborators for Black GEM Space's business growth, to bring affordable, ethnic-centered, self-care tools and services to her community.
If you’re interested in my community engagement, please subscribe to my email list and check out some of my peer-review journal and community published public health articles:
“Neighbourhood Amenities and Depressive Symptoms in Urban-Dwelling Older Adults”
February 2017: "The current findings support public policy to promote neighbourhoods with dynamic and diverse amenities to maintain the mental health and reduce the prevalence of depression in older adults. This is particularly important for older adults with optimal mobility. Further, interventions should be devised that increase mobility and life space among older adults."
Community Revitalization by Way of Water
Spring 2017: I explore the health outcome similarities between toxic stress and lead poisoning; I examine Buffalo, NY lead levels; and I propose future solutions to support revitalization of socioeconomically deprived communities through adequate and safe hydration.
