A FOUR DAY HEALING EXPERIENCE
Learn - Practice - Celebrate
The Healing While Black summit is a 4 day experience attended by clinicians, wellness providers, organizers, community members, educators, artists, public officials and other leaders. Participants engage with inspiring presenters, hear leading edge research and practice, and engage in wellness activities and celebrations throughout the weekend.
This year's theme is "The Joy of Our Being." Throughout our histories, our communities have faced numerous systemic threats to our existence that impact our ability to exist freely, authentically, and unapologetically. Despite these challenges, we have collectively discovered ways to cultivate joy, even amid the most daunting circumstances, using it as a potent form of resistance. The Healing While Black Summit aims to explore the importance of joy as a radical act of resistance against systemic oppression and as a means of restoring our spirits, connecting with others, and fueling our movements for change.
Thursday - Joyful Connections
We kick off our weekend on Thursday evening with the official Opening Reception! The Healing While Black Summit organizers will welcome our speakers, facilitators, and Joy Pass holders with lite bites, libations, and joyful connections to ground us for the weekend ahead.
Immediately following the reception, join us for Poetic Joy a opening celebration highlighting local poetic voices and powerhouses to ground us in the work and celebration ahead in the Healing While Black experience!
Friday: Professional & Community Development Summit, Leadership Luncheon and Experience Noire
“Our stories matter. Our strategies work. We are worthy of investment.” - Dr. LaDonna Butler
Day 1 of the Healing While Black Summit begins with a day dedicated to professional and personal development. This is an affirming summit! We will elevate the ways in which we find, experience, and celebrate liberation and wellness during our Professional & Community Development Summit. The Summit inspires transformative connections, critical dialogues, and communal celebrations that center our collective joy, healing, wellness, and being.
We will conclude day 1 of the summit with Experience Noire: The All Black party. Join us for a night of live music, local and national spoken word artists, r&b soul, hip hop, lite bites, libations, and good energy! Whether you’re attending solo, with friends, a partner or a group, grab your tickets and party with a purpose!
Saturday: Celebrate & Practice
The Saturday Deconstructed Series is about the practical application of Friday’s learning. Saturday's activities and celebrations offer a variety of opportunities for us to engage in joyful connection, dialogue, movement, and celebration that centers Black healing! During the day, join us for:
The 100 Black Men March and Community BBQ
Brown Girl Brunch, A Healing While Black Signature event
CathArtsis: Art in the Park & A Tiny Gallery Experience
Sunday: Rest & Spiritual Renewal
On Sunday, we will close the weekend with a final celebration of us! On Sunday morning, attendees can engage in a mindfulness experience by the water in beautiful downtown St. Petersburg. In the afternoon, join us for our closing celebration, the Sunday Soul Brunch!
Are you interested in presenting at this year’s summit?
We are thrilled to invite proposals from scholars, activists, creatives/artists, clinicians, and community members (including youth and young adults) who are passionate about the power of joy as a means of resistance, resilience, and restoration.
Check out last year’s workshops, facilitated by our dynamic speakers from a variety of industries, backgrounds, and experiences.
