Parables and Pathways: A Conversation between Black Women in Psychedelics

Featuring Robin Divine, Hanifa Nayo Washington and Courtney Watson

Join us for an evening of conversation that will center the voices of three Black women who are shaping the emerging landscape of psychedelic wellness. Come experience a liberated space that illuminates the experiences of Black women leaders in psychedelics. What truisms and insights do we have for each other as we navigate and transform pathways carved without our futures in mind. How can we ensure that our voices continue to be an integral part of the psychedelic wellness eco-system? We’ll end with ways that allies can support our efforts to share the healing of psychedelic medicine with BIPOC communities. Join us as we connect, collaborate and create space for our voices and collective wisdom.

Courtney Watson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and AASECT Certified Sex therapist. She is the owner of Doorway Therapeutic Services, a group therapy practice in Oakland, CA focused on addressing the mental health needs of Black Indigenous People of Color, Queer folks, Trans, Gender Non-conforming, Non binary and Two Spirit individuals. Courtney has followed the direction of her ancestors to incorporate psychedelic assisted therapy into her offerings for folks with multiple marginalized identities and emphasizes the importance of BIPOC and Queer providers offering these services to BIPOC and Queer communities. She is currently blazing the trail as one of the only clinics of predominantly QTBIPOC providers offering Ketamine Assisted Therapy in 2021. She has founded a non-profit, Access to Doorways, to raise funds to subsidize the cost of ketamine/psychedelic assisted therapy for QTBIPOC clients and training for QTBIPOC practitioners (now accepting donations for this cause!!). She is also hoping to offer other psychedelic medicines such as MDMA and Psilocybin as they become FDA approved.

Robin Divine is a writer, psychedelic advocate and the creator of Black People Trip: an online community with a mission to raise awareness, promote education, teach harm reduction, and create safe spaces for Black women interested in psychedelic use. She also curates the series Black Voices in Psychedelics in Chacruna’s social media.

Hanifa Nayo Washington is an award winning cultural producer & sacred activist combining arts, healing, and activism to make the world a better place for 20+ years. Hanifa is a certified Usui/Holy Fire Reiki Master Practitioner who graduated from Beloit College in 2001 with a B.A. in Communications & Russian & Soviet Studies. In 2019 Hanifa launched One Village Healing a wellness and resilience initiative dedicated to creating spaces, gatherings, and programming, rooted in the values of the healing justice movement so all people can heal from the emotional, physical and spiritual impacts of systems of oppression. In 2020 Hanifa co-founded the Fireside Project and serves as the Cultivator Of Beloved Community. Fireside Project operates the recently launched the Psychedelic Peer Support Line. Hanifa Nayo is a contributor to several other emerging psychedelic enterprises including the Equity in Psychedelic Therapy Initiative. Hanifa views her creative gifts as a radical tool for liberation, healing, and community building. In 2017 she released her 3rd album Mantras for the Revolution. In December 2018 Hanifa received a Phenomenal Women Arts Award from the Arts Council of Greater New Haven for her contributions and achievements in the arts.

This talk will be recorded and immediately available for rewatch for all attendees.

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