Happy 2016!!!

(Make sure you give this edition of Love + Inspiration Notes some time... sit down, have a cup of tea. Scroll down.... There's lots of good info here!!)

I have to say, living in California on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day made me miss Atlanta just a lil bit... ;)

Being so close to the King Center, Ebenezer Baptist Church, + feeling the glory of a city run by Black people... (or so the fairy tale in my mind...)

Working in various Raw + Vegan Restaurants in Atlanta, I was blessed to be witness to talk about supporting Black-Owned Businesses. I believe this can apply to all of us.

Given the need for more Black voices in the media + me as a white woman connected to so many amazing Black artists + healers, I felt led to dedicate this edition of Love + Inspiration Notes to "My Favorite Black-Owned (Holistic) Businesses!" I have more to share about New Year's + my own biz offerings, but I wanted to dedicate today to loving up a Vision of the Beloved Community.

My intention is to shine light on some beautiful, special, amazing people I know, with the hopes of broadening the Rainbow + creating a more tightly knit community of LOVE. So, here goes:

(Disclaimer! I apologize if I missed you or left you out! This list is not comprehensive! ;) It is based on my personal meanderings + whimsical momentary download! I encourage you to go to the comments section below + please add more!!! How wonderful would that be!!)

My Favorite Black-Owned Raw/ Vegan/ Vegetarian Restaurants:

Lov'n It Live, Atlanta, GA
Tassili's Raw Reality, Atlanta, GA
Soul Vegetarian, Atlanta, GA
Healthful Essence, Atlanta, GA
Stuff I Eat, Inglewood, Los Angeles, CA
Simply Wholesome, Los Angeles, CA
2Good Veggie Kitchen, Los Angeles, CA
Khepra's Raw Food Juice Bar, Washington, D.C.
Open Source Organics (Andrew McFarlane), Los Angeles, CA

My Favorite Black-Owned Raw/ Vegan Food Biz/ Private Chefs/ Recipe Book Authors:

Queen Afua (she's Legendary!)
Carla Rabb deRosa, RAWx It, Atlanta, GA
Sharon Johnson (Raw Health Coach), Atlanta, GA
Femi Boma Ibim (also an amazing Astrologer!), Atlanta, GA
Jamila Crawford, Earth Candy Arts, Atlanta, GA
Afya Ibomu, Atlanta, GA (married to SticMan of DeadPrez ;))
Chef Ahki, Delicious Indigenous, Atlanta, GA
Sistah Modupe, Los Angeles, CA
Jennifer Sterling
Bryant Terry
Koya Webb
Russell Simmons
Brandi Rollins, author of Raw Foods on a Budget
Joan Jackson, San Diego, CA (this woman is everything!!)
Teresa Jordan, Los Angeles, CA

My Favorite Black Farmers/ Leaders of a Movement:

Rashid Nuri, Truly Living Well Center for Urban Agriculture, Atlanta, GA
Eugene Cooke, Grow Where You Are, Worldwide

My Favorite African-Centered Shoppes/ Spaces:

Shrine of the Black Madonna, Atlanta, GA
Shades of Afrika, Long Beach, CA

My Favorite Black-Owned Fashion + Art:

Naiima Lovechild, Lotus Roots Creations (Crochet/ Jewelry)
Alexsarah/ Golden Brown, Kidsizzle (Jewelry/ Art)
World of Agape (Fashion)
Gbaby Art, Sylvia Gbaby Cohen (Art/ Fashion)
Auna Salome, Heart Magick Mastery (Also amazing spiritual Healer/ Coach!)
Fahamu Pecou (Fine Art)
Attalah Shabazz Pamoja (Fashion Stylist)
Nyemay Collectibles
Sankofa Selassie, Atlanta, GA
O'Karim Odoms, Los Angeles, CA (Stylist)
Nora Hill, Stitch Sister Stitch
Saquathih Davis, HarvestGirl Experience
Native Sol, Long Beach, CA

My Favorite Yoga/Movement Teachers + Black-Owned Yoga Studios:

Mia Yoga'n'theHood Sykes
Robyn Donaldson, Owner, The Yoga House - Atlanta
Ona Hawk, Firehawk Yoga
Atasiea Kenneth Ferguson, Producer of Ecstatic Dance LA + Dancing Freedom Facilitator
Jocelyn Gordon, Ecstatic Embodiment Expert, Bali, Indonesia
Kemetic Yogi

My Favorite "Love-Your-Yoni" Experts:

India Ame'ye, author of You Look Like Something Blooming
Makeda Voletta, The Body Scientist

My Favorite Black-Owned Holistic Healing Biz's:

PooPooLaLa, Massage Therapy, Atlanta, GA
Joyful, Colon Hydrotherapy, Atlanta, GA
Sahuel/ Mystic Spider, Atlanta, GA
Robert Pue Reflexology, Atlanta, GA
Almeta Tulloss, Cherokee Moon Mixology
Honeysuckle Moon
K. Jorae Jefferson, Sacred Waters Wellness, Atlanta, GA
Niemah Nefertiti
The Forgotten Foods (Chinese Herbalism)
Heather Salmon, Black Swan Temple, Maui, Hawaii

My Favorite Life Coaches:

L'Erin Alta, SisterFire
Nichole LeShawn Woods, Artist Aligning
Fonda Clayton Smith (we went to Life Coaching school together!)
Preston Smiles
Rakale Hannah

My Favorite Holistic M.D's + N.D's:

Dr. Tumi Johnson, M.D., Ojai, CA
Dr. Ada-Belinda DancingLion, N.D., Atlanta, GA

My Favorite Black-Owned Nonprofits:

Carolyn Renee, W.H.O.A., Women Helping Others Advance
Kawani Brown, N.A.H.B.E., Natural + Holistic Baby Expo, Long Beach, CA
ColorofChange.org (Political Campaigns + great place to donate)

My Favorite Radio Personalities:

Wanique Shabazz, WRFG 89.3 FM (Operations Mgr), Atlanta, GA
Adama, Adama Speaks, WRFG 89.3 FM, Atlanta, GA

My Favorite Feminist Academics:

Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs

My Favorite Conscious Musicians You Need to Know About:

The Luminaries, (Conscious Hip-Hop) Los Angeles, CA
Dorian Baucum, (NeoSoul) Los Angeles, CA
Amayo Fu Arkist Ra (Afrobeat), NY, NY
Rickie Byars Beckwith (Rhythm + Joy), Los Angeles, CA
Willow Smith (Next Generation, Crystal child...)
Q, Cypha House, (Galactic/ Alt. Soul) Atlanta, GA
Rahbi, Atlanta, GA
Janelle Monae
Erykah Badu

My Favorite Spiritual Centers with Black Leadership:

Rev. Michael B. Beckwith, Agape International Spiritual Center, Los Angeles, CA
Rev. Deborah Johnson, Inner Light Ministries, Santa Cruz, CA
Dr. Barbara King, Hillside International Truth Center, Atlanta, GA
April Aviva Baskin, Union for Reform Judaism, Director of Audacious Hospitality (nonprofit org)
Rev. Arlene Hylton, Agape International Spiritual Center

My Ultimate Favorite Inspirations Not Yet Mentioned:

Barack + Michelle Obama
Oprah Winfrey

+ SOOOO many more.....

What are your favorite Black-Owned Creative/ Holistic businesses you love to support?? Let's spread the LOVE together on the blog!!

I hope you enjoy! Besides supporting Black-Owned Biz's on MLK Week, these are simply, THE BEST.

Lots of Love + Holding the Vision!

xo,

Debra.

P.S. Have you heard that whole thing about Jada Pinkett Smith + Spike Lee boycotting the Grammy's? In the "Online Coaching" world (+ I'm sure many other worlds ;)), there are so many Events + Programs put on by white people which neglect to include people of color. The excuse:: "I just don't know anyone." "No one was available." "I didn't know who to ask." We need to make a conscious effort to change this. It's time to reach outside our comfort zones + get to know people of different races + religions, etc.

One white woman I truly admire for seemingly making an effort to include the voices of people of color as authorities in her online coaching programs is Bari Tessler. I recently signed up for her "Art of Money" Program (healing our old money stories). Plus, she's a dance therapist at heart, which I love. ;)

Debra Mazer

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