protecting black joy | a resource + social media directory for collective black healing

Amara Amaryah | travel + books + poetry. a platform for story-telling, visuals, positive self-talk and empowerment | protecting black joy, a resource + directory

hello loves

how are you keeping? in all of this heaviness i want to take the time to say, if no-one has told you already today, that you are deeply loved. deeply needed. seen and heard. following on from my last post detailing my current selfcare practices, i am writing this post to offer something to uplift black folk going through all of the emotions at this time.

in the midst of signing petitions, donating, checking-in on loved ones, educating ourselves/networks, (those who can) protesting, calling out, supporting black creators/businesses and decolonising our outlook on society (at an escalated scale than many of us were already in the practice of doing), in the midst of all of this necessary work, we have to create space for joy and for breath.

a memory of joy and sacred space | healing in honour of my ancestors, jamaica

& joy is a radical form of protest too

a quick note —

my main contribution during this period of change will be to advocate for joy/ generational healing and daily acts of selfcare. wellness is something i have spent years practicing and now more than ever i see the effects of holding space for such radical self love as a black woman. i insist on doing this because across the diaspora we are dealing with generational trauma (seen and unseen, known and unknown) and not given time to address or point it out. often this is something that is unconsciously learned or passed down. other times we simply do not feel able to give to ourselves as we (black women) are the backbone of activism and find ourselves too burnt out to self love. another challenge within the diaspora is that we see rest as counterproductive. ofcourse this is the effects of living in a western capitalist society which places rest and self-choosing in the opposite category as productivity. rest is how we ensure that we remain full enough to sustain this long long resistance. i am using this period to relearn ways of showing up joyful during racial trauma. this is my protest and resistance. i am healing for myself, my community and future generations because i want them to learn radical rest. i say

we refuse to let our joy be stolen

because this part of resistance

is sacred and worth protecting.

joyful resources + social media directory

here is a compiled list of social media accounts and resources that offer various healing practices. each of these have helped and inspired me. i share mainly the instagram accounts as this is where i personally engage with the black wellness community. also, the majority of these accounts are black woman led with very few exceptions. each is linked to their respective pages. enjoy:

community pages

redefining our womanhood - wellness

the CIRRI - wellness

wild suga - illustration/selfcare

growngrl - wellness

warrior reminder - wellness

indgotribe - wellness/affirmations

blk+grn - black marketplace/selfcare

the diaz collections - wellness

jalloh studios - wellness

the lay over - storytelling

the we collective - wellness

ogor - wellness/healing

saddie baddies - wellness

woman writing - journalling

the inspa journal - journalling

ethels club - wellness

sista afya - community wellness services

dive in well - educating black community

decolonizing therapy - wellness services

apna stories - reading lists

soulpick - uplifting black women

everyday queens - uplifting black women

dear girls ltd - wellness

wetheurban - wellness quotes

self for help - counselling

live deeply rooted - spiritual uplifting

legendary rootz - black culture

individuals

ash alves - healing/wellness (founder of warrior reminder)

mica montana - poet/mental health professional. more spiritual

wellness on website

poelitical - wellness/joy

mecca sunshine - guided meditation

lauren ash - meditation/wellness (founder of black girl in om)

deun ivory - wellness/celebrating black women photography

vic styles - selfcare

phylicia benn - selfcare

mosaiceye - healing prompts

tenesia terri-ann - healing prompts

saraiya bah - poetry/affirmations

sabrina abdalla - poetry/affirmations

saabirah lawrence - wellness/positive self talk (founder of everyday queens)

eryn khristine - wellness/positive self talk

unique dancer tay - black women led dance sessions for expression +joy

annika spalding - writing/healing prompts

minaa b - selfcare/wellness

sophia roe - food and wellness

nia the light - selfcare/affirmations

doriana diaz - wellness (founder of the diaz collections)

romisa a. elkarim - wellness/joy

gabrielle ione hickman - travel/wellness

nikitha - hair artist/sound therapy/self worth

finding the divine- yoga resource

maryam ajayi - energy healer (founder of dive in well)

princess nokia - positivity

jae tallawah - positivity/art affirmations

maryam hasnaa - energy healer

podcasts

all available through various podcast platforms —

hey girl - black woman safe space

black girl in om - black woman safe space

passing through pod - storytelling

food heaven - discussions around food, wellness and selfcare

do your thing pod - tips on side hustles/businesses

the peace from lotus podcast - healing/society

smart girl book club (soundcloud) - please listen to princess nokia's journal meditation

she's beauty and the beast (soundcloud) - affirmations

resources

Pattigift Therapy CIC - African centred psychology and therapy practice based in birmingham

Black Minds Matter - connecting black families and individuals with professional mental health services in the UK

Women + Patterns + Plants selfcare colouring book with manifestations - created by @wildsuga

Line and honey - illustration based brand focussed on selfcare and representation for black women

Alex Elle - a key figure in black woman wellness conversations and a core resource for wellness activities (also founder of wellness journals and hey girl podcast)

How to Rest and Recover While You Fight for Social Change - a wildly useful resource from @feminstsexed (now translated into spanish)

Black Feminist Bookshop - a radical space of resistance, literature, sisterhood, and community.

The Safe Place app - selfcare app for black people navigating the trauma of police brutality (available on the App Store and Google play)

Brown girl self-care - a mental health resource created to help black women heal from trauma in their daily lives (podcast, newsletters and other wonderful resources)

Therapy for black men - dedicated to mental health support + therapy for our black men

i hope this contribution has been useful in your steps toward healing. if so, feel free to share with your people and even better, add any resources that have been helpful in your journey in the comment section. i am also here for anyone who would like to share space and talk during this time.

thank you for reading what i write. i'm keeping us all in my prayers.

Yah bless.

Amara Amaryah