Diversity in Meditation: Creating Inclusive Spaces with Reverend Kandace V. Simmons

Hola mi gente bella! We survived the Lunar Eclipse Full Moon in Libra...well the impact is still unfolding as we enter eclipse season! I received some heavy news this morning that my friend passed and wanted to honor my friend, student and colleague, Reverend Kandace V. Simmons by sharing an interview that Christine Gutierrez and I did in 2018 as part of our Elevate Voices Summit where we focused on spotlighting the voices of BIPOC and LATINX healers. We freeze on zoom a little but it's passing! Gracias por estar con nosotros! Thank you for being here. Kandace was an amazing person and a powerful soul. You will enjoy this! _______________________   In this episode of Elevate Voices, Vanessa Codorniu and Christine Gutierrez are joined by Reverend Kandace V. Simmons to discuss the lack of diversity in the wellness and spirituality communities. They explore the impact of culture and race on spirituality and share practical tips for incorporating mindfulness and meditation into daily life. They also address the issue of anger and rage in conversations about race and offer suggestions for creating safe spaces for expression. Tune in to gain insights on finding inclusive meditation resources and the power of creating your own spaces for healing.   BIO: Reverend Kandace V. Simmons was a Spiritual Strategist, Sound Healer and Interfaith Minister as well as a graduate of Yale University, Award-winning businesswoman, sister, daughter, aunt and beloved friend. Kandace applied her knowledge of property management and development, building design, architecture, marketing, and finance to maintain  and complete 37 contracted projects. Over a 10-year period, she worked side by side with builders, represented the firm to clients, community boards and other public agencies to achieve approval of projects. In 1997, The Brooklyn NAACP honored her as CEO of the Year. Among Kandace's most rewarding accomplishments was the completion of The Greater Allen A.M.E . Cathedral which her father had started. What a blessing that her Celebration of Life is being held in this magnificent Cathedral today! Kandace was a Strategy Management  Consultant for Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation , owners of Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods. She also served as Senior Director/Consultant for Management Consulting & Controls Group, Inc. , where she worked on projects that included the development of a $35 million new health care construction stimulus project, a $8 million rehabilitation and conversion of a landmark firehouse to a museum in Harlem, and a $3 million church renovation and expansion in the Bronx. Kandace served for eight years as Mayor Bloomberg's representative to the NYC Public Design Commission which approves the design of all buildings, parks and installations of permanent artwork on city property. At the time of her passing, she was employed by Civic Builders, Inc, the nation's first nonprofit charter school developer, where she served as Director of Real Estate Development.   Timestamp Summary 0:00:02 Introduction to Elevate Voices and the purpose of the conversation series 0:00:29 Welcoming Reverend Candice Simmons as a guest 0:01:36 Reverend Candice Simmons shares her journey and the impact of her culture and race 0:03:51 Christine Gutierrez asks about dealing with emotions and diverse perspectives 0:05:44 Reverend Candice Simmons discusses the importance of mindfulness and meditation for self-care 0:08:17 Christine Gutierrez asks about holding and sharing anger in conversations on race and culture 0:09:19 Reverend Candice Simmons differentiates between anger and rage and suggests healthy ways to express anger 0:13:52 Connection issues, conversation temporarily interrupted 0:13:51 Reverend Kandace V. Simmons: I'm frozen. 0:13:55 Reverend Kandace V. Simmons: I can't hear Christine anymore. 0:14:06 Christine Gutierrez: Having safe spaces to express rage is important. 0:14:37 Reverend Kandace V. Simmons: Dealing with anger before it becomes rage. 0:15:21 Reverend Kandace V. Simmons: Using meditative practices to address anger. 0:16:25 Reverend Kandace V. Simmons: Paying attention to what we watch to avoid anesthetization to violence. 0:18:49 Christine Gutierrez: Lack of inclusion in meditation and mindfulness practices. 0:19:42 Reverend Kandace V. Simmons: Lack of diversity in meditation spaces. 0:20:13 Reverend Kandace V. Simmons: Importance of having a diverse perspective in meditation teachings. 0:20:53 Reverend Kandace V. Simmons: Starting with simple breathing techniques and utilizing online resources. 0:22:19 Reverend Kandace V. Simmons: Importance of having a toolkit of different meditation practices. 0:22:40 Vanessa Codorniu: Finding meditative space through improv and presence. 0:23:28 Christine Gutierrez: Different types of meditation and breath work techniques. 0:25:06 Christine Gutierrez: Utilizing the privileges in the United States to create solutions. 0:26:17 Creating spaces for all ages and diverse voices 0:27:30 Importance of resources and support for meditation practice 0:29:05 Addressing challenges and discomfort in meditation practice 0:29:44 Need for more meditation spaces for people of color 0:31:14 Creating inclusive and affordable meditation spaces 0:33:22 Power of breath and healing within ourselves 0:34:26 Importance of community in meditation practice 0:34:44 Making peace accessible to everyone 0:35:18 Taking action to create change and deepen meditation practice 0:36:23 Gratitude and appreciation for Kandace's work and message