Building Beyond

Ancestral Wisdom, Technology, and Community Building with George SamuelsIn this episode of the Building Beyond Podcast, host Lee interviews George Siosi Samuels, a technologist and community management professional with a diverse cultural background, currently based in Oaxaca, Mexico. George shares his journey from Fiji to Mexico, and his ancestral callings, particularly through dreams. They discuss the blending of spirituality and practicality, the significance of ancestral wisdom, and its relevance to modern technologies like blockchain and AI. George also talks about his career in community management and his latest project, C Stack, which aims to integrate invisible cultural elements into technology. The conversation emphasizes the need to reconnect with ancient knowledge systems to advance responsibly in a fastly evolving technological landscape.

In the second episode of 'Building Beyond,' hosts Lee Pera and Erika Casasola welcome Sophia Alejandro-Velásquez, a San Antonio-based psychotherapist and healer.Sofia shares her unique journey of integrating ancestral wisdom with modern psychotherapy. Discussing her transition from traditional psychotherapy to adopting spiritual and Indigenous healing practices, she explains the establishment of her private practice, House of Healing.Sofia highlights the importance of listening to ancestral whispers and offers advice for those seeking to connect with their heritage.This episode delves into the challenges and rewards of walking a spirit-led path, the significance of community, and the continuous process of learning and growth in healing practices.GUEST DETAILS:Sophia Francesca Alejandro-VelásquezOwner @ House of HealingContributor of wellness, healing, mental balance, and liberation.Serving San Antonio’s southwest side 78211. Sophia is a licensed psychotherapist and has 20 years experience learning and teaching mental health strategies and rituals to grow and nurture connection to our lineage and ancestral wisdom through movement, meditation, story telling, writing, working with the elements, and play.Sophia started House of Healing with an intention to increase mental health services for San Antonio’s Southside. To normalize and honor story telling, self exploration, and search for identity.Sophia lives in Southwest San Antonio with her wife, Andrea, and their basset hound, River.MA Counseling, UTSA 2010 and BA Psychology, UIW 2005

This podcast is for those who feel constrained by current systems and are seeking alternative ways to live and build communities. Drawing from the wisdom of our ancestors and working with both ancient and emerging technologies, Building Beyond is a space for sharing, envisioning, and building together.Hosted by Lee Pera and Erika Casasola, in this podcast, you’ll hear from guests like:● Elders who have sustained traditions across generations● Individuals connecting with their ancestors to guide their work in the world● Community builders exploring blockchain technology for collective land stewardship● Game designers engaging youth in climate solutionsIn these conversations we explore issues like:● How can the practice of right relationship be brought into our connection with AI and the digital realms?● What do our ancestors have to teach us about more nimble ways of living to adapt to climate change?● How can virtual realities help us imagine, design and build on physical lands?Building Beyond is a community for those who want to create more just and joyful futures, beyond what we're told is possible.Music by Dyad (@dyad.love)

Hosts Lee Pera and Erika Casasola introduce themselves and the Building Beyond podcast.They explain their backgrounds - Lee as a geographer and Erika as a curandera (a healer in the Mexican tradition) - and how their ancestral and spiritual practices have shaped their current work.Lee and Erika discuss their collaboration and the genesis of Building Beyond, a network and platform for connecting people to build better futures through ancestral wisdom and emerging technologies.The episode explores themes of ancestral connection, the limitations of current systems, and the importance of community in creating a world beyond what we're told is possible.Music by Dyad (@dyad.love)