During my end of summer sabbatical, I decided to scale back on the podcast and release new episodes during the month of October, in alignment with Hoodoo Heritage Month. So you will get another episode or two this month, and that will be it until next season, (next year). Listen, ya girl is elevating! While still running my charity, I’m developing as a writer and spoken word artist. I’m working towards another degree, writing poems for my book, and I’m working on my spoken word EP. It’s a lot but I love it, and it’s all incredibly exciting for me.
I checked a box in the process of recording this episode. I finally spoke to someone I’ve been wanting to connect with for some time. That person is Jade T. Perry, a special human in the Hoodoo community. Jade T. Perry (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, speaker, educator, coach, and spiritualist known as The Churchy Mystic™. Their work blends Black spirituality, folklore, mysticism, healing arts, and Black feminist thought to create more liberatory and accessible spaces for Black, queer, trans, and disabled communities. Jade is also a former co-director of The Mystic Soul Project and offers education, facilitation, divination, and spiritual guidance.
It was such a pleasure speaking with Jade. They gave me a beautiful opportunity to explore that church girl / mystic / Black spiritualist tension without making the conversation feel like another generic “deconstructing Christianity” episode. If you are deconstructing from religion, specifically Christianity, I highly recommend listening to this episode.
A few takeaways:
Emphasis on community building
Importance of ancestral wisdom Cultural heritage shapes identity
Curiosity aids in spiritual exploration Navigating nonprofit complexities
Importance of community support Hoodoo spirituality is evolving
Inclusivity is vital for community
Please be sure to connect with Jade via their website: Jade T Perry dot com!
This episode was such a joy to do. I felt relief finally listening to someone else that has dealt with the industrial complex of the nonprofit industry. As well as someone that has survived a cult, yet was still inspired to create and build community for others. A safe community. We need more folk like Jade. My wish is for my community that I’ve been cultivating, to continue to ride with me, as I transcend as an activist and community crusader. The source of my goals has always been to create things that I wish existed. Even as a podcaster, writer, and an artist, that is still the driving force of my movement.
