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HYBRID DAYLONG: Pride – Embracing Love and Beauty in the Midst of Trouble

June 1 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

HYBRID DAYLONG

Pride – Embracing Love and Beauty in the Midst of Trouble

A Day of Reflection and Celebration for the BIPOC LGBTQIA+ Communities

Sunday June 1st 2025

10am-3pm PT

With Amana Brembry Johnson and Andrés González

Open to self-identified BIPOC LGBTQIA+ only

 

As societies at home and around the world travel backwards in time, we move deeper into a realm of toxicity and instability.  LGBTQIA communities are confronting an escalated endeavor to erase the hard-earned strides that affirm our place of belonging.  Despite these efforts, our dignity and strength to resist this downward spiral, warrants acknowledgement and celebration.  Love, compassion, beauty and the cultivation of joy will be central to this daylong celebration.  During our time together, we will expand our growth in mindfulness practices, remember the sacredness of our being, embrace the nobility of our hearts and savor the joy that lifts our spirits to face what is ahead.

Through silent and guided meditations, talks, discussion and reflective writing we will deepen our practices of liberation and skillful means.  All experience levels are warmly welcome. Movement will be offered in ways that are accessible for all types of bodies.

 

This is part of a joint weekend event and benefit with Spirit Rock, which will be hosting a hybrid daylong on Saturday May 31st: “Touching the Heart of Joy as Spiritual Medicine” with EBMC teachers Amana Brembry Johnson and JD Doyle.

Click here for more information about the May 31st offering.

 

Cost

The teachings are regarded as priceless. So they are offered without a fee. You are invited to support the teachings and our efforts by contributing voluntary donations (the practice of “Dana”) for the expenses of the meditation center and the support of the teachers.

The ticket prices are listed as different tiers with suggested donations based on income ranges. For those who wish to give more, you may choose an “add-on” to your ticket. For those unable to give, there is an option for that.

 

SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS

~ Amana Brembry Johnson

Venmo: @amanajohnson

PayPal: @amanabrembry

Ca$happ: Amana Brembry Johnson or $AmanaBJohnson

~ Andrés González (traveling from outside the Bay Area – we invite support for his travel costs and teachings)

Venmo: @andres-roy-leon

PayPal: paypal.me/andresroyleon

Other ways to give:

To make a gift to sustain the work of East Bay Meditation Center, you may do so via Paypal: paypal.me/eastbaymeditation or our website: eastbaymeditation.org/dana 100% of our programming is sliding scale and no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds.

Thank you for the gifts of your generosity and for supporting the work of East Bay Meditation Center and our beloved teachers who have volunteered their time.

 

For in-person participation:

For those wishing to practice in person, space will be limited to 60 people to allow ample space for social distancing. Participants will be asked to wear N95 or KN95 face masks. (N95 face masks will be available at EBMC.) Please note: The teacher may be unmasked while teaching.

To attend in person, you need to be completely free of fragranced body and clothing products — more information and a list of fragrance free products, including those that are especially good for people of color, appears on our website: https://eastbaymeditation.org/resources/fragrance-free-at-ebmc/

 

East Bay Meditation Center is a scent free / fragrance free space and is wheelchair accessible.

 

Universal Access Requests on Zoom to help with sound and video quality. If possible…

1. When speaking, introduce your name, pronouns, and (optionally) a brief physical description of yourself.

2. If using virtual backgrounds, please use static, simple, high-contrast backgrounds.

3. Please keep your camera still while your camera is on.

4. Please repeat your name when you speak to help those with visual impairment.

5. The host/volunteer will attempt to read any comments that appear in the chat out loud.

6. Please strive for clear audio and mute when you are not speaking. Phone access is also available.

7. If you have unmet access needs, please send a message to the volunteer or host in the chat. If the chat is not accessible to you, please offer them briefly in one minute or less via voice. Please do not send access requests directly to other participants.

Purple "register here" button

Teacher Bios

Amana Brembry Johnson has been a student and practitioner of many spiritual traditions throughout her life. The journey of Vipassana practice began 10 years ago with the early People of Color Retreats at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She completed the Community Dharma Leaders Program in 2017, and is a graduate of the 2020 Spirit Rock Teacher Training. Amana leads meditation and contemplative yoga that interweaves Dharma with movement. She mentors practitioners who wish to deepen their practice and understanding of the teachings. An accomplished visual artist, Amana creates imagery that exposes emotional and spiritual barriers of the heart.

Andrés González relates to himself firstly as a spiritual being embodying, Earth-side, the multiplicity of gender, sexuality, race, & culture as a two-spirit Mestizo with primarily Yaqui, Mexican, Spanish, & Scottish ancestries. He’s also a transracial adoptee, connected to a lineage of Indigenous adoptees separated from family, land, & culture by way of the U.S. child welfare system. Andrés’ lived experience integrating these many worlds has informed his path as a practitioner of curanderismo, dharma teacher, and community mental health clinician. Trained in harm reduction, healing-justice, & Indigenous psychology as a psychotherapist, he holds a masters degree in social work. He is also a graduate of East Bay Meditation Center’s two-year Spiritual Teacher & Leadership Training and the 2023-2024 Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics’ certification program in psychedelic facilitation. Andrés presently resides on the land of the Yokuts people (aka Bakersfield, CA) and lovingly traverses the ceremony of life with his adored service dog, Jr.

Details

Date:
June 1
Time:
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Event Categories:
,

Venue

East Bay Meditation Center
285 17th Street
Oakland, CA 94612 United States
+ Google Map
Phone:
510-268-0696

Details

Date:
June 1
Time:
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Event Categories:
,

Venue

East Bay Meditation Center
285 17th Street
Oakland, CA 94612 United States
+ Google Map
Phone:
510-268-0696