Natasha Thomas

What excites you about your work?

I have always been deeply excited about the transformative nature of creativity in general, and yet it's only really the last few years that I've begun to really feel myself wholly embodied in this work, and the opportunities I've been blessed with to explore healing justice have further affirmed and strengthened that sense.

I find my inner fire continually fueled by the many Black, queer and disabled folk with whom I've been honored to share this work. I don't feel so much like a "one and only" anymore - I am part of a collective with hands that stretch internationally, inter-generationally, and with mutual solidarity across disciplines & communities, providing multifaceted opportunities for people to engage with healing in ways that feel creatively and culturally authentic to them - and that is deeply fulfilling work!

What feels rich and abundant in your work right now?

I heard someone say some time ago that the COVID-19 pandemic is a portal through which we have an opportunity to envision (and enact) change in our world in deeply crucial and meaningful ways. And I think there's a lot of truth in that. Two years ago I never would have found myself being as open about my own chronic illness and how it impacts my life, but being thrust into sudden quarantine and seeing how much more I could do from home *with the right supports in place* made abundantly clear to me how important grassroots community connections really are.

With each new connection that is made, my own supports get stronger and I can offer more support to others I'm already connected to, and hold more space for future connections, which then yields even MORE strength and MORE potential for broadening community care. The possibilities are just so endless and I'm so grateful for each new connection.

“COVID19 & the rise of Telehealth have made it clear to me - particularly as a person living with chronic and mental illnesses - that simply talking about issues of oppression is not enough.”

Who do you dedicate your work to?

I dedicate my work to every person at the margins who's ever been told "well that's the way it's always been done," or "we don't have the capacity for you/your needs/the things you care about." I do this work in honor of all those who've died or had to live "butchered half lives" because someone somewhere lacked the necessary imagination to dig deeper and/or do better.

I dedicate this work to the collective liberation of us all.

Who inspires you? Who do you learn from?

I am deeply inspired by the idea of lineages, and exploring each one I am connected to. I find myself learning new lessons from ancestors as I learn more about them from family members still living, and take more time to listen to my child, who tells me how they are seeing and experiencing the world. I'm also enjoying getting more connected with nature and am loving following and learning from people like Leah Penniman of Soulfire Farms and disability justice workers like TL Lewis.

I've recently begun reading fantasy & science fiction again too and am finding myself continually inspired by the visionary work of Octavia Butler and Nnedi Okorafor, among others (currently I'm enjoying the audiobook of Akata Witch!). And of course, my Black Creative Healing community continues to inspire me - my cohost Adenike Webb and the team currently planning the upcoming retreat that we'll be using these funds for in particular. My heart is so full!

How can people reading this support your work?

Right now we are in the process of building the virtual space for the retreat we will be hosting. That includes building our connections with folks who can do professional captioning and provide ASL for all retreat events. Until the time comes to open that up, folks can engage with our existing work on social media via the hashtag #BlackCreativeHealing. We have a podcast folks can find anywhere they listen to podcasts (also under the name Black Creative Healing), and there are resources from us on Youtube and Patreon as well.

You can view our evolving linktree of resources by visiting https://linktr.ee/BlackCreativeHealing, and stay tuned for more opportunities to engage as we get closer to retreat time in 2022!

What is something you didn’t know, that you now understand differently about wellness?

Something I used to believe about "wellness" was that it was some sort of destination that you had to work hard to reach and then just perform maintenance to stay there. My evolving understanding now is that not only is wellness *not a destination* in any sense, it is more than any one place or state of being.

Wellness is whatever makes me feel most wholly myself - and that can change moment to moment! So I'm learning to honor the "now" of wellness, and the imperfect nature of that, while working to let go of the "grind" mentality that I think wellness can often lure folks into.

What is your own wellness practice? How do you find balance?

A primary element of my wellness practice is rest, in as many forms as I can find it. I am learning from people like Patricia Hershey of the Nap Ministry that rest can come in many forms, from an extra breath before opening a door somewhere to allowing myself the freedom to have my camera off (and encourage others to do the same) in a Zoom meeting. And, of course, naps whenever I can make space for them!

I am also learning to trust and utilize the tools and support structures I have accessible to me. Sometimes this just means I put my compression gloves on even when I don't feel "that bad." I am holding more and more firm to the idea that anytime I am feeling less than whole is worth my attention and care.

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