Mission and Vision
Heart Refuge is a volunteer-run mindfulness community dedicated to cultivating love, courage, and healing for people of color, of all orientations, in Washington DC. The community was founded by co-intention holders, Ayesha Ali and Rashid Hughes. We offer an inter-generational understanding of the importance of embodied mindfulness practices for Black, indigenous, and People of Color.
Heart Refuge is a community that centers the practice of mindfulness in the experiences and cultures of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC). Our community understands that we cannot address and relieve the damage of the system of white supremacy if we do not address and care for our own hearts and bodies. The co-founders/co-intention holders offer embodied mindfulness practices, springing from their understanding of intergenerational and intersectional lives of BIPOC.
Heart Refuge Mindfulness Community is a place…
where people can be seen and embraced
that inspires people to live fearlessly and courageously
where people can be loud, heard and celebrated
that holds the joys and sorrows of being human
where Black, Indigenous & People of Color, of all orientations, are welcome
that models empowered and responsible interracial dialogue
Welcome you to our community!
The 3 Pillars of Heart Refuge
Ancestors
We acknowledge our individual and collective lineage of joy and suffering, of power and pain. We recognize our ancestors that we know and those that are unknown, those related by blood and/or by love.
Community
We embrace the various intersections in which we live, including age, gender, sexual identity, physical ability, and socioeconomic status. This supports our connection and belonging beyond when we officially meet in person or online.
Embodied Practice
We intentionally engage in a variety of practices that cultivate a loving and ongoing relationship with our bodies. We believe this is crucial because so much of our survival has been around downplaying or ignoring the wisdom of our bodies.