Ascendtials ASCENDT NEWS Quarterly

Greetings all, we hope to find you well and in good spirits. Our organization has been growing and expanding! We have some exciting updates to share with you! Feel free to forward this message to your networks who may be interested. We want to take the time to say thank you for your support in being a part of our organization's newsletter. Your support means the world to us and we could not do this work without you. Check out our updates below:

KOSMELANINOLOGY™ HEALING SESSIONS
Here at ASCENDtials, we want to encourage you to celebrate the true nature of you and invite you to join us in thoughtful discussion and actionable change about the true essence of Black bodies in our universe. Our healing sessions have been pivotal in leading tough discussions regarding how we got here, and how to move forward by employing Design Thinking and other tools as a means to solve societal problems.

ASCENDtials today announced a new partnership with with Chivona Renee Newsome, co-founder of Black Lives Matter NYC, in advance of #GivingTuesday which falls on November 30, 2021. This partnership was created to promote the ASCENDtials Healing Session on KOSMelaninology™ and Developing Self-Awareness, a campaign designed with the intention of supporting Black women in Corporate America and beyond.

Join us on November 16th for this amazing virtual event from 2:00 - 3:00 PM PST!

Bio:

Chivona Renee Newsome, the Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter Greater NY and former Candidate for US Congress (NY15), a civil rights leader at the forefront of the New Civil Rights Movement and former Financial Advisor at New York Life. She has dedicated her adult life to the betterment of her community & our nation as a whole.

Her parents actually met at a civil rights rally in the 1960’s, so you can say that she was born into this fight. The Bronx native was raised in a devout Christian household. As a youth, Chivona’s father became very ill and she became his advocate, learning early on how to negotiate for health care with insurance companies and the local pharmacy.

She attended pre-K through college in The Bronx. The one year she chose to study out of state at the prestigious Howard University in Washington, DC., her political action was noticed by then Senator Barack Obama’s campaign staff, and she was asked to be a part of the 2008 Presidential Inaugural Committee.

As a financial advisor, Chivona served her community. She worked on the $50 Billion Dollar challenge which created college savings, retirement plans, and generational wealth for over 300 black and brown residents of New York. Since then she has engaged in protests and activities to combat financial injustice.

Over the past few years, Chivona has worked tirelessly leading protests and seeking justice for the families of police brutality, she works with members of LGBT community, victims of human trafficking, the mental health community, women’s reproductive rights organizations, and housing justice advocates. She co-founded Black Lives Caucus, Black Opportunities, lectured students and expanded Black Lives Matter Greater NY to multiple New York City charter schools.

Attend Our Healing Session with Chivona Newsome!

#GIVINGTUESDAY2021

This Year, #GivingTuesday falls on November 30th, 2021. Donate to ASCENDtials and help us support our educational and training programs designed to help Black women be the best they can be in every workspace.

Donate Here!

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY

Indigenous People’s Day was celebrated on October 11, 2021. Formerly known as Columbus Day, Indigenous People’s Day celebrates Indigenous tribes’ customs and traditions, while highlighting their cultures and heritages. Furthermore, Indigenous People Day gives Indigenous individuals recognition as they strive for greater legal rights within the U.S. According to NPR, “Indigenous Peoples' Day advocates say the recognition helps correct a "whitewashed" American history that has glorified Europeans like Italian explorer Christopher Columbus who have committed violence against Indigenous communities.” Originally, Indigenous People’s Day centered around the concept of celebrating European cultures that conquered Indigenous tribes, while completely ignoring Indigenous customs that have been present within U.S. soil for thousands of years. Moreover, Indigenous People’s day has transformed to celebrate indigenous people and their numerous contributions to U.S. society. You can find out what native land you are occupying by visiting this link. Here’s more information on ways to celebrate Indigenous People’s day.

KEMETIC YOGA SESSIONS

Kemetic Yoga is an ancient African Yoga art form that promotes African philosophy and practices that originated from the land of Kemet. This ancient Yoga art form emphasizes the rejuvenation of the body and mind as it attempts to provide BIPOC communities with cultural roots that stem from its antique African origins. Kemetic Yoga’s African origins are imperative to its success, given that it provides African cultural traditions for BIPOC participants seeking to reconnect with their African roots while attempting to mitigate the effects of anxiety and stress from potentially triggering institutions and environments. Kemetic Yoga promotes numerous benefits for its BIPOC participants because of its emphasis on the breath as the essential life force towards achieving “oneness” as it merges with movements that encourage inner harmony and optimal health. Our program is geared toward BIPOC participants, but we welcome participants from all cultures and backgrounds.

We're hosting our first virtual Kemetic Yoga session with Onyeka Tefari on Thursday, October 21st, 2021.

Our Kemetic Yoga sessions will be held on Thursdays at 4 PM - 5 PM PST, starting on October 21st and ending on November 18th.

Join Our Kemetic Yoga Sessions!

OUR TEAM UPDATES

Welcome Zoe, our new Marketing and Communications Strategist!

Welcome Fatima, our new Grant Writer!

Rachelle Suissa is our newest team member filling the role of Development & Fund Manager. Welcome to the team!

We are always open to growth! If you are interested in the Instructional Designer position, visit our website to apply.

SHOP ASCENDTIALS ONLINE
Our shop is currently open as a part of our campaign to raise money to support infrastructure for our expanding team and goals. The gear serves as reinforcing content in support of developing the problem solving skills of melanated people so that their culture is protected and preserved. We are aware of what is at stake and want to inspire open-minded conversations that support truth, balance, health, and humanity, not divisiveness and conflict, and embrace technology that supports the liberation of minds so that we re-embrace and develop our problem solving skills lest we will never be equipped to think in a way that changes the status quo.

If you like the work we are doing at Ascendtials, and you'd like to support us for continued programming, please donate.

We want to give a big thank you to our partners, members, and this community.

Donate to ASCENDtials!

Best,

ASCENDtials Team