In today's episode, Andréa Ranae Johnson, founder of Whole Self Liberation, joins me to talk about centering relationship in our movement towards liberation. We also talk about divesting from the narrative of activism as suffering and why it's important to motivate ourselves beyond simply not causing harm.

- Her journey of finding a place for herself in the dance world

- The importance of letting yourself be informed by many people

- Her studies in Germany at Folkwang, immersed in the work of Pina Bausch

- Combining cinematic approaches to concert dance processes

- How live performance is one of the last few things that demand our attention

- Art and dance as essential for survival + re-imagination

- How change can help us see what is enduring about us

- Dance as a form of cultural activism

- How birth trauma activated the urgency of self care work + advocacy

- Why self care is revolutionary and political

- The role of community in addressing one’s self care needs

- The challenges of engaging + practicing alternative healing within our systems

- The importance of healthcare within the framework of social justice

- Transparency around lineage as a way to participate in justice

- Taking space to honor what is difficult right now

- The uninterrupted life that’s happening all around us

- Simone’s work and how she became known as the Black Fairy Godmother

- The discrepancies in care she witnessed when working in healthcare

- Where birth work + sex work intersect for her

- What is full spectrum birth work?

- Racism + privilege in birth and birth work