Queer Changemakers

Recovering from Trauma with Natalie Jovanic

Natalie Jovanic is changing our world by providing trauma counseling as well as trauma recovery coaching services for individuals. Natalie also shares their experience of being nonbinary and how they are working to make the field more understanding and inclusive. 
 
In this conversation, continuing our series on mental health, we talk about boundaries, intersectionality, loving the various aspects of ourselves and how the environment and community around us can support us in our wellness journeys.
 
You can connect with Natalie in the following ways:
Email: nat@brighthorizontherapies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brighthorizontherapies/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightHorizonTherapies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliejovanic/
Website: https://brighthorizontherapies.com/
 
Check out Natalie’s podcast: “Trauma Demystified”
https://open.spotify.com/show/1EHj8FXrPq5J8e6EaV9kvM

Mental Health and Our Bodies with Carey Cook

Carey Cook is changing the world and community through her therapy practice using traditional and somatic methods. Even before she became licensed she was supporting individuals and students in her career path. To learn more about Carey’s practice: https://careycookcounseling.com
 
In this conversation, we continue our series around mental health. We discuss themes of being queer in the south, and some of the challenges that follow, and how we might be able to understand our own mental health journeys and listening to our own bodies. 
 
Carey also provides business coaching and consulting, check our her new instagram page: @yourbusinessplayground 
 
You can connect with Carey in the following ways:
Email: careyjcook@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carey-cook-a058a691/

Us Helping Us with Sensei Raven Ekundayo

Raven Ekundayo and Us Helping Us are changing the world by providing wrap-around health and wellness services in the DC area, centered around Queer and Black folx experiences, yet all are welcome to receive care.
 
Us Helping Us also collaborates with research groups and has a number of paid research studies for individuals that meet the selection criteria. Learn More here: https://www.ushelpingus.org/join-a-study 
 
Raven Ekundayo is committed to deeply seeing the full individual, supporting their experience and helping people build a deep sense of Pride in who they are. 
 
You can connect with Us Helping Us in the following ways:
Email: rekundayo@uhupil.org
Instagram: @ushelpingus
FaceBook: Us Helping Us, People Into Living Inc. 
Website: https://ushelpingus.org
 
May 23 - 27 is DC Black Pride Weekend and Us Helping US continues to play a major role. Learn more about events here: https://www.ushelpingus.org/events-1 and on their instagram  @ushelpingus

Seeing and Healing with Sensei Raven Ekundayo

Raven Ekundayo is changing the world through wellness, healing spaces, and community.
 
In part 1 of this conversation, we talk about his journey into wellness, as well as themes of mental health, and a full conversation about what mental health looks like, some challenges in and around our communities, and how we can create more spaces of healing where everyone can be included and be truly SEEn. 
In our continued series on Mental Health, we also discuss ideas around shadow work and the individual work we all get to do, to have a healthy mental life.
Raven is a host of The Healing Space podcast and will be hosting a number of in person events in DC. Follow Raven on social and with the links below to learn more. 
 
Podcast: The Healing Space 
Apple SoundCloud Audible YouTube
 
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You can connect with Raven at the following: 
- Email: ths@ravolutionmultimedia.com
- Instagram: @ravenekundayo / @thspodcast
- Facebook: Raven Ekundayo / The Healing Space Podcast 
- Website: Scorpiyogi.com / YouTube.com/ravolutionllc 

Community and Healing with Sarah Nealy

 
Sarah “SC” Nealy (they/them) is changing the world by supporting the mental health journeys of the Queer community through their practice: LGBT+ Counseling Collaborative, located in Arlington, VA . In this conversation, we talk about their journey, multiple themes of mental health, healing and community. Their practice is led by Queer therapists and provides a range of services. To learn more about their services and offerings, please visit: https://lgbtcounselingdmv.com/ or connect on Instagram @lgbtcounselingdmv
 
Sarah has also written 30 novels, which are mostly romance and many of which have queer relationships and themes. Learn more about SC’s writings here: https://linktr.ee/booksbysarahrobinson 
You can connect with Sarah in the following ways:
Email: info@lgbtcounselingdmv.com
Website: www.lgbtcounselingdmv.com
Instagram: @scnealy or instagram.com/scnealy 
Facebook: facebook.com/booksbysarahrobinson
Twitter: x.com/scnealy
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mentallymama

Living Out Proud with Kirk and Adam

Kirk and Adam are changing the world by helping GBTQ+ men Live Out Proud in all aspects of their lives. Together, Kirk Barnett and Adam Owens are not only advocates for change but also living examples of the transformative power of embracing authenticity and following one's true calling. Through their work with Live Out Proud and their individual endeavors, they continue to inspire others to live boldly, authentically, and with unwavering pride.
 
They are organizing the Live Out Proud conference May 4th in Denver, Colorado specifically for GBTQ+ men. There will be dynamic speakers and sessions providing attendees with actionable advice and insights to live life more with more confidence and pride. 
Learn more about the conference at https://www.liveoutproud.org/
Follow the organization online: https://www.instagram.com/live_out_proud
Connect with Kirk @Kirk_Barnett80 and Adam @Thereal_aco 

Knowing, Liking and Trusting Yourself with Heather Vickery

Heather is changing the world, by helping people create more expansive lives by learning to know, like and trust themselves. In this conversation, she shares her journey, how she needed to rebuild her life in a more authentic and self-determined way, and how she helps others do the same. 
The Queer Women’s retreat May 14-17, in North Carolina. Find more information here: https://vickeryandco.com/queer-womens-retreat  
The Costa Rica retreat for January 2026. Learn more here: https://vickeryandco.com/costa-rica 
To learn more about Heather’s coaching services or to connect with her:  https://vickeryandco.com/ 
You can connect with Heather in the following ways:
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/heather_vickeryandco
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@braveheather 
Spark Collective Program: https://vickeryandco.com/spark 

Queer Vision

When you think of our LGBTQ+ community, what do you want to see as the next step or an improvement? Or if you had a magic wand, what would you wish for that helps our community or beyond?
Share your Vision here: https://bit.ly/QCM_shareyourvision
In this episode, I share my thoughts around vision and I share the visions of individuals I met at the 2024 Creating Change conference in January. 
Connect on me on Instagram @QueerChangemakers
 

Communities of Belonging with Jae

Jae Edwards is changing the world by imagining, creating and organizing inclusive communities on campus as Assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Center. In this conversation we discuss Jae’s journey into creating spaces of belonging, especially for Black Queer and Trans folk, ideas around Afro-Futurism, and believing in and validating ourselves and our experiences. 
 
Connect with Jae on LinkedIn 
Or email Jae @ jedwards1441@gmail.com
Check out these other organizations doing impactful work in the South: 
https://www.ncbloc.black
https://southernvision.org/ 
https://m4bl.org/ 
 

Queer Heaven

In this episode, I share a few highlights and ideas I experienced at the Creating Change conference in New Orleans in January. 
 
Learn more about the LGBTQ+ Taskforce and the conference:
https://www.thetaskforce.org/creating-change/about-creating-change/ 
 
Follow us on socials:
@QueerChangemakers
QueerChangemakers on Facebook
Website: www.QueerChangemakers.com 
Share your feedback: https://bit.ly/QCMfeedbackform