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Our Vision.

Black people have never been allowed to rest. Our bodies are genetically programmed to work to death, to be martyrs, or to function in survival mode. Black bodies need the grace and space to learn how to rest, to be given permission, to know it is safe. A broader understanding of health identifies a much larger set of social determinants (Economic Stability, Education Access and Quality, Health Care Access and Quality, Neighborhood and Built Environment, Social and Community Context) that impact the overall health of a human being. We also collectively agree that ultimately race and health are linked, as these determinants typically project negative health outcomes for Black people. The Church of Black Rest aims to create a safe space for Black bodies to rest in radical ways. A culture of rest cannot be promoted without the infrastructure to support it. In a society and culture rife with violence, systemic, and institutional racism, where Black bodies are considered problems, we are modern day “Rest” Cult builders. Minister Tricia Hersey put out a Call to Action to create communities centered around ensuring we all rest. The Church of Black Rest aims to answer that call. 

The Black church is seen as a communal gathering place and an organizing hub. The one place we can scream, shout, cry, dance, praise in worship all in one day. However, ‘the church’ has become a place of the past, riddled with scandal, violence, and irrelevance. No matter the denomination there appears to be a mass exodus occurring from ‘the church’. However, with a shift to a  space where we focus on our physical bodies, we vision bringing everyone back home to the Church of Black Rest

Belief Statement.

We create safe space to encourage the act of Rest as a life practice because we believe Resting is an integral part of liberating ourselves in this work towards creating a more just and equitable society for Black bodies to exist within freely.

Who We are. 

We are a holistic representation of the human being. We are queer, anti-racists, intersectional feminists. We imagine a world where Rest is mandatory, and naps do not induce feelings of guilt. We are abolitionists who aim to bend reality into a future that centers resting Black bodies. Where charging stations for our humanity are just as commonly available as the charging stations for smart cars and phones.

Church Commitments:

Every Rest Reverend is an expert in a rest practice that is associated with a specific Chakra or energy point within the body.

 

These humans should always be working in alignment as it is vital that they redistribute energy into the congregation that is balanced, freely flowing and centering Rest.

 

Rest Reverends have mastery in unlearning traumatic responses that our bodies may exhibit when we attempt to rest.

 

With this lived experience and knowledge, Rest Reverends walk alongside members with the hopes of catalysting them to create sustainable rest practices that fit within the context of their daily lives.

 

Rest Reverends help members understand that developing a rest practice and sticking to it, is a journey that requires being grounded in community to be impactful.

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