I'm Serine, and the most significant obstacle to my growth has been the consequences of shame internalized.

It has limited me in various ways, but more than anything, kept me from believing in myself and pursuing my dreams.

As a mixed-race Black woman who grew up in a low-income home with a single mother, I understand the impact of systems of oppression and their interconnectedness. I also understand that when we assimilate into whiteness, we abandon ourselves. Unintentionally burying our dreams deep under layers of shame—the consequence of suffocating in the hazy fog of colonial, delusional white supremacist, heteropatriarcal, capitalist culture.

I believe we all deserve our dreams, so I am committed to helping radical and purpose-driven creatives transcend perceived limitations to commit our greatest act of resistance: living the lives of our wildest dreams. When we free our dreams, we discover a pathway to our collective liberation, and together, we work to dismantle systems of oppression.

With over 17 years experience specializing in business operations, I possess the expertise to challenge conventional ways of doing things. And, for the last eight years, I have been facilitating and designing transformative workshops while simultaneously going through my unfolding.

If you're ready to break free from limitation and embark on a journey toward the life you've always dreamed of, I invite you to join me.

I’m a…

  • Creative Entrepreneur

  • Entrepreneur Strategist

  • Experiential Facilitator

  • Writer & Culture Critic

ME IN 30 SECONDS ⏱

  • Fav method of transportation: walking 🚶🏽‍♀️

  • Very very picky & incredibly particular AND so easy going

  • Big Non-fiction reader 📔

  • You can always find me in the comments

  • Taurus 🌞 Sag 🌙 Libra ⬆️ / Manifesting-Generator & astro enthusiast

  • Super French mom

  • BIG lover of 🎶 music (dad was a musician)

  • Love going to new places but hate traveling there

  • Patiently waiting for a close 👽 encounter

Shame dies when stories are told in safe places.

— ANNETTE SIMMONS

MY BACKGROUND

I grew up in San Francisco, provided for but poor with a single mother. Thanks to her securing me a scholarship, I attended a private French school until the fourth grade. Most of my classmates came from families with beaucoup bucks and home lives vastly different from my own. Yet, at ten, after moving to a predominantly white town in rural Northern California, I experienced the greatest culture shock of my life. And very quickly became aware of all the ways I was 'different' and our family was 'unconventional.' In a country deeply entrenched in the delusion of white supremacy, capitalism, heteropatriarchy, and ableism, I unconsciously absorbed the narrative that whiteness is ‘good’ and therefore ‘safe,’ and like many, I sought safety by assimilating to whiteness. I internalized the message that equates 'different' with 'bad,' so I dulled my light, minimized experiences and made myself small to avoid standing out.

MY JOURNEY TOWARDS LIBERATION

In 2016, I participated in a workshop at a maximum-security prison, where on the final day, something within me began to unravel. As I shared the story of losing my father to cancer, I broke down, experiencing uncontrollable crying and feeling inconsolable. Though the grief of his passing lingered, my tears weren't solely for that loss. I didn't understand it then, but I felt something in me set free.

Four years later, the pandemic brought solitude and an awakening that helped me understand why I broke down that day. It was the first time I felt validated for the impact of my loss. I realized that no one (family or friends) had ever asked how I was doing. My body acknowledged what my mind couldn’t comprehend. It had been five years since my dad passed, and it was the first time I felt safe enough to cry. For a brief moment, the men created a space where I felt safe enough to let go, and my heart cracked wide open.

Before 2020, I did not identify with the feeling of shame, but the cathartic experience of breaking down during the workshop led me to reveal emotions I had long suppressed. Amidst the solitude and reflection, I began to understand the significance of that moment. I realized that my tears were not only for the loss of my father but also for the years of unacknowledged pain and the weight of societal expectations that I had carried silently. That day served as a catalyst, propelling me into a journey of self-discovery and healing, where I started confronting the complexities of shame and the pervasive influence it has on all parts of our lives.

AVP Workshop at High Desert State Prison

Upper Park Chico, CA

Let’s chat!

Book a 15 minute call with me to see how we can work together. Alternatively you can send me an email.