MEET THE TEam
behind the goddess commune
CLICK THE PHOTO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH MEMBER OF THE TEAM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kehinde Koyejo
Kehinde Koyejo, an Oakland Native, is owner of Kalm Korner by Kehinde, a conscious self-care brand that offers all-natural products for improving both skin appearance & mental & emotional health through the power of aromatherapy.
Kehinde enjoys empowering her community with holistic tools and strategies for stress and burnout management. She is committed to educating mothers, artists, and students of African Descent about mental and emotional health in deep, authentic, and ongoing ways to increase awareness of the importance of self-healing, self-preservation and self-mastery.
In addition, Kehinde produces hosts and monthly Boutique Talks, providing a platform for Women of African Descent & Women of Color to discuss a wide variety of wellness topics while exploring the healing power of sacred sisterhood.
She also curates a Black Commerce Experience in Oakland through The Boutique Collective, a group of Black & Women-owned small businesses who activate unused space in Oakland with retail pop-ups. Her goal is to increase the circulation of the black dollar within Oakland’s black communities by re-imagining, re-creating and revitalizing the Black Commerce Experience to reflect Black unity, Black love, Black power and Black pride.
Kehinde currently resides in her hometown, Oakland, CA with her daughter, Ololade Celeste, surrounded by a host of family and friends. She is living her best life and is committed to helping guide others towards doing the same.
Website: kalmkorner.com
Facebook: kalmkornerbykehinde
Instgram: kalmkorner
Email: kalmkorner@gmail.com
FOUNDER/PROJECT MANAGER
Dr. Francine “Olivia” Shakir
Born and reared in San Francisco, California, Olivia’s work in holistic wellness grew out of her early quest to solve problems related to social inequities and the mis-education of Black and Brown children. Her work began in school settings and eventually evolved to higher education research. She received her Doctorate in Education at the University of San Francisco. Soon afterwards, she found her “home” in the College of Ethnic Studies and the Richard Oakes Multicultural Center at San Francisco State University (S.F.S.U), where her teaching and leadership practices were framed by identity development, culturally-relevant education, civil rights and the removal of educational barriers. As an educational leader and director at S.F.S.U., her work was fashioned to raise the consciousness of young adults to rouse social activism in their personal lives and in their communities.
As the universe would have it, her community of students and family inspired her to purposefully link the dynamics of holistic wellness with education and culture. Hence, The Goddess Commune was created in January 2019 as a model for a unique wellness movement to sustain Black and Brown lives and their culture. Since womyn are the carriers of the culture of wellness, Dr. Shakir brings together other local womyn healers and wellness advocates, across the gender spectrum, to provide healing experiences and ancestral knowledge to local womyn.
In all aspects of her life and work, she operates from a place of gratitude, promoting the values of revolutionary love, cultural wisdom, humility and openness.
ADVISORY MEMBER
Daphne Kay-Dickens
Born and reared in San Francisco, CA, Daphne’s love of art and “all things beautiful” began at an early age and was encouraged by her family. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Education/Fine Arts, she began teaching art at the high school level. She soon realized that her gift could not be contained within the walls of a brick and mortar, 9-5 structure.Her desire to teach and share the gift of creativity and self-expression allowed her to touch the lives of the San Francisco foster youth community, teen moms, and adults and youth in the faith- based communities of Oakland, California. Through her hands- on Carpentry/Design training program at the University of San Francisco (USF, her clients (each with a mental health diagnosis) excelled in their design work to remodel spaces throughout the city of San Francisco.Her passion to create led her to work in a variety of mediums: clay, acrylics, collage, needlepoint, Afro-centric fashion design, and jewelry making. Although recently retired, her therapy- through- art continues to provide a creative release for many and a form of communication and healing for others.In practice, Daphne is an artist, teacher and mental wellness coach. She strongly believes that, “Using our hands and opening our minds “shows not all of what is necessary, but some of what is possible.” (Howard Zinn)
ADVISORY MEMBER
Delois Smith
Delois is the Founder of the Tommie Smith Youth Initiative, based in Atlanta Georgia. This non-profit organization is dedicated to nurturing the health, fitness, and educational development of youth, particularly marginalized children.
Delois’ activism was inspired by her four children and began by providing services to her church and in the community. Working on a college campus contributed to Delois’ development as an activist/leader. In this setting, students were drawn to her compassion and non-judgmental demeanor. As such, she was able to make the consequential connection that would later change her life and America’s social justice narrative – an introduction to Tommie Smith, the 1968 Mexico City Olympian, whom she later married.
During the 1990’s, coupling her activist skills with her business knowledge, Delois began working to promote her husband as an international activist for human rights. Her efforts catapulted his story and image of the “raised fist” on the Olympic stand to become one of the most celebrated symbols of civil rights. Delois attributes her success as a business woman to her innate visual and mental foresight. To learn more about the projects under TSYI visit: http://tsyinitiative.org/home/
ADVISORY MEMBER
Mark Alexander, PhD
Dr. Mark Alexander is a retired research scientist at the Division of Research (DOR) Kaiser Permanente Northern California. He is the former Assistant Director of the Medical Effectiveness Research Center for Diverse Populations, University of California at San Francisco.
Dr. Alexander is an epidemiologist who is committed to improving health outcomes of marginalized communities. Of particular interest to him are the effects of racism and social class on health. He is the National Secretary of 100 Black Men of America, Inc., and is a leader of the organization’s Health and Wellness Committee. He also represents the 100 on the Council on Black Health. His service as an advisor to numerous community organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area has benefitted young scientists, youth and wellness organizations.
Dr. Alexander has published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the American Heart Journal, and other peer reviewed journals. His research interests include: cardiovascular disease, geriatric epidemiology and child health. He serves on the Council on Black Health, and on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
He is currently the Executive Director of Youth Movement, a community-based initiative dedicated to improving the health, fitness and well-being of Black children.
Mark received his B.S. Degree in Biology at University of California, Santa Cruz. He also received his Masters Degree in Public Health at University of California, Berkeley; and a PhD in Epidemiology at University of California, Berkeley.
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
Nomakhosi Nina Ndebele
A lover of all things beautiful, personally and professionally, Nomakhosi believes there is a unique beauty in everyone and it is her mission to inspire humanity towards the purest expression of that beauty. Her creativity and entrepreneurial drive have led her towards a multifaceted career in fashion and entertainment. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in the culturally diverse Los Angeles her interests are inherently cross-cultural, and this influences her as a creative producer to create content that hits at the heart of connecting African Millenials in the diaspora and those on the continent as well as providing a voice and space for authentic African entertainment and culture in mainstream media.
ADVISORY MEMBER
Linda James Meyers, PhD
Dr. James Meyers serves as an advisory board member. She is a highly respected psychologist who has written numerous articles, book chapters and books on issues related to Reframing Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being Among Persons of African Descent. She is known for her critique of traditional western psychological frameworks and her research on African centered psychology.
The book "Understanding of Afrocentric World View: Introduction to an Optimal Psychology" is her most notable work. She also coedited Re-Centering Culture and Knowledge in Conflict Resolution Practice.
Dr. James Meyers received her B.S.E. from Kansas State Teachers College in Psychology and Special Education; her M.S. degree from Kansas State Teachers College in School Psychology; and her PhD. from Ohio State University, in Clinical Psychology.
Over her career spanning more than 30 years, James Myers has acquired many awards including: the Distinguished Psychologist Award from the Association of Black Psychologists, the Bethune/Woodson Award for Outstanding Contributions in the Development of Promotion of Black Studies from the National Council of Black Studies, Oni Award by the International Black Women’s Congress, and the Building to Eternity Award from the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilization. Dr. James Meyers is also the past president of the Association of Black Psychologists.
ADVISORY MEMBER
Barbara A. Sylvester, Esq.
Ms. Sylvester has more than fifteen years of experience in employment law and litigation. She is currently an Equal Opportunity Specialist with the City of Oakland acting as a neutral internal workplace investigator for claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. She also serves on one of the Internal Equity Committees within the City of Oakland’s Race and Equity Department. She joined the committee because she supports the goals of the Race and Equity Department which include eliminating systemic causes of racial disparities in City Government, promoting inclusion and full participation for all residents of the City, and reducing race-based disparities in Oakland’s communities.
During her years at several law firms, Ms. Sylvester represented clients in judicial, administrative and arbitration proceedings involving claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, violation of federal and state laws and breach of contract. She advised clients regarding compliance with employment laws, wage and hour issues, and the preparation of employment manuals and various agreements. Since 2002, Ms. Sylvester has acted as a neutral external investigator, investigating claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
In addition to her employment work, Ms. Sylvester has experience representing clients in insurance coverage and business and commercial litigation matters. She has handled complex and high exposure claims under standard form and broker-manuscript insurance contracts. She has advised clients on complex claims under property policies, personal and commercial general liability policies and “claims made and reported” professional liability policies. Ms. Sylvester has written numerous coverage opinions involving complex first party and third party claims. Additionally, she has advised and counseled clients relating to employment and consulting contracts.
Ms. Sylvester earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Syracuse University and a Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law. She is a member of the California State Bar and the Association of Workplace Investigators.
VOLUNTEER
Isis Fields
Isis Fields is a young Afro-Latina that is an Oakland native. Through navigating her creative interests, she has found it to be rewarding and enriching to volunteer alongside youth in programs that offer opportunities such as cooking and visual art. She is currently a student at San Francisco State University and is studying to earn a bachelor’s degree in Health Education and to minor in Spanish studies. Her academic interests also include holistic health and alternative medicines, which she plans on integrating into her future practice. Her long-term academic goal is to work to earn a Master’s in Public Education to further support her interests in planning and organizing events for underserved communities and the youth population.
Professionally, she is motivated to empower others through bringing awareness to health interventions and resources that promote self-autonomy. Additionally, she plans to continue her family seasoning salt business, called Sam salt to not only support her passion for cooking but to as an enhancement to home cooking. Isis has supported the following agencies through internships or volunteerism; SF General and interning at Highland Hospital and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and Project Connect. Fun fact; She has never come across an art supply that she doesn’t like- she loves gel roll pens and making collages.
VOLUNTEER
CHERYL ALLEN KAY, RESEARCH ANALYST
Cheryl has worked in the legal field for over 25 years. Her legal background included litigation secretary, legal assistant researcher and paralegal assistant. She has a passion for holistic wellness and has been cultivating plant medicines for her family’s health for almost a decade. Cheryl also loves cooking and experimenting with new dishes when time permits.
She lives with her husband, who is her best friend and their German Shepherd, Odin. Cheryl is the proud mother of 2 incredible adult daughters.