Apr 17

Why we should (always) practice accessibility

I was briefly part of a work group in spring of 2022 that focused on accessibility standards for the spa. We called it the Equity workgroup. Why would that be important? Why would a spa consider how someone in a wheelchair might receive massage therapy? Why would it be important to consider how somebody transgender should be guided to the locker rooms? How they should be addressed? Why would it be important to consider what pronouns and what names might be used in an intake form? Why might it be important to consider how someone of Black skin and hair is guided through services and oils that might not be the best for their skin and hair types? Why might it be important to consider how to drape a bigger body who might require more than one towel and might require an XXL bathrobe? It’s important because it teaches... Accessibility. But more importantly, it teaches Collective Care. It teaches collective liberation. It teaches that “luxury” services and healing arts and centers for bringing care to the forefront of conversation are also places that can put elitism and classism to the side. Accessibility is important because we understand that in order to help our children, we’re looking out for All children. Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

18 min

Jan 18

Dance, Song, Story & Stillness: Jemarc Axinto on Soul Sickness, Burnout, and Creative Healing

I am “soul” excited to introduce Kuyate Jemarc in this concluding episode of the Equitable Wellness podcast, before an indefinite break! Our season finale features Jemarc Axinto, Filipinx neurodivergent and nonbinary trauma recovery coach, spiritual guide, and public speaker. Together we ask four intriguing shamanic questions to address soul sickness and burnout. The conversation touches on Buddhism, neuroscience, trauma healing, and lived experience to inform creation as healing within restorative culture. A full transcript and show notes are available on the blog at https://shaynagrajo.com/burnout-as-soul-sickness-jemarc-axinto/ People & Mentions Jemarc Axinto · Harvard Divinity School · Indigenous African shamanic traditions · the historical Buddha (Shakyamuni), sutras and shastras · Yungblud · Daddio movie with Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn · César A. Cruz/Bansky quote · Doechii · Pete Holmes · Pikachu & Yoda · Megamind movie · Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism · Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics · good ol’capitalism and algorithmic social platforms · neurodivergent & trauma-informed healing About Jemarc Axinto Jemarc Axinto is a Filipinx nonbinary trauma recovery coach, wellness consultant, spiritual guide, and public speaker. With over a decade of experience in trauma healing, Jemarc integrates neuroscience, Tantric Buddhism, limbic system retraining, meditation, mantra, and breathwork to support others in healing and rewiring trauma at the intersection of science and spirituality. They have spoken at Harvard and trained mental health professionals across disciplines, offering an approach that bridges science, spirituality, and lived experience. Visit their website → jemarcaxinto.com Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

1h 4m

12/06/2025

Mental Health and the Marching Arts, with Jarid Polite

In this episode of Equitable Wellness, Jarid Polite and I finally hold the mental health conversation direly needed to be expressed en masse within the unique marching arts activity. The founder and artistic director of the Melanin Mosaic Performance Ensemble dials in from Toronto to talk all things color guard and care: from representation, artistry, and education to the mental health struggles that are ready to take the stage. Our podcast conversation takes us from inner-city ‘90s New York to Uganda and back, touching on the silences of burnout, trauma, abuse, financial barriers, ageism, and abelism within a community art form that we are evolving for pleasure, joy, equity & creativity well beyond traditional pageantry competition. Get to know Jarid—whose grandmother, aunt, mother, and father all had involvement with the activity—and learn about the Melanin Mosaic’s March Forward Wellness Initiative, designed to create systems of care, mental health, and wellness for all performance members of the marching community: past, present, and future. A full transcript and show notes are available on the blog at shaynagrajo.com/podcast People & Mentions Jarid Polite · Melanin Mosaic Performance Ensemble · Cadets of First Baptist Church of Crown Heights · DCI (Drum Corpos International) · “Drumline” (film) · HBCU Community (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) · WGI (Winter Guard International) · Dayton Black Dance Company · Dayton Ballet Company · Black Lives Matter Movement · Reddit · 1990s New York City marching arts environment · March Forward Wellness Initiative · National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) · Megan Yankee · MAASIN · U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health · RISE Group · Santa Clara Vanguard · Atlanta National Civil Rights Museum · Dr. Martin Luther King About Jarid Polite Jarid Polite is the founder and artistic director of Melanin Mosaic Performance Ensemble—a growing collective that reimagines the marching arts through storytelling, movement, and representation. Guided by his deep love for movement, film, music, and theater, Jarid blends disciplines to create experiences that speak to both heart and heritage. His work celebrates the brilliance of the African diaspora while exploring what mental health looks like within the marching and performance community. Grounded in empathy and care for others, his mission is simple: to create art that moves, heals, and builds community. Read more here → melaninmosaicpe.com Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

1h 28m

10/07/2025

The Reluctant Capitalist: Eroding Capitalism as Solopreneurs

In this episode of the Equitable Wellness podcast, we hold conversation with Marisa Guthrie — coach, entrepreneur, and author of the forthcoming book, The Reluctant Capitalist. Together we explore the paradox of surviving and thriving while transforming a system that profits from global injustices. Through the lens of equity, liberation, and holistic business, we unpack anticapitalism and what it means to create ethical income, hold sovereignty within collective wellness, and fulfill the lifetime arc of eroding capitalism as solopreneurs. It’s been my utmost honor and pleasure to chat with Marisa, for whom writing the book The Reluctant Capitalist is an act of “audacious hope.” Give this episode a listen to hear about her experiences in multicultural London, post-apartheid South Africa, nearly 30 years of entrepreneurship, and the deep research for her book: from economists like Eric Olin Wright and Kate Raworth to journalists like George Monbiot. A full transcript and show notes are available on the blog at shaynagrajo.com/podcast People & Mentions Global Sumud Flotilla · Pedro Sánchez · Nelson Mandela · Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine · Eric Olin Wright · Kate Raworth · George Monbiot · Simone Grace Seol · Maeggan Megginson · Roots TV mini-series 1977 · Alex Haley About Marisa Guthrie Marisa Guthrie is a business coach and entrepreneur who helps solopreneurs balance profit and purpose so they can grow their income without compromising their ethics or their wellbeing. She supports solopreneurs in creating business models that have social justice baked into them, ensuring their work aligns with both their purpose and their financial goals. With nearly 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, Marisa brings deep expertise in building ethical, sustainable businesses that thrive. Read more here → The Reluctant Capitalist™ on Substack and marisaguthriecoaching.com Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

40 min

08/10/2025

Decolonizing Yoga: Beyond Representation and Into Liberation

If yoga is freedom, why has it been used to justify war, uphold caste systems, and mask state violence? In this deep conversation, activist scholar Sheena Sood, PhD unpacks the shadow side of yoga — from its weaponization and “Omwashing” to its long history and present entanglement with state violence among supremacist entities. We explore how governments, militaries, and nationalist movements co-opt yoga, and we dare to ask how to reclaim it for justice, anti-oppression, anti-imperial values, and collective healing. If you’ve ever felt uneasy about the commercialization, appropriation, or politics of yoga, this episode will nourish both your critical mind and radical heart. A full transcript and show notes are available on the blog at shaynagrajo.com/podcast People & Mentions Lenni-Lenapehoking people · Baba Ramdev · Hindutva ideology · Highlander Research and Education Center · Movement to Free Mumia Abu Jamal · George Floyd · “Little Israel” in Himachal Pradesh · Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank · Narendra Modi · Magnolia Zuniga · Nissim Amon · Tejal Patel · Hadeel Gharbawi · Al-Jawad Camp · Donald Trump · Mariame Kaba Key Takeaways * Decolonial yoga does not stop at BIPOC representation — it demands radical ethical frameworks. * “It’s important to talk about the harmful weaponization of yoga by the Zionist entity and other members of the far right who are in alliance with Israel right now.” * The liberatory potential of yoga includes organized political action — even militant political action — in the face of injustice. * A truly decolonial approach is built in the present toward the future; it can’t simply be reclaimed from the past. * Recognizing yoga’s entanglement with systems of violence invites more intentional, politicized practice. * Naming contradictions creates the space to birth more liberatory ways of practicing and teaching yoga. ABOUT SHEENA SOOD, PHD Sheena is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Delaware Valley University; and a Philly-based activist scholar, yoga practitioner, and healing justice visionary. She earned her yoga certifications at Kailash Tribal School in McLeodganj, India, and her research “Omwashing Yoga: Self-care and State Violence among the Global Far-Right” examines how right-wing movements in India, Israel and the U.S. appropriate yoga to advance ethnonational, colonial, and supremacist agendas. Her work appears in Jadaliyya, Race & Yoga Journal, Al Jazeera, and multiple edited volumes, such as Practicing Yoga as Resistance: Voices of Color in Search of Freedom and The Yoga Teacher's Survival Guide: Social Justice, Science, Politics, and Power. She co-founded Yogis for Palestine and created Yoga Warrior Tales, a social-justice–oriented yoga program for children. Read more here → sheenashining.com Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

1h 26m

06/11/2025

Shift your frequency, not your to-do list

Differentiate between doing and being in this episode of the Equitable Wellness podcast. We speak with Irene McKenna, human design specialist, on how to hack the Law of Attraction to step into the aligned version of oneself at their highest vibration. Explore equity as divine alignment as we learn of Irene's midlife rebirth, the human design system's origins, and the application of human design in business strategy. The conversation delves into the different human design types, their strategies, common mistakes, and learning to show up as the person you were born to be. A full transcript is available on the blog at shaynagrajo.com/podcast. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Human Design and Alignment07:12 Irene's Rebirth and Start with Human Design14:18 Understanding Human Design: The Energetic Blueprint of Self-Awareness18:06 Applying Human Design in Business and Marketing27:15 Reframing Misalignment and Purpose in Business and Life33:59 The Role of Human Design in Business Strategy39:53 Honoring Authority and Centers in Human Design45:46 Client Transformations Through Human Design KEEP IN TOUCH WITH IRENE Run your human design chart and get the cheat codes: irenemckenna.com/chart Join her group on Facebook, where Irene teaches soul-aligned human design strategy for business and life. Here she breaks down the human design chart so that it’s easier to understand and apply! https://www.facebook.com/groups/humandesignstrategy Visit her website… irenemckenna.com Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irenemckenna/ Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

53 min

04/29/2025

Become your Unstoppable self, with Ishani Tewari

Embrace self-leadership and become unstoppable: insights from coach Ishani Tewari Become unstoppable in this episode of the Equitable Wellness podcast with guest Ishani Tewari, a coach dedicated to helping individuals overcome people-pleasing tendencies. Ishani shares her own journey of healing from chronic health issues and the turning points that led her to embrace self-leadership, authenticity, and ultimately coaching others. Our conversation touches on the mind-body-spirit connection, diverse healing modalities from EFT to breathwork to Ho'oponopono, and cultural context in understanding people-pleasing. Ishani also shares about emotional wound healing, what it feels like to become ‘unstoppable,’ and on the significance of joy. Finally, Ishani reads us a poignant poem of her own, in the spirit of encouraging healing. A full transcript is available on the blog at https://shaynagrajo.com/become-your-unstoppable-self/ Keywords equitable wellness, people pleasing, self leadership, healing journey, mind body spirit, cultural context, unstoppable self, emotional wounds, holistic health, coaching KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ISHANI Join the Self-Leadership School on Facebook - community and weekly free trainings on how to be the leader of your life:https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfleadershipschool Connect with Ishani—Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ishani.tewari.3/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ishanicreates/ Download two great resources— Break Free from people-pleasing in 7 Steps:https://ishanitewari.kit.com/b31aeeaa30 The ‘Say No’ Playbook: How to Set Boundaries Without Feeling Like a Monsterhttps://ishanitewari.kit.com/noplaybook Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

1h 4m

04/13/2025

Embodying Values and Touching Lives, from Performance to Practice

Once a high-impact dancer who moved audiences through performance, Megan now practices healing art and care through therapeutic touch Welcome back to exploring the intersection of holistic health, equity, and the healing arts with the Equitable Wellness podcast. In this episode with Megan Yankee, a high-impact dancer turned licensed massage therapist, we explore Megan’s dearly held values and ask what it means in practice for healing (and continuous learning) that is consent-driven, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, all-abilities and 2SLGBTQIA+ friendly? The conversation delves into systemic issues, the significance of inclusivity, and challenges faced by marginalized communities. Megan shares her insights on the healing process, the complexities of chronic pain, and intending safe spaces for all clients. The episode concludes with a look at Megan's future aspirations in the healing arts and her commitment to serving equity-deserving populations. Keywords equitable wellness, holistic health, consent-driven practice, trauma-informed care, cultural responsiveness, LGBTQIA+ friendly, chronic pain, healing arts, massage therapy, systemic issues KEEP IN TOUCH WITH MEGAN Megan’s massage therapy practice https://nepantlabodyworks.com/ Connect with Megan https://www.linkedin.com/in/megandry/ See some uncovered gems of select dance reviews referenced in the episode: https://indyweek.com/culture/stage/the-commons-crit-megan-yankee-open-wounds-border-policy/ https://indyweek.com/culture/stage/the-commons-crit-megan-yankee-dances-through-mestizx/ Get full access to Equitable Wellness at https://shaynagrajo.substack.com/ Connect and collaborate: shayna@shaynagrajo.com Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

1h 16m

Trailer

The Equitable Wellness Podcast Trailer

Welcome to the Equitable Wellness Podcast, available on Substack, YouTube, and traditional pods.In video and audio format, we will explore passion topics about equitable practices in holistic health and healing arts. For instance, how spas, retreat centers, holistic practitioners and luxury services incorporate collective liberation.We also call out systemic oppression broadly and in health and wellness, systems that perpetuate the harm that people seek healing from in the first place.Let’s ask how we can have businesses that are just as profitable as they are equitable, and what they look like.This podcast is perfect for business owners, artists, personal brands, coaches and service providers destined to find one another in solidarity for justice and healing as one.Could this be you? Are you looking to partner and collaborate with practitioners who are passionate about equity and liberation work? Let's connect. Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

1 min

03/30/2025

If Maternity Were Equitable, Part 2 of 2: The Tale of Two Estheticians

The second episode of the Equitable Wellness podcast is the pregnancy and maternity story of Ariel Herrera-Molina, who in Episode 1 shared her vast experiences as a spa owner and licensed esthetician in the aesthetics world as a person of color. In this emotional and raw installment, we shift the conversation to Ariel’s birthing experience the week after the presidential election. Here Ariel shares her story bravely and unabashedly, revealing what American mothers don’t talk about. I also share what maternity leave looks like in Spain: 16 weeks minimum paid maternity leave after birth and 16 weeks minimum paid paternity leave after birth, federally mandated. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ARIEL AND NOVA Follow along Ariel’s spa at @arielpopspimples for the entrepreneurial journey as her spa, staff, visions and baby Nova grow! ♡ You might catch a rebrand and location change comin’ up this year.😜 Connect and collaborate: shayna@shaynagrajo.com Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

54 min

03/14/2025

If Maternity Were Equitable, Part 1 of 2: Aesthetics DEI

Meet Ariel Herrera-Molina: licensed esthetician, Reiki practitioner, and proud spa owner in upstate New York. Ariel, the mom and star of today’s show, gave birth to Nova Elizabeth Herrera-Molina on November 12. Before we ask Ariel about pregnancy and equitable maternity—which is the next podcast episode, part 2—we’re talking all things holistic skincare and justice and beyond. In this installment, we chat about DEI in the spa industry, specifically amidst the current sociopolitical climate in the US, tension in public spaces, and the Trump administration’s initiatives to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Ariel touches on her vast experiences in the aesthetics field as a person of color: from feeling like an outsider to workplace discrimination and finally to entrepreneurship. We discuss the lack of education and training on diverse skin types, the “facade” of the spa industry, and the economic barriers preventing BIPOC professionals from launching skincare brands. The episode closes with reflections on legacy and Ariel’s transition into motherhood. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ARIEL Follow along Ariel’s spa at @arielpopspimples for the entrepreneurial journey as her spa, staff, visions and baby Nova grow! ♡ You might catch a rebrand and location change comin’ up this year.😜 Get full access to Needle in a Shaystack at shaynagrajo.substack.com/subscribe

25 min

The Equitable Wellness Podcast

Episodes

Why we should (always) practice accessibility

Dance, Song, Story & Stillness: Jemarc Axinto on Soul Sickness, Burnout, and Creative Healing

Mental Health and the Marching Arts, with Jarid Polite

The Reluctant Capitalist: Eroding Capitalism as Solopreneurs

Decolonizing Yoga: Beyond Representation and Into Liberation

Shift your frequency, not your to-do list

Become your Unstoppable self, with Ishani Tewari

Embodying Values and Touching Lives, from Performance to Practice

The Equitable Wellness Podcast Trailer

If Maternity Were Equitable, Part 2 of 2: The Tale of Two Estheticians

If Maternity Were Equitable, Part 1 of 2: Aesthetics DEI

Trailer

The Equitable Wellness Podcast Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

earnest and v. enjoyable

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