Today we’re spotlighting the growing movement of singing resistance—communities gathering to raise their voices in protest, prayer, grief, and love. When people sing together, something happens in the collective body. Breathing synchronizes. Hearts entrain. Nervous systems regulate. What could feel isolating becomes shared. Music has always been a tool of liberation. Singing moves us from contraction to connection. It transforms fear into courage and reminds us that we belong to something larger than ourselves. In moments of division or despair, the collective voice becomes an act of hope. From a neuro-somatic lens, singing together is not just symbolic—it is biological. It supports regulation, co-regulation, and solidarity. It reminds us that love is not passive. It is embodied. It is vocal. It is shared. Take a moment today to listen. Or better yet—sing.What song helps you feel the power of the collective body?

This week’s Rooted Spotlight is an organization that shaped me deeply—Destiny Arts Center in Oakland. I had the honor of working there for three years helping to develop the Care Team (here my voice and video at 1:29 minutes!), building wraparound supports that continue to hold kids and families in powerful ways. I came to do what I was meant to do in what was supposed to be a year and ended up 3—and while it was hard to leave, I’m incredibly proud of what we built and how Destiny continues to serve. Destiny is where I deepen my understanding of somatics. That experience changed me. It transformed how I understand relationship—with young people, with community, with myself. Somatics moved from something I was learning into something I live. What makes Destiny extraordinary is that it is an arts organization first—mental health is not separate or siloed. It is integrated into the making of art. Young people train in hip hop, martial arts, and performance with teaching artists, while clinicians work alongside them, weaving regulation, reflection, and healing into the creative process. There is something profoundly dignifying about that model. And culturally? When I wear my Destiny sweatshirt out in the Bay Area, someone always says, “I did Destiny.” or “Destiny is the best.” It holds a powerful place in this community—and I truly don’t know of another model quite like it across the country. Rooted Spotlight is about honoring organizations doing good work in the world. Destiny is one of those places. 🌿 If you’ve experienced Destiny—drop your memories below. What organizations have shaped you the way Destiny shaped me?

https://www.lifeiloveschool.org I have the deep honor of supporting Life I Love School, a growing organization that is lifting up Black and Brown girls across the Bay Area. They are adding new school sites every month — the momentum is real. I support the team with training and curriculum development, but the true heart and visionary behind this movement is @Chasmin Moses — who dreamed this into being from her own classroom. What makes this program so powerful? ✨ Building a culture of abundance✨ Teaching girls about their brain and body✨ Integrating art as a pathway to self-understanding✨ Centering identity, voice, and belonging This is what happens when neuroscience, creativity, and community meet lived experience. Girls are not only learning — they are understanding themselves. They are building language for their emotions. They are seeing their brilliance reflected back to them. This is embodied empowerment. And it is growing. 🌿 Have questions, curiosities or want to support this organization, drop in the chat! Have another organization you want to spotlight, create your own post to celebrate people doing good stuff in the world!!

I was on the board when Brothers on the Rise was formed back in the mid 2000s, I think around 2010. Even though I’m no longer directly connected, I continue to hold deep respect for this organization and the impact of its work. They have been doing powerful, grounded, relationship-centered work with boys and young men of color for over a decade—centering identity, belonging, accountability, leadership, and healing. Long before these ideas were mainstream, they understood that young people rise when they are seen, challenged, supported, and held in community. The alignment with the mission of Hope Reimagined is strong:✨ whole-person development✨ culturally responsive care✨ community as medicine✨ pathways toward dignity, purpose, and agency This is legacy work. The kind that doesn’t always make headlines, but quietly and consistently changes lives—and communities—for the long haul. Honoring the roots today. 🌿 Please share in the chat what you are honoring today!

Today I want to shine a light on Summer Stars—a truly transformative experience for young people. Summer Stars creates brave, creative spaces where youth are invited to tell the truth, explore identity, build confidence, and use art as a pathway for healing, expression, and leadership. What makes this spotlight especially close to my heart is that my sister, Lisa Pimentel, has worked with Summer Stars for the past several years. I’ve witnessed, again and again, how intentional mentorship, artistry, and care can change trajectories—how being seen and supported in your voice can ripple far beyond a single program or summer. This is the kind of work we love to uplift here in Rooted: youth-centered, arts-forward, grounded in relationship and care, deeply aligned with healing, justice, and possibility If you’re looking for inspiration, hope, or models of what’s possible when we invest in young people and their creativity, Summer Stars is doing it beautifully. 💛 Please share the programs, projects or people that inspire you!!