Meet Leslie
I am a multidisciplinary educator, storyteller, and creator with over a decade of experience creating safe spaces for community to reflect, learn, and collectively grow. Whether organizing workshops, speaking to youth, or supporting emerging founders and organizers, my work is rooted in one vision: a people empowered.
My journey began in community-based, grassroots organizing. Over the years, my passion remained steady but the work expanded to include festival and conference organization and event planning, and creative entrepreneurial consulting and coaching. As my journey continued, re-connecting with and remembering my ancestral lineage reshaped the way I understand work/life passion and purpose. Now, ancestral homage, reverence, and healing are ingrained in all of the work that I do.
The work continues to evolve into workshops that challenge and empower, talks that inspire innovation and creating, consulting that nurtures and listens, and storytelling that reminds us of a truth deep inside.
Journey to Freedom
Last year, I self-published my first book, titled 'Journey to Freedom.'
The journey of publishing one's writings is a grueling one, one that request a lot of time with the Self. This process for me was self-defining, enlightening, and healing all at the same time.
I have been writing for over ten years, and I do believe that writing is healing. Whether you are journaling, inventing poetic trance works, or putting together essays on how to make the world more sustainable, expressing your thoughts and beliefs have more weight and impact than you may think. I encourage all to write. And am so grateful I get the opportunity to share my writings with the world.
You can learn more about my book, and purchase it here.
The Life Goal
Rooted in a passion and commitment to empowering historically oppressed communities while honoring our ancestors and ensuring they aren't erased, my work centers the Creative Arts, Health & Wellness, and Entrepreneurship as Activism.
I have worked with diverse non-profit organizations, small businesses, grassroots movements, and creative groups for over ten years, working boots-on-the-ground, in the Central Pennsylvania area.
Whether facilitating healing circles, leading a workshop, or organizing large-scale events, I design experiences that honor people’s lived and current realities while remaining rooted in a deeper, cosmic spiritual truth.
Pictured is Raíces Creativas' 'Meet the Team' panel that I had the pleasure of MC-ing.
Ancestral Wisdom
"We do not need to return to nature, we are nature."
Organizing creek cleanups, guided hikes and walks, managing nature-centered festivals and events, and learning from mushroom and plant experts is deeply woven into my leadership.
It is imperative that we remember our symbiotic relationship with the natural world, and learn (or remember) how to use it for our livelihoods. Extractivist capitalism has destroyed this beautiful relationship, because plants are meant to be used! But when taken and used without practices of reciprocity, with mindless intention, we are not using them as we should.
Pictured is a hike/walk that I co-organized with YPOC, Young Professionals of Color-Greater HBG.
Let's work together!
