2024

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January-February 2024,  Whole Health an Ancient Concept in Curanderismo. Cultural Humility/Competency Training for Imperial County Behavioral Health Services clinicians, case managers, and staff.

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Thursday, February 29, 2024, Cultura for Changemakers, FEMME! 2024 Conference & Retreat in San Diego. Visit their website to register.

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Thursday, March 28, 2024, Pasadena City College. Chicano Resource Gathering featuring Maestra Grace Sesma and Maestro Samuelin Martinez, Circadian Room CC 130, 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

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Thursday, April 4, 2024, Healing Our Spirit Talking Circle & Ceremony for Coalition on MMIWG2S for the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. By Invitation.

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April 7, 2024, Cafecito y Plática. Join Maestra Grace for a virtual cafecito and an informal conversation about Indigenous protocols, reconnecting with Indigenous ancestry, Women's medicine, dreaming and dreams, and other Curanderismo and Mexican Indigenous cultural topics. Register here for April 7 Cafecito.

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May 13, 2024, Becoming a Good Relative: Healing the Soul Wound of Colonization

Private. Cultural presentation how the effects of colonization has and continues to cause profound harm to Indigenous and Latinx/Chicane communities. Beginning with Manifest Destiny to today, engage in a courageous conversation about our collective history, begin to unlearn generations of untruths and engage in transformational practices. Grace will explain and demonstrate Indigenous protocols that will help you begin your journey from being an unintentional accomplice in colonial Western practices to an ally and on to become a relative, so that you are in alignment with your ethics as a healer, therapist, and change maker. 

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Join Maestra Grace for the 2024 Mental Health & Well-Being Global Summit, online from May 14 through 20, alongside presenters Deepak Chopra, Goldie Hawn, and others. My prayer and objective in participating in this Summit is to bring my personal perspective as a cultural practitioner. I believe in respectful collaboration between traditional Indigenous healers, Western-trained healthcare providers, and therapists. I am, however, clear during my talk that I am against using Native traditional medicines without having first deep training within the Indigenous community, respect for elders, their permission to teach, and reciprocity to the community of origin, adherence to our traditional Indigenous protocols, and understanding the impact of not collaborating with traditional elders in protecting our plant medicines, and culture-specific ways of using them.  15 CE’s from the American Psychological Association are available for purchase for licensed clinicians. Registration is free. Please use this link.

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Latinos in Heritage Conservation, August 8, 1-5 p.m., Reclaiming Our Roots: Preserving Traditions Panel, Central Library, 330 Park Blvd, San Diego. To Register or for more information, contact Congreso.

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Saturday, September 14, 10 am to Noon. Indigenous Protocols: More than Simply Etiquette. A 2-hour online class on Zoom. Learn how to approach elders, how to reconnect with Indigenous culture, we'll explore the deeper meaning and history of cultural practices through storytelling, PowerPoint, and respectful dialogue. This is an opportunity to ask the questions you've been afraid to ask within a group that will adhere firmly to compassionate discussion and guided personal reflection. Learning traditional Indigenous protocols is a lifelong process of learning, experiencing, and doing, even for Indigenous people who have grown up within their culture. If you are not Indigenous and want to learn how to go from settler to ally to Relative this class is for you too. Everyone is welcome, Indigenous or not. Register at Eventebrite!  If you cannot attend and would like to offer a scholarship, please email Maestra Grace.

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Wednesday, September 18, 2024, CSUSM. Mexicans: Hispanic, Chicanos, or Native? A Journey of Self-Identification and Cultural Reclamation. This lecture dives into the complex identities of Mexicans, exploring the terms Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, and Native. We will reflect on the profound impacts of colonization, including the loss of culture, tribal identity, land, and community. Through historical narratives and personal stories, we will examine how these identities have evolved and the struggles faced in maintaining cultural heritage. We will highlight the resilience of the communities in reclaiming traditions, language, and land and we will discuss the significance of self-identification and the ongoing efforts to preserve and celebrate the culture. Join us as we uncover the rich history and traditions by learning about the powerful movements that aimed at restoring and honoring the ancestral roots.

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October 8-14, The Energy that Heals Summit! More details soon. 

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October 17, Dia de Muertos, Remembering and Celebrating the Life of Our Ancestors

Join Maestra Grace for a special online Plática, a heart-to-heart conversation about what it means to remember and celebrate our ancestors on Mexican Day of the Dead. This is not a lecture but an interactive session where you can ask and share about what Dia de Muertos means and why it's so important to our Mexican and Indigenous communities. We'll also explore and discuss important questions that arise about this beautiful ancestral tradition. Bring your questions and concerns about challenging family dynamics with the deceased, concerns about misappropriating, and other related topics for an engaging and candid Q&A discussion.
The talk will not be recorded to give everyone the freedom to share with an open heart. Register at Eventbrite.​

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October 24-27, Presenting at the Academy for Integrative Health & Medicine Conference

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December 18, Presentation for Corazon Counseling Series for Chicane Therapists

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New talks and events coming soon!  Subscribe to Maestra Grace's email list to receive notifications of upcoming online talks and presentations. Announcements of pláticas (talks/lectures) that she hosts are usually sent to subscribers first.