With our hearts filled with the deepest of gratitude, we must announce that today we officially say “farewell” to The House of BREATHE at 435.
We dreamed of having this space for a long time. But it was this week, two years ago, when someone asked “what would you do if you knew you could not fail or if money was not an option?” And we dared to share this dream out loud and to speak this vision into existence. We dared to trust the voice of spirit and where it was leading us. We dared to believe that this could be a possibility for us (two black girls in the bronx with a dream, no real plan, and no savings to make it happen! Lol) But We pressed forward in spite of our fear and outside of our comfort, to believe that we could create a refuge and healing space in the south bronx for our young people and community to B.R.E.A.T.H.E. (Balance. Restore. Empower. Affirm. Transform. Heal. Embody.) With the spirit of our grandmothers and mothers who turned home into healing grounds, We co-created The House of BREATHE!
The House of BREATHE at 435 has indeed been such a blessing to us over the last two years. It has given us more than we could ever imagine. Personally and as an organization, it gave us so much room to grow and learn. We dreamed and dreamed again. We saw those dreams become reality. We became the women of our own dreams. There was a lot we did not know when we said “Yes”, but we learned to fly this plane while building it.
We have also had the privilege of experiencing this space and how it blessed so many others in community. We held the first Restorative Justice Peacemaking Circle Training For black women in New York City! saw this space become a refuge for our young people, a healing and gathering space for our Sistas, home for friends that became family, and a source of celebration. It held the hard times, the loss, the sorrow, suffering, and the stories of so many people. But it also gave us joy, rest, nourishment, foooood, friendship, healing, learning, justice, spirit, community, connection, ancestral healing, transformation, and more! We could go on on! But what’s most important is how it brought US to so many of You! And how is gave us the space to B.R.E.A.T.H.E.!!And for that we can’t say thank you enough.
Thank you God, our ancestors, and spirit guides for trusting us with the vision, the provisions, the people and for carrying us through.
Thank you to our first investors, the people who believed in us and said “Hell Yeah do that shit” when we thought it was just a crazy idea! Lol Thank you to our second investors, who financially said yes to the vision without knowing if there would be a return on their investment. Thank you to folks, who thought it ought not robbery, to show up and support us in building and strengthening this vision as an organization. Thank you to our Sistas who always said “Yes” and showed up even when we didn’t know how to ask. Thank you to each and every person that has trusted us enough to come through and B.R.E.A.T.H.E.!!!
While this first draft of the dream has been completed, this is not the FINAL DRAFT. The BREATHE Collective has decided to give ourselves the permission to take the needed space and time to radically recharge, reimagining, rewrite, and re-envision The House of B.R.E.A.T.H.E. for You!
And Although we will not have a physical space for some time, we will still be providing remote services, trainings, and new upcoming programming for our young people! We are always with in community with you, co-journing and co-creating space for you to BREATHE but we cannot be sustained in that spirit if we do not also create that space for our own selves.💜
We love you all and thank you for all the support thus far! May you be pleased with this first endeavor.
Please stay tuned on what’s coming up next! Until then, may you be well, Remembering to B.R.E.A.T.H.E. where you are 💜
Sawubona,
The BREATHE Collective ✨
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