POCPC 2024 Highlights & 2025 Goals
As we begin a new year, the People of Color Psychedelic Collective reflects on all we accomplished in 2024. Read our 2024 roundup to learn more about all the fun and exciting things we did over the past year.
In February, we were thrilled to welcome 14 new volunteers from all regions in the United States, four of whom stepped up to become board members. Their dedication and fresh perspectives have already significantly impacted our work.
In May, we curated a BIPOC “chill zone” for the Global Psychedelic Society’s Find the Others event at the House of Yes in Brooklyn. This was an afterparty of the Horizons Conference, and we hosted a few dozen visitors. The zone included a craft table and altar space.
We sponsored the 4th annual BigPsych Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota in August. This grassroots conference, organized by POCPC’s board member Jade Mycelia and others, offers hands-on workshops and panel discussions. With our sponsorship, we produced an online workshop, Building an Intentional Relationship with Plant Medicine, which attracted 40 attendees.
In September, executive director Ifetayo Harvey gave a talk at the Magic Mushroom Festival at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Ten people attended, and the talk increased their understanding of mushrooms' power.
In August, the Collective produced a virtual sound bath and vocal activation event, Vibration for Vitality, that brought in 40 attendees. In November, we produced two in-person versions of Vibration for Vitality: one in Brooklyn and another in Harlem. These in-person versions included a cacao ceremony, yoga, and a cannabis circle, which brought in 40 attendees. Both events saw a substantial increase in attendance, highlighting the need for creating supportive communal healing opportunities.
Our coalition, the Psychedelic Alliance for Healing and Justice, is going strong. We recently hired Mara Martinez-Hewitt as our manager to help manage and grow it. Next year, the PAHJ will plan its first activation, a community town hall.
Looking back on 2024, we express our deepest gratitude for your generous support. We couldn't have achieved all this without you. We're excited about 2025's potential and look forward to launching exciting projects, like our partnership with the Petrie Flom Center and curating healing spaces for people of color at other conferences and events.