Bodies of Culture

In this episode we meet Preston Vargas, the director of the Center for Black and Indigenous Praxis, and Deanna Jimenez, Assistant Professor in the Somatic Psychology Department and head of the Emerging Black Clinician Fellowship. We discuss strategies of navigating white academic space as a black scholar, the notion of bodies of culture, the importance of Afrocentric Healing modalities, scholar-activism, the importance of arts, as well some fundamental ideas in the emerging field of Black Psychology.

Preston Varvas earned an M.A. in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness as well as a Ph.D. in Transformative Studies from CIIS. He also worked at CIIS as a Teaching Fellow. Preston joins us from the San Francisco Aids Foundation, where he was the Senior Director, Community Partnerships & Engagement. We are thrilled that he will be coming on board to establish the CBIP as a hub for Black and Indigenous thought, wisdoms, and ways of being.

Preston carries the blessings, wisdoms, and joys of his ancestors. He was born from the land of his grandmother's ancestral Wampanoag people. It is a place where his liberated Black ancestors found family and home with the local Indigenous communities. It is also the land where his mother's Cape Verdean immigrant ancestors cultivated cranberry bogs and blueberry bushes amidst deciduous forests. Though he lives on the Pacific coast, Preston honors his ancestors, the land-water spirits of Massachusetts who periodically draw him back home.

Preston has worked in community-based organizations (CBO) and underserved communities for twenty years. He began his CBO work as a residential counselor for adults with development disabilities. From there, he progressed as a case manager for folx who were neurodivergent. Preston became a CCAPP credentialed Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor and Certified Addiction Specialist. For over a decade, he counseled self-identified gay men who were unhoused and challenged with substance use, HIV/HVC, and neurodivergence. After operating a private practice, Preston transitioned from direct services to administration and policy to create institutional change. He rooted his efforts in Health Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. During his time with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF), Preston created the Black Health department. As the Sr Director of Community Partnerships and Engagement at SFAF, Preston guided his teams through the program development, implementation, and organizational capacity building for Black Health, Aging Services, Housing & Benefits for people living with HIV, Latinx Health, and Service Navigation. In addition to funding, deliverables data reporting, and contract negotiation for the aforementioned departments, he created DEI services, such as a Peer Ambassador program to increase the accessibility services for Spanish Speaking and TGNCI folx as well as paid Clinical Assistant Internships designed for clients and community members interested in flourishing careers in community health.

Deanna Jimenez is a somatic/transpersonal psychotherapist in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is Assistant Professor in the Somatic Psychology Department at California Institute of Integral Studies and has a private practice supporting individuals, couples, and organizations.

Her clinical work is centered in the dialogue of mental health as it intersects with race, culture, and spirituality. She received a B.A. in International Relations from UC Berkeley studying the efficacy of conflict resolution and cultural awareness in the international workplace. Following a career in corporate and non-profit fields, Deanna received her M.A. from JFK University in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology.

Deanna’s passion is to support those dedicating their lives to transformative movements. Deanna guides individuals and groups to establish a solid mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual foundation as a pathway towards elevating collective consciousness without perpetuating the oppressive harm built into current societal structures. Through personal awareness, growth, and healing, Deanna is committed to supporting a life deeply aligned with purpose, contribution, and action.

The EWP Podcast credits

• East-West Psychology Podcast Website
• Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook
• Hosted by Stephen Julich (EWP Core Faculty) and Jonathan Kay (PhD student)
• Produced by: Stephen Julich and Jonathan Kay
• Edited and Mixed by: Jonathan Kay
• Music: Mosaic, by Monsoon on the album Mandala
• Introduction Voiceover: Roche Wadehra