yshipman [at] theopportunityfund.org

yvette is a transplant from the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia). her work in justice and transformative change formally began in Ghana, West Africa. there, she stepped into a role as liaison between folks of the African Diaspora and Ghanaians navigating cultural differences and divisions manufactured by colonization. that work shapes her own transformation and healing–how she views herself, Black people globally, and everyone in relationship to people of the global majority. “in order to thrive we, too, must be healed.” yvette recognizes that healing comes from acknowledgment, truth-telling, and accountability, and ritual is the healing component that helps us to both bear and repair ourselves and one another.

yvette’s practice is to move through the world with integrity, dignity, and ease, honoring where we are. her role within organizations is to practice ahimsa — do no harm — in every interaction and every facet of life, from the first conversation to this moment now and every moment after that. yvette fosters collaboration by building relationships and generative spaces for transformation to happen. she connects to herself and her ancestors when practicing the artistry of tea and tisane blending and conversation. tea blending and the physical touch of herbs and spices, along with conversation and creative expression, offer an embodied way to return to our own being and belonging.

yvette created the communiTEA blends project — always evolving — as a radical space for folks to blend in all of our complexities, contending with each other’s presence and humanity, envisioning and beholding the future we say we want. in 2012 she created moteasa LLC as a legacy to her ancestors, lineage, and future generations–all of our relations. her commitment centers and affirms Black people, people of the global majority, and lgbtq+ identities.

during the global pandemic, she completed the MNDFL certification with Reverend angel Kyodo williams and David Perrin in order to enhance the work she has been doing for decades. a certified yoga and mindfulness instructor, mediator and facilitator, yvette has a B.A. in Communications and an M.A. in Social and Public Policy with a focus on Conflict Mediation and Peace Studies.