Author: Ananda Leeke

On Septmber 15th, my dad, Dr. John F. Leeke and I will receive a proclamation from the City of Hagertown that pays tribute to the extraordinary faith, trust, vision, courage, fortitude, and organization of our ancestors, Peter and Catherine Leek who along with their 14 children undertook a treacherous 410-mile journey from Hagerstown to Amherstburg, Canada via the Underground Railroad in approximately 1839.

My dad, Dr. John F. Leeke and I will lead the “Footsteps to Freedom” discussion on September 12th from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at the Caroline County Public Library, 100 Market Street, Denton, Maryland.

During the event, we will discuss our book, American Change Agent: A Life & Legacy of Seeking Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion and the Underground Railroad journey our family took to escape slavery in Hagerstown, Maryland, and build a new life as free people in Amherstburg, Canada.

Being in and building community with fellow creative folks really feeds my spirit, heart, mind, body, and practice. That’s why I attend Creative Mornings Baltimore and DC gatherings on a regular basis.

On August 28th, I met up with my soul sistslove Ayesha and attended the Creative Mornings Baltimore gathering at the Maryland Zoo. What fun we had! I even got to meet a penguin named Daphne!

If you missed the Inspire! Podcast conversation I had with host Sue Webley and Garnet Jay, my soul brothalove and music producer, about our creative collaborative journey that gave birth to Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter, my debut spoken word album, watch the video below.

With Sue’s guidance and insightful questions, we took a deep dive into the ocean of our creative collaboration that started during the global pandemic in 2020 and culminated in an album featuring nine tracks of powerful words and soulful music that represent my spiritual and creative essence, relationship to my mother Theresa and ancestors, grief experiences, and mindfulness practices.

Serving as the U Street Neighborhood Association’s Artist-in-Residence gives me an opportunity to build community and share my healing arts gifts with my neighbors. On August 26th, I led the second workshop in the Thriving Mindfully on U Street series entitled “Honoring U Street as American History” at Hamiltonian Artists, a contemporary art center and professional incubator for emerging artists.

We started the workshop with a land acknowledgment, meditation and mindful movement. I introduced Thriving Mindfully, a heart-centered approach to being present with breathing and intention setting exercises. As we listened to music, we expressed and documented our favorite U Street history makers, historical events, moments, buildings, movements, organizations, and businesses. At the end of the event, we discussed our reflections in a sharing circle.

IF YOU ARE IN DC, JOIN ME FOR THE SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER WORKSHOPS.

SEPTEMBER WORKSHOP: The third event in this series, “The Future of the U Street Community,” will take place on September 16th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the True Reformer Building, located at 1200 U Street, NW, in DC. Come share your love for U Street and contribute to a community art project (to be displayed during the final workshop). CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

OCTOBER WORKSHOP: The fourth, and final event in this series, “The U in U Street Community,” will take place on October 7th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at True Reformer Building, located at1200 U Street, NW, in DC. Come share your love for U Street and have a final chance to contribute to a community art project (to be displayed during the event). CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Serving as the U Street Neighborhood Association’s (USNA) Artist-in-Residence gives me an opportunity to build community and share my healing arts gifts with my neighbors. On August 26th, I led the second workshop in the Thriving Mindfully on U Street series entitled “Honoring U Street as American History” at Hamiltonian Artists, a contemporary art center and professional incubator for emerging artists. Go here to learn more about USNA.

We started the session with a land acknowledgment honoring the presence and contributions of the Piscataway Nation and people of African, Asian, Latino, and Euopean descent to the U Street community. We also used mindful movement to release anything that was getting in the way of us being present to ourselves and each other. I played my spoken word song, “Thriving Mindfully Theme” during the mindful movement exercise to introduce everyone to the Thriving Mindfully heart-centered approach and core commitments. Click on the button below to listen to the song.

We used several mindful journaling exercises to identify and share our favorite U Street history makers (known and unknown) and historical events, moments, buildings, movements, organizations, and businesses. I also led a sound bowl healing meditation during the session.

Go here to learn more about, buy, and download my Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter.

Join me for the third workshop on September 16th. Get more information here.

What does it feel and look like to breathe and be still, present, grounded, and well?

At 61, it feel and looks like a human BE-ING who belongs to herself, is grateful, and thriving mindfully on a Friday in August!

---

📸 NOTE: My photo was taken on my paisley summer quilt in my fuscia pink chakra castle bedroom while wearing my grandfather John Leonard Leeke’s 1970s vintage blue and white pajama top.

---

Every day I get to live is a privilege and opportunity to love, connect with, relate to, receive wisdom from, and honor my loving + wise + well ancestors. Most days I pray, listen to, and talk with them. Some days I look at their photos and other documents, conduct research about them, journal about them and the lessons they taught me and continue to teach me, and create artwork with their photos. When I miss them a lot, I wear their clothing, jewelry, and accessories. That’s what happened last night and today when I realized I was missing my amazing, charming, and debonair grandfather John Leonard Leeke (1914-1989). I included a photo of my grandfather that was taken while he was attending my grandmother Frederica Stanley Roberts Leeke’s 1933 garden party at her parents’ house in Terre Haute, Indiana. The second photo was also taken in 1933.

---

Get inspired to connect with your loving + wise + well ancestors as you listen to “Ancestral Medicine,” my spoken word poem song that appears on my Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter album.

I am super excited to join my Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Soror Adrianne Lind, a mindfulness activist, yoga teacher, and author, for The 30-Minute Calm Reset on September 1st at 8:30 a.m. ET. We will discuss mindful creativity and what happens when you stop saying I’m not creative. Click here to watch the live discussion.