About Us
A Meditation Collective Led by Black People for Black People
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
Our Mission
The Tiny Sangha Project supports Black practitioners who wish to develop deeper, more durable meditation practices within practice communities of common heritage.
Our Values
We believe Black wellness matters.
We believe mindfulness meditation is a powerful tool for cultivating a durable sense of personal well-being.
We believe looking “inward” requires awareness of “outward” political and social contexts.
We believe cultivating mental and emotional well-being on a broad scale is essential to sustaining political and social transformation.
Executive Director and Senior Facilitator
James Meadows
James first learned to meditate in 1994 as a non-ordained anagarika at Wat Pah Nanachat, a Thai Buddhist monastery near Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. During his four-month stay, James meditated between six and eight hours each day in the Vipassana tradition. In 1996, James enrolled in the Buddhist Studies master’s degree program at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. During his time at Naropa, James became familiar with various meditation practices in the Tibetan Buddhist (Kagyu) tradition. Since earning the Master’s degree in 1999, James has participated in numerous intensive meditation experiences including several practice retreats. In 2016, James served as one of three regular teachers at the Madison Insight Meditation Group’s Eastside branch.
Over the past three decades, James has taught middle school, high school and college-aged students. Currently, James is completing a Ph.D. in the Department of History at the University of Wisconsin—Madison.
Lead Facilitator
Satyani McPherson
Satyani began her meditation and yoga journey in Harlem, New York City, in 1985. For more than two decades she has facilitated introspective self-care practices, trainings, and retreats for individuals, corporations, conferences, and schools, including her alma mater, Wellesley College. Sister Satyani is a founding board member of mindfulness organizations that serve communities of color and incarcerated citizens, including Freedom Together, a mindfulness teacher training by and for BIPOC and Mindfulness on the Inside.
Now living in the greater Washington, D.C. area, Satyani has been certified to teach meditation through the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP), the Mindfulness of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out program (with Ruth King), the Mindfulness Teacher Training Program (with Fleet Mall, Ph.D.) and several others.
Lead Facilitator
Shawn Y. Holmes
Shawn Y. Holmes, DMD, PhD (she/her) is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner integrating trauma-informed principles, mindfulness, compassion, and adult education. A former dentist and university professor in teacher education, Shawn has been a devoted Insight practitioner since 2018, completing the Dedicated Practitioner Program and earning mindfulness teaching certifications from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley and the Chopra Center. She is currently in the 2025-2027 Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader program, mentored by Tuere Sala.
Previously based in Canada, Shawn ran a successful consulting business offering workshops on Trauma-Informed Pedagogy, Unlocking Joy, Exploring Bias, and Compassionate Leadership. Her approach blends arts-based practices with embodied mindfulness to help participants explore belonging, systemic biases, and intersectionality to decolonize privilege.
Now living in Seattle near her adult son, Shawn remains on faculty at Royal Roads University’s School of Leadership Studies in Victoria, BC. She also works as a Life Balance Strategist, supporting individuals to navigate change and transitions with clarity and confidence rooted in their values.
Drawing on her background in healthcare and education, Shawn brings compassion and ethical sensitivity to her work. She is a Local Dharma Leader for the Seattle Insight Meditation Society, sharing mindfulness and community practice with heartful intention.
Our Partners
The Tiny Sangha Project received a generous, two-year grant from the Kataly Foundation. We are grateful for critical supplemental funding from Engaged Neighbors and The Katz-Kranz Family Philanthropies.
Through our partnership with The Center for Community Stewardship, donations to the Tiny Sangha Project are tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of federal tax code.
We are also proud partners with Start Anywhere Media and Nobel Evaluation.
