Drisana McDaniel

Background

About Drisana McDaniel

I’m a visionary educator, relational facilitator, and PhD student committed to the transformative possibilities of healing, liberation, and radical interconnectedness. My work bridges womanist thought, psychospiritual practices, and community engagement—always with an eye toward cultivating spaces where care, justice, and personal awakening are inseparable.I developed the Alchemy of Now (AON) framework as a living ethos to help individuals and collectives navigate the complexities of our times with clarity, presence, and resilience. Rooted in Black feminist, ecological, and spiritual traditions, AON invites us to embrace a transformative approach to living that honors both agency and collective care.As a Co-founder of the Transformative Teaching Collective and Senior researcher and Curriculum Designer with the Acosta Institute, I engage in liberatory teaching, healing-centered practice, and social justice education across diverse sectors—from classrooms to boardrooms to grassroots gatherings.My work spans research and curriculum design, workshop facilitation, retreats, and event curation. Whether I’m guiding intergenerational support circles in “microdosing tenderness” or hosting contemplative learning experiences, I hold space for people to explore the intersections of their personal and collective journeys.As a mother-worker-scholar-activist, my inquiry is grounded in lived experience and shaped by the insights of Black feminist and womanist philosophies. I speak at conferences, consult with organizations, and collaborate with communities to co-create futures rooted in well-being, wisdom, and wonder.My goal is simple and sacred: to cultivate conditions for thriving—together.