Advisory Council Members

At the Leadership Summit we gather around a tan wooden table. An aerial view of hands and one torso with head
At the Leadership Summit we gather around a tan wooden table. An aerial view of 2 pairs of hands and 1 upper body

Defend what you love.

Our esteemed Advisory Council is made up of a small team of talentful professionals with a wide range of skills and experience. We love what we do, and we do what we love. To join our Council reach out to us.

Each member embodies one of the seven directions as a cultural practice.
North, South, East, West, Above, Below, and Center.

“It has been a joy working with Artistic Apothecary and a true lesson in taking up the chances that the universe presents you with. There are so many wonderful things this organization is attempting to accomplish and it succeeds while valuing the time, rest, and labour of those who contribute to it.” – Feedback Survey Response

kuwa jasiri Indomela (beauty)
Founding Steward, Center

Beauty specializes in receiving resource return (reparations + rematriation) from able bodied, pale (European settlers) and/or cis community members. As an advocate for more marginalized leadership, beauty reflects on foundational, societal components such as inclusive agreements, accountability practices, affinity gatherings, and centering identities of culture. Beauty excels at functioning as liaison to the privileged and challenging the status quo through racial reckoning and self actualization while forming genuine relationships as a national organizer.


As a community member kuwa jasiri (first name) offers wellness & logistic services, weaving together mind, body, spirit, emotions and one’s culture through a wide range of high quality, accessible, Nature based care rooted in liberatory traditions. 

Check out beauty’s writings, art, music, interviews and more! 

Ancestral Land Trip To Africa. Three Afro people pose for the camera and smile while sitting for a meal. There are many colourful items and clothing in the background. There is much joy.
Ancestral Land Trip To Africa. Three Afro people pose for the camera and smile while sitting for a meal. There are many colourful items and clothing in the background. There is much joy. Tynia on left.

Tynia Dickson (she/you)
Logistics & Land Acquisition, North

Tynia is a veteran, parent of the African diaspora, who consults on all things behind the scenes to keep us in organizational best practices. Lover of dogs. Primarily works on disability justice for veterans and seniors.

Advisory Council on balcony with backdrop of the Ocean during our Leadership Summit.
Advisory Council on balcony with backdrop of the Ocean during our Leadership Summit. Maio on left.

Maio Buenafe (siya/they)
Decolonial Culture Curator, West

Maio is a bilingual immigrant, genderqueer, multi-ethnic Indigenous Filipinx (Ifugao, Itneg, Tagalog, Ilukung, Fujian Chinese) who has lived most of her life between the ‘Philippines’ and ‘California’. She is a scholar, educator, researcher, mentor, facilitator, community organizer, food and cultural events experience curator, and community consultant. Siya is an active community organizer for programs which focus on empowering transitional age youth (13-24 years old) through roles such as program director, supervisor, and facilitator.

Their aim is to decolonize education and research by centering Indigenous knowledge systems and practices, and supporting youth leadership and development through intergenerational community-based mentorship.

Join Our Team!?

  • Maio (they)
  • Advisory Council on balcony with backdrop of the Ocean during our Leadership Summit.
    Advisory Council on balcony with backdrop of the Ocean during our Leadership Summit.
  • yasmine wears a face mask with arms folded over a stack of boxes.
    yasmine wears a face mask with arms folded over a stack of boxes.
  • ysmine stands in black pants and a red stripped shirt, holding a pumpkin up near their face.
    ysmine stands in black pants and a red stripped shirt, holding a pumpkin up near their face.
  • Mayo with closed palms under chin. Smiles among pink Tulips.
    Mayo with closed palms under chin. Smiles among pink Tulips.
  • Syon (they/she/he) is an orange sweather and black jacket poses in front of a artfully painted wall
    Syon (they/she/he) is an orange sweather and black jacket poses in front of a artfully painted wall
  • Janeé smiles with squined eyes and purple head wrap in from of a Prince poster.
    Janeé smiles with squined eyes and purple head wrap in from of a Prince poster.
  • Maio Buenafe-Ze (she/they) unapologeticly hugs a Tree while communing with Nature. Here to BuenaFunk it all up.
    Maio Buenafe-Ze (she/they) unapologeticly hugs a Tree while communing with Nature. Here to BuenaFunk it all up.
  • Drawing of ptisawquah (they/them) on a plaque receiving a Community Building Award from the Disability Coalition
    Drawing of ptisawquah (they/them) on a plaque receiving a Community Building Award from the Disability Coalition
  • 3 folks pose in the garden
    3 folks pose in the garden
  • The community members welcome new Advisory Council Members
    The community members welcome new Advisory Council Members
  • Council members enroute to an Ancestral Return Trip
  • 4 organizers bundled up with a shiny, blue sky in the background
    4 organizers bundled up with a shiny, blue sky in the background
BE ABOUT IT!