Lead by activist Lama Rod Owens, Calm is providing the LGBTQ+ community with a new series centered around mindfulness.
Not only is Pride a moment of celebration with parades and parties throughout the month of June, but it’s also very personal. In fact, some have mixed feelings about celebrating Pride, especially for individuals navigating their own identity journeys.
To provide support for LGBTQ+ community Calm, a meditation and wellness company, is offering an alternative way to celebrate Pride centered around mindfulness, mental health and self-acceptance. With over 100 million downloads, Calm is the number one app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation.
In addition to hosting the “Calmest Day of Pride'' event on June 15th, the platform is also providing the community and allies with an all-new series with activist, best-selling author, and mindfulness instructor Lama Rod Owens called, “Coming Out” to support those embarking on what can be a complex, highly stressful, and liberating journey.
Through the series, Owens will discuss the power of mindfulness and meditation, LGBTQ+ self-acceptance, and the importance of prioritizing your mental health wherever you are on your identity journey. Owens explains, "Coming out is really about developing a deep experience of self-acceptance and learning to hold space for everything in our experience, including things we struggle with. I created the "Coming Out" series with Calm to help the LGBTQIA+ community tap into the joy that comes from embracing who are and celebrating the most authentic version of ourselves.”
Additionally, the app will launch “Calming Out: Stories of Self-Acceptance” series in partnership with the Tegan and Sara Foundation, which provides funding to LGBTQ+ centers and grassroot organizations across the U.S. and Canada through their community grant program. The videos highlight the tools and resources that helped LGBTQ+ leaders when they first came out and tips on how to look after your mental health in the process. As part of the partnership, Calm is donating $10,000 to the Tegan and Sara Foundation, and previously donated 100 subscriptions to teens in states where anti LGBTQ legislation is currently being considered through their community grant program.
