Leaders: Asara

Life Experience:

"I plan to be fit and fabulous at a hundred," proclaims the youthful Asara Tsehai, known as Mama Asara, founder of A Touch of Life, A Radiant Health and Wellness Institute. Asara is the author of The Ancient Principles of Radiant Health, and has produced Nine Breath Guided Meditation Journey, an instructional stress reduction and centering CD. A healer, a Medicine Woman, and a holistic health and leadership expert, Asara has been featured in Essence and Sister-to-Sister magazines, and on KPFA radio. She has practiced holistic healing since 1977, and has developed workshops on holistic leadership, nutrition, and personal growth.

Fluent in French, Asara has lived and studied culture and health throughout Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. Living abroad and traveling extensively have helped Asara bring together people of all different backgrounds, ethnicities, and lifestyles.

Asara shares that her grandmother has been her greatest life influence, because she inspired Asara to use her gentle strength and sense of humor as a healing and unifying presence. "My grandmother's quiet strength, generosity, and unifying powers were always present in everything she did. I was blessed to have been raised by her, a simple woman with a big heart who had a sixth grade education, and endured sharecropping in the South with her dignity in place."

If you really knew me, you would know ...

• I am raising two responsible, loving, and creative young Black men to walk this planet. One is 16 years old, has his own jewelry business, and writes and performs conscious rap music.
• I love engaging my sons and their friends in independent thinking, while laughing and having lots of fun.
• I love being an African woman.
• I am committed to a lifestyle of love.
• The reason I love to do this work is because this is my calling, and I feel alive doing it.