Sacramento Area Congregations Together

Safe Black Space

Sacramento Area Congregations Together is a multi-racial, multi-faith organization advocating a transformation of community through justice and equity. Safe Black Space (SBS) acts as the umbrella under which various healing and supportive services are offered to address people of African ancestry’s individual and community reactions to cultural and racial trauma. Founded and led by a Black woman and member of the Association of Black Psychologists, it is a growing collective of mental health practitioners, community members, activists, faith leaders, educators, and others of African ancestry. SBS envisions a world where in the face of racial trauma, Black communities are equipped to heal and thrive. Its mission is to create a culture of Black wellness by making SBS tools and resources accessible nationally by 2025. SBS, and its signature Community Healing Circles, started in April 2018 in response to increased racial tensions and trauma after the killing of Stephon Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old Black man, by the Sacramento Police Department. Healing Circles are safe havens where Black community members come together, benefiting from the group's collective energy, empowering each individual and the community at large. Grounded in African principles of wellness, they counteract the negative impacts of racism and oppression. Though it began with a local focus, SBS has been offering Community Healing Circles on an almost monthly basis across the nation via virtual healing circles in the wake of the pandemic. SBS also offers, trainings, webinars, self-care and community care toolkits, and other resources in addition to customized services for Black leaders and advocates facing compassion fatigue and secondary trauma.