THE BLUEPRINT
with Alli Simon
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ADIDAS PURPOSE
BY IVIE ANI
History answers these questions through those who lead, innovate, disrupt and embody what it means to exist beyond the self. Community isn’t easily defined or measured. There’s no metric for what’s felt when people unite for a common good. Yet, as amorphous as it is, community is shaped by its members and by the pillars who rise to represent them. Its contours are drawn not by individual achievement, but by what is built, preserved and passed forward for those of the past, present and future.
WHAT DEFINES COMMUNITY?
What defines community? It’s culture; people bound by age-old tradition, language, and sacred customs. It’s environment; people pushed together by borders. It’s interests; individuals connected by common passions. It’s circumstance; the invisible thread that ties people through shared experiences. Often, it’s an amalgamation of all of these forces. But more importantly, who defines community? Leaders, the followers, the thinkers, or the doers?
That’s what Alli Simon, Ruth. E Carter, Michael Uzowuru, Aric Armon and Dr. D’Wayne Edwards encapsulate through their work, creativity and living legacies. They are architects of a world anchored by purpose-driven impact. And that is the blueprint of community-building.
BLUEPRINT OF COMMUNITY BUILDING
Alli Simon - READ | WATCH | EXERCISE | PRINT
Ruth Carter - READ | WATCH | EXERCISE | PRINT
Michael Uzowuru - READ | WATCH | EXERCISE | PRINT
Aric Armon x Dr. D’Wayne Edwards - READ | WATCH | EXERCISE | PRINT
🌟 VIEW & DOWNLOAD THE COMMUNITY ARCHIVES ZINE HERE 🌟
ALLI SIMON X MEDITATION
How does one stay grounded when the weight of the world feels unbearable? As technology advances, our awareness of both new crises and ancient remedies continues to expand. In an era defined by disconnection, where collective isolation has become a shared experience, the call for genuine connection grows louder. We are quietly yearning to return to ourselves, to one another, to our bodies and minds. Meditation, the timeless practice of focusing the mind to achieve calm and clarity, offers a path back. It reduces stress, restores balance, and nurtures emotional well-being. At its heart, this is the essence of community healing—the foundation of the work led by meditation, yoga, and community care facilitator Alli Simon.
For Alli Simon, meditation is more than a practice; it’s a reclamation. Based in South Los Angeles, they have spent more than a decade helping others rediscover the power of stillness, softness, and self-awareness. As the Executive Director of Black Being, a nonprofit well-being studio in Inglewood, Alli leads a movement rooted in mindfulness, movement and communal care, creating space for collective healing, rest and personal restoration.
THE BLUEPRINT MODULE WITH ALLI SIMON
[VIDEO 1 OF 4]
THE BLUEPRINT MODULE WITH ALLI SIMON
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Alli’s journey began in 2009, when meditation became both a compass and a lifeline through loss and transformation for her. Years of self-study eventually deepened into devotion and, in 2014, Alli entered yoga teacher training during one of the most difficult chapters of their life. That same year, Alli attended their first meditation retreat with S.N. Goenka, finding refuge in the quiet rigor of Vipassana meditation—a practice that continues to anchor and guide their path today.
What began as an act of self-preservation evolved into a mission of service. Alli’s work now centers on expanding access to mindfulness for Black and Indigenous people, LGBTQ+ communities, and others often left at the margins of wellness spaces. Through classes, workshops and community partnerships, she cultivates care among social impact leaders, and homeless service providers, all while advocating for racial equity and healing justice.
And their teachings extend far beyond the mat: Alli has collaborated with organizations including the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, REDF, and Social Justice Partners Los Angeles, and their voice and perspective have appeared in The L.A. Times, Yoga International, adidas, and the Yoga and Body Image Coalition. Alli believes that healing is not a solitary act but a shared remembering—an ongoing journey toward connection, compassion and wholeness for us all.
THE BLUEPRINT MODULE WITH ALLI SIMON
[VIDEO 3 OF 4]
THE BLUEPRINT MODULE WITH ALLI SIMON
[VIDEO 4 OF 4]
Alli Simon is a meditation, yoga, and community care facilitator based in South Los Angeles with over 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, wellbeing programming, and healing justice. Alli is the founder and Executive Director of Black Being, a nonprofit well-being studio in Inglewood, California, dedicated to advancing physical, mental and emotional health through movement and mindfulness. In addition, Alli serves as Senior Lead of Wellbeing at Social Justice Partners LA, where they facilitates mindfulness-based workshops, meditation and healing spaces across sectors, with a focus on systems change, racial healing, and community care.
Download The Blueprint worksheets here or spark your ideas around social wellbeing below.
EXERCISE
FOR SOCIAL WELLBEING
MY COMMUNITY IS MADE OF _________________________, ________________________, AND _________________________________.
I LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE BY _______________________ AND _________________________.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER. ONE WAY I LOOK OUT FOR OTHERS IS BY ___________________________________.
THE WORLD IS A BIG PLACE WITH LOTS OF NEEDS. A COUPLE THAT COME TO MIND ARE _____________________________________, ________________________________, AND ______________________________________.
IF I COULD CHOOSE ONE OF THOSE AND CHANGE THE WORLD IT WOULD BE _________________________________________________.
WHAT ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER? WHAT DO YOU THINK THE WORLD NEEDS?
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE WORLD NEEDS?
EXPLORE THE FULL DIGITAL COMMUNITY ARCHIVES ZINE ACROSS TRENCH.
This article has been produced in collaboration with adidas Purpose, Pitch Blend and TRENCH.
