Mindfulness for Black community leaders engaged in racial justice work: Qualitative results from the courageous...

Black individuals in the United States face disproportionately high rates of police violence, which profoundly impacts their physical, mental, and spiritual health. Courageous Connection was developed to explore the potential of mindfulness to improve relations between Black community members and the police in Flint, Michigan. In this qualitative study, we analyzed sessions of a 6-week culturally tailored mindfulness group attended by 12 Black community leaders (BCLs) in preparation for a community dialogue with members of the police force, who were also receiving mindfulness training. Thematic analysis of session transcripts focused on three core questions: (1) How did instructors present mindfulness and what it had to offer to BCLs, (2) what cultural adaptations were made to engage and address the needs of the group, and (3) how did BCLs respond and integrate these practices into their lives? The BCL participants spoke about what it means to be Black in America and mindfulness as an embodied resource they already had. Cultural adaptations included references to the Black church, as well as specific antioppressive mindfulness practices. Despite some barriers to attendance, participants reported a range of positive responses to the practices, including expressions of gratitude and increases in insight and awareness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).