At Own Your Ase (OYA), our work is rooted in African and Indigenous spiritual traditions that affirm our shared humanity and collective responsibility. We live by the principle of Ubuntu—my problems are your problems, and your problems are mine. Healing, for us, is not individual; it is communal.

We believe in caring for community through service, presence, and accountability. Our elders are not separate from us—they are central to who we are. Intergenerational connection is woven into all that we do, honoring wisdom, legacy, and continuity. As women committed to collective uplift, we give back to our institutions through both physical service and financial support.

Each year, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we engage in intentional service with African-centered institutions and schools, including Watoto Development Center, Community of Academic Scholars, and local homeschooling networks. We have donated over 1,000 books to Baltimore City schools and regularly volunteer at the Global Orisa Feast, sponsored by our community partner Ile Imole, under the direction of Bakor Iya Mari.

This is spirit work—work that engages the community outwardly and calls us inwardly. Alongside service, we commit to personal and collective healing through healing sweats, spiritual baths, holistic approaches to common ailments, and embodied practices that restore balance. Each July, we invite the city to walk 100 miles in honor of Harriet Tubman, grounding movement in memory, resilience, and liberation.

We gather for the annual Umoja Karamu with PLM engaging in a communal dinner and community healing conversation that fosters introspection, self-analysis, and accountability. We believe this inward and outward alignment is the true road to sovereignty—the path of self-mastery.

If you are seeking a safe, sacred space to heal and grow, we welcome you.
To schedule a consultation with Iya Ngina, a trained priest of Oya, email Sis. Kara @ OYAOutreach@gmail.com.
If you wish to fellowship at an upcoming gathering, reach out to us.

We are here.
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
This is your moment to engage in spirit work.