WELLNESS EDITOR EMILIA ORTIZ SPEAKS TO PEOPLE IN THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THEY NAVIGATE THEIR SPIRITUAL FAITH

Dazed Beauty Wellness Editor Emilia Ortiz is the no bullshit, Brooklyn-based bruja, spiritual advisor, creative, mental health advocate, motivational speaker, empath, fairy Godmother you’ve been waiting for. Passed down to Emilia through the generations of her Puerto Rican lineage, Brujeria encompasses various indigenous forms of spirituality and witchcraft practices used by Latin American, Caribbean, and African peoples. Harnessing her spiritual gift, Emilia decided to turn her attention to mental health guidance – something she felt she never had access to growing up – and set up her own self care platform, Sprititual Mami.

In the world we live in today, spirituality and religion can often be complicated to navigate. For those who are members of the LGBTQ+ community, it can be exceptionally complicated. While times are changing and we have witnessed religious public figures becoming somewhat more accepting, not everyone is on the train towards progress. So how can you navigate teachings that view your identity and who you love as sinful and wrong? Wellness can provide a segue.

As a WOC who has identified as either a lesbian or bisexual from my teens on, I have struggled with this. I wanted to connect with some people who have experienced similar feelings and who would be down to share their stories about how they found their path, and even themselves, through their wellness journeys. May their stories inspire you and remind you that you are sacred, regardless of your identity or who you love.

Read More – What Wellness and Spirituality Looks Like When You’re LGBTQ+ – Dazed