Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nicole Allen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nicole, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents always encourage me to do whatever my heart led me to. They were never the type of folks to say I had to do this or that in order to be successful. Whenever I made moves in my life as a child or adult they always supported me, even if it felt like a complete change in direction. Having that mindset of flexibility allowed me to never feel like I had to stay in something just because – I could always leave/change, if need be.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have dedicated my life’s work and mission to the service of people. My passion is to empower marginalized communities, as they are often limited in access to diverse opportunities to learn and grow. I believe that when we heal communities, we allow for a world that reflects greater innovation, collaboration, understanding, and ultimately abundance.

In 2019, after spending over 15+ years working in the field of education as a director, coach, and mentor – I stepped into the role of Rootworker and Healer, following in the footsteps of my ancestral heritage. Rootwork, also known as hoodoo (not to be confused with voodoo, voudou or vodun) is an African American natural healing practice influenced by a blend of African Traditional beliefs and combined with Native American. Hoodoo’s roots are directly tied to the experiences and ways of the enslaved Africans that were brought to North America during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Through understanding my family’s and community’s lineage of healing, I use rootwork to assist and mentor others on their personal journeys towards healing and 360 Wellness (the balance of the mind, body, spirit, soul, and psyche). This looks like large, in-person engagement events, ritual + healing circles, and 1-on-1 wellness mentoring.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

If I had to go back I would definitely choose the same profession – or really the journey of my profession. I received a double BA in Black Studies and Communication, yet didn’t have a set “job” that I wanted when I was studying those programs in college. My whole life (even when I was a kid), I worked with youth in some form or fashion and I continued that work throughout college and after. While in school, I started as an After-School Program activities assistant, and after I graduated, I continued to move up the ladder in the years to follow, ultimately becoming a Director of Programming.

It was through these almost 2 decades of working with youth and their families, that I truly learned the value of community – and that providing support to an individual also helps support the community. This understanding of the “macrocosm” and “microcosm” helped me to make the move to help people outside of traditional systems like education, into better more personal ways of helping that will have lasting effects for generations to come,

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I truly believe that exploring other cultures and people’s traditions of healing and working with the natural world is integral in succeeding in my practice. Civilizations have been curing ailments of the natural and spiritual kind for centuries, and the more that we understand what was used in the past and worked for others – the better we can be at addressing today’s issues. There truly is more than one way to solve a problem, and we shouldn’t always be rigid in using “modern” or “Western” medicines and practices. I would love to travel more around the world and stay with various diverse peoples in their communities to study and learn their natural traditions of healing.   

Contact Info:

• Website: t3collective.com
• Instagram: @throughthetreescollective // @colepauline
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-allen-465759101
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0r5mcTeKtFC_tP7b_h1-IQ/featured