tJ POON
“For the person of faith who has been racialized as white, working to detach ourselves from the lies of white supremacy is insufficient without reattachment to something truer: we belong to God, we belong to the land, and we belong to each other.”
TJ’s introduction to storywork happened almost 20 yrs ago when she was handed The Wounded Heart in a brown paper bag. Diving into her family of origin and story of sexual abuse started a journey of healing that has continued throughout the years.
As an adult, TJ’s spiritual formation has been shaped by her work in an Asian American campus ministry. In that context, she learned about mutuality, space-sharing and servant leadership in ways that have deeply altered her way of being in the world. She has been led by BIPOC leaders for her entire vocational career, which she considers instrumental in forming and shepherding her heart.
TJ has spent many years working through “anxious spirituality” and moving to a secure relationship with God. Recently on a silent retreat, she noticed the lightness in her spirit and said to herself, “this is what it is to be loved and free.” Now, loved and free have become words that describe both what she hopes to experience and what her work invites others into for themselves.
TJ is currently obtaining a Master of Spiritual Formation degree, and is a fellow with The Allender Center after completing three years of training in Narrative Focused Trauma Care. She lives in Austin, TX with her husband and two children.
