Chris Omni

I am affectionately known as the Eco-Health Hippie. Through my artistic ministry as an eco-spiritualist, TEDx speaker, healer, joy advocate, storyteller, artist, and Black womxn’s health researcher, I build upon my Master of Public Health degree and doctoral work in art education to explore nature as a site of self-restoration.

My personal and artistic identity as a “treecher,” tree teacher/tree preacher, utilizes the metaphors of trees to guide her work. My work is rooted in Layli Maparyan’s, scholar and eco-womanist, theory of Luxocracy. Luxocracy means ruled by Light. This Light, intentionally spelled with a capital L to denote a higher energy, creates a sacredness of self, others, and all creation – the same three paths I highlighted during her 2021 TEDx Talk entitled, “Nature: A Site of Radical Self-restoration.” I am a Lighthouse! Those who bear witness to my performances, photography, and/or creative non-fiction pieces are attracted to my Light and feel the energy of my spirit with each encounter.

I deeply value the unapologetic use of my voice and agency to speak directly to the crown, my fellow “Sista Queens,” more commonly referred to as Black womxn. To honor my Mama who died from a 26-year battle with cancer in 2016, my work branched into creative discussions and performances related to health disparities that disproportionately impact Black womxn. In 2021, this platform was expanded to honor my Dad who nearly lost his life to COVID. Through honoring and a personal commitment to the health and happiness of Black people, my professional and academic identities continue to take shape and expand.

As a fun fact, I am also a professional hugger. Family therapists have learned that a person needs four hugs per day for survival, eight hugs per day for maintenance, and 12 hugs per day for growth; a hug from me feels like eight. When COVID is over, try it, you’ll see. They are free!