A conversation with Katie Mantwa George
For refugees and asylum seekers from any background, finding peace of mind and a sense of belonging can be extremely difficult; for LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers, this search can be especially challenging. Katie Mantwa George, founder of Being Human Well and certified meditation teacher, recognises these obstacles. Each month, as part of the Social Inclusion programme, Katie conducts Guided Meditation and Community Check-in sessions with Micro Rainbow’s community, aimed to provide feelings of ease and belonging to participants.
Katie’s journey
Katie, who informally began meditating as a child, used the practice throughout her 15-year career in corporate leadership as a technique to enhance her productivity and relieve stress. Eventually, she began to see meditation as a tool to better understand oneself, “at your core and in your heart.” Recognising its profound impact, she left her full-time job to become certified and help others benefit from the practice as she does.
Starting with Micro Rainbow
“It was a no-brainer,” is what Katie thought when she was asked to begin leading these workshops as a part of Micro Rainbow’s social inclusion programmes. She begins each session by asking some mental check-in questions, followed by a guided visualisation meditation practice, where she prompts beneficiaries to visualise themselves at a place where they feel the most peaceful and loved. By doing so, she builds a communal safe space and creates a sense of belonging, comfort, and tranquility. Katie explains that this emphasis on belonging and comfort with yourself is vital, especially for members of marginalised communities.
“…When you’re not always accepted by the world, you have to look inwards to try and figure out, you know, ‘Who am I? I’m proud of who I am, and despite what everyone says about me, I’m going to stay strong and firm in my identity’…. A lot of beneficiaries are on this journey in some way.”
Our community’s input
The reception to Katie’s workshops has been incredibly positive, Lisa, a lesbian from Ghana, noted that “sessions always feel inclusive and supportive, which makes them enjoyable to attend.” She also added that when she feels low, attending sessions with Katie helps “lift me out of that empty space, bringing a sense of relaxation and release. They allow me to let go of stress and feel more at peace.” Abdul, a gay man from Bangladesh, responded that the sessions have “significantly reduced my stress levels and helped me to feel more balanced and focused” making them look forward to participating in future sessions.
Mindfulness: A tool for everyone
During our conversation with Katie, we asked if she had any advice for individuals looking to start practising meditation. Her advice was to not stress about the amount of time you can dedicate or mastering the perfect yoga pose, but rather to focus on mindfulness in any way that comes easily to you. Some examples could include going for a walk, journaling, painting, or even spending time with loved ones, anything that allows you to separate yourself from your mind and focus on the present. “These are all activities that move your attention from where the noise is to the activity that you’re doing.…These are all forms of mindfulness.”
A common thread
Reflecting on her time with Micro Rainbow, Katie shared a powerful insight that continues to shape her approach to supporting others:
“As human beings, we are always trying to group people into categories…. I find that there are definitely unique experiences for different groups of people, but ultimately when you look at the thread of emotions and feelings and how we function in the world, we are actually all dealing with a similar underlying human requirement of being loved, loving ourselves and feeling joy.”
Through meditation, Katie is not just teaching a practice, she is helping to build a community grounded in self-love, belonging and shared humanity.
If you’d like to learn more about Katie and Being Human Well, please check out her website!
Written by Madelyn Glennon and Olivia Price
