Dr Russell Thackeray welcomes writer and nonprofit leader Deborah Santana from Los Angeles to discuss her work and memoir, Loving the Fire: Choosing Me, Finding Freedom.
Deborah explains her nonprofit Do Little, which supports women and girls in health, education, and happiness, and describes her lifelong commitment to challenging exclusion, shaped by growing up with an interracial family and seeing ongoing barriers such as limits on womenâs ordination.
She critiques cultural and political forces she sees as pushing society toward a white patriarchal system, and emphasises education through original, trustworthy sources. She shares how being married to guitarist Carlos Santana for 34 years led her to feel unseen, and how leaving helped her live by her values, focus on collaborative âcircleâ work, and reclaim her identity.
She highlights meditation as a core resilience practice and offers guidance on moving away from toxic relationships. She directs viewers to deborahsantana.com and notes an audiobook is in progress.
00:00 Welcome and Introductions
00:49 Flowers and Gardening Chat
02:03 Nonprofit Mission Do Little
02:58 Why Equality Still Matters
03:39 Family Roots and Exclusion
08:20 Reclaiming Your Voice
10:41 Leaving Celebrity Life
11:35 Circles and Museum Work
13:11 Truth Education and AI
14:31 Loving the Fire Memoir
17:12 Meditation and Walking Through Fire
19:13 Toxic Relationships and Change
20:54 Where to Find the Book
21:41 Audiobook and Closing
You can contact us at info@qedod.com
Resources can be found online or link to our website https://resilienceunravelled.com