Welcome to Zel Amanzi's Substack!

What to expect from the Isazela Writes substack!

Introducing Zel

Isazela Amanzi (ee-sah-zay-lah | aw-mawn-see) here!

Pronouns they/he.

Most people know me as Zel. You can call me Isazela, Zel or Z.

I am a Black genderqueer, neuroqueer & disabled transbeing with a passion for writing and specialist training in education and somatics.

My M.S. in Education concentrated on social justice in education, with my thesis centering on developing anti-racist habits in curious teachers. I have certificates in yoga, tantric meditation, yoga nidra, and western Reiki, but I center community endorsement & participation over often-too-shallow certification. I also take ongoing classes in Hoodoo divination.

Through my public practice, Transgressive Medicine, I teach classes, short-form workshops and long-form courses that focus on the intersection of energy work-mindfulness-healing & counter-colonial praxis.

I center myself imperfectly within the principles of Disability Justice and the neurodiversity paradigm. Abolition, consent culture, accountability & access are important to me at all times, not just when it’s trendy or in times of crisis. If I’m not measuring up, I welcome community-centered call-ins!

You can follow me on IG at @transgressivemedicine.

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Why Substack?

I love writing—and my ancestors have made it clear that my community engagement from here forward must center writing, no matter how insecure I am about it!

While you may know me from class or Instagram, I’m also looking to offer writing that is both a creative exercise and an extension of my formal teaching in an environment that is less deliberately addictive than Instagram and other social media.

I recognize the value of shorter form spaces, but also recognize how de-stabilizing they are for everybody (especially for those who rely on it for income), and I want to explore opportunities for connection that are less subject to shadow-banning and algorithms.

And if you have coins to support my contributions, substack offers that option!

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Community

I want this to be an intentional space where people can

• ponder writing without the distractions of instagram.

• relate to writing as community-based expression and not as “content.”

• move deeply into nuance that can’t be held by other spaces.

• explore intersections of queerness (including neuroqueerness, genderqueerness, disability as queerness) and energetics (including somatics, mindfulness, and ancestral spirituality).

• ask thoughtful questions without the antagonistic nature of a social media comment section.

• connect with other folks who are thinking about similar things!

• enjoy some poetry and affirmations just because life is hard and sometimes they help!

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What am I posting about?

There are currently 3 sections:

• Creative Writing: poems, short stories, & clips from longer-form pieces (e.g. my memoir)

• Expository Writing: essays, typically on neuroqueer spirituality, community energetics, abolitionist somatics, gender liminality, and things that relate to these!

• Trans* Origin Stories: A collaborative effort to support TGNC people in reclaiming their origins by creatively reframing their narratives

You can subscribe to both or either!

Subject matter:

I often write about my experiences surviving and occasionally thriving in this simultaneously antagonistic and deeply beautiful world as a Black, queer, trans & multiply neurodivergent person living with disabling chronic pain.

I also write about concepts central to abolition, spirituality, energetics & somatics in ways that do not whitewash ancient nuanced traditions.

Tone:

My writing ranges from joyous celebration to neutral acceptance to curious exploration to ancestral rage!

Frequency:

My ultimate goal is to post something once every 2 weeks. It might take me until 2024 to get into that groove! And let’s be real, I operate on crip time. So, there will undoubtedly be lapses 😁(beaming face with smiling eyes emoji).

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Subscribe!

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Cheers,

Zel

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