Why Join COMMUNAL?
Because we deserve space to be cared for and to care for each other — without the noise of extractive systems.
We offer monthly Peer Support Circle, guided tools and reflection prompts, and collective rest practices.
Inside, you’ll find:
One meaningful event each month.
A private space to talk, vent or reflect (via Heartbeat).
A growing network of people who get it.
You don’t have to perform here. You just have to show up.
COMMUNAL is for professionals of color who are tired of doing it all alone.
Meet Our Stewards
COMMUNAL began the way many things do — with a conversation among friends about what we were craving but couldn’t find. We needed a space where rest was respected, care was collective, and our full humanity didn’t have to be earned. So we built it — for ourselves and for everyone who’s ever felt the weight of doing it all, alone.
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Co-FounderJaleesa Jones is a Certified Peer Recovery Coach (CPRC) and Certified Community Health Worker (CCHW) with a deep commitment to mental health advocacy and community care.
She is known for creating containers grounded in authenticity, care and accountability. Her passon is walking with people through the rugged paths of burnout, racial battle fatigue and recovery and invites a return — to self, to rest, to community. Her work centers Black and Brown folks navigating systems that were never built for our survival, let alone our joy.
COMMUNAL is her act of resistance. A refusal to accept grind culture as the price of belonging. A reminder that healing doesn’t happen alone. Her leadership is clear-eyed and heart-forward — always in service of liberation, not assimilation.
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Co-Founder
Catherine Gillespie-Vargas is a strategist, a systems thinker and a truth-teller who never forgot that joy is political.
By day, she advises Fortune 500 companies on building equitable pathways to opportunity. By heart, she is committed to dismantling the narratives that tell professionals of color to shrink, strive and survive at the expense of their well-being.
She co-founded COMMUNAL as an offering — a space where we name what we carry, lay it down and build something better, a true ecosystem of care.
FAQ
What is COMMUNAL at its core?
COMMUNAL is a space for professionals of color to unlearn grind culture, practice boundaries and build collective care, one conversation at a time.
We gather monthly in a private online community to share support, rest in community, and explore what it means to live beyond survival. It’s not therapy. It’s not networking. It’s a soft landing place for folks who are tired of going at it alone.
How often does COMMUNAL meet?
We host one intentional event each month. This helps us move at the speed of trust and create space that feels nourishing, not overwhelming.
We are guided by the same norms every gathering: Show up as you are. Know that disclosure is a gift, not an expectation. Honor new insights with respect and confidentiality. And, finally, recognize that people may process things differently. We don’t need consensus on our learning journeys. We do need respect for everyone’s journey.
Who is COMMUNAL for?
COMMUNAL is for Black and Brown professionals who are carrying too much, too quietly, and who long for community where they don’t have to explain why. You might be burnt out and looking for rest. You might be holding grief or questions about purpose. You might be craving connection with people who get it. Or, maybe you’re ready to move from individual coping to collective care. COMMUNAL welcomes you exactly as you are.
How much does membership in COMMUNAL cost?
COMMUNAL is currently free to join. We believe collective care should be as accessible as possible. That said, we’re powered by labor, love and community support, so we are exploring ways to begin taking contributions. Watch this space for guidance on how your gifts can help sustain a place of community and psychological safety for other people of color.
What is the onboarding process like?
After joining our private community on Heartbeat, you’ll be guided through a simple welcome flow. You’ll introduce yourself in a few words. You’ll have the opportunity to explore upcoming events and support circles and connect with others through ongoing threads, reflections and opt-in match-ups.
How can I support? Can I bring my friends?
Absolutely! If you know another professional of color who could use COMMUNAL, invite them in. We grow through word of mouth and mutual care. You can share the links on our website or invite people directly through Heartbeat after you join.
Other ways you can give back include hosting a virtual gathering or considering a donation to help us sustain this work (we’ll share a link when we’re ready for that support!). Every share, kind word and show of presence makes this space stronger.