February 2023

Greetings, Fostering Meditation Subscribers:

It is a great pleasure to have you now part of my journey of bringing Healing & Peace to the foster care world and beyond through Fostering Meditation's Five Steps 2 Wellness: Meditation, Yoga, Expressive Writing, Community, and Nutrition. At the end of every month, I'll send you our Newsletter to inspire you with the transformative experiences our students (and myself), experience through practicing our Five Steps 2 Wellness, and to share important updates about the growth of our nonprofit.

As FM's CEO and Founder, it has truly become my greatest joy to have taken my personal journey through foster care and to have turned my pain into a new calling, one filled with Hope, Inspiration, and Healing not only for myself, but for all of the students FM serves. I hope that you, too, will be inspired to develop a personal practice of inward healing, for the world needs us all to foster Peace within to prevent further chaos without.

Thank you, in advance, for joining me on this path of Healing & Transcendence. Please read along to hear some inspiring stories about FM's work!

From Detention Room to FM's Healing Room

It was one year ago that I began to transform my old detention room into FM's Meditation Room at my former elementary school, P.S 108, in East Harlem. I remember vividly the day the principal opened the locker room door and the smell was that of an old rusty basement, and he looks at me and said: "You sure you wanna do this, Demetrius?" To which I took a slight gulp and reassured him this room, which was the detention space I would be sent to as a child, was the perfect space; it only needed some clearing out and some new energy. After a four-month journey, and the financial help of many donors and the school providing the man-power, I led the way to transforming the now storage room, into the Healing Space I envisioned would come to fruition. Now, I am teaching nearly 400 students, with a class for teachers and parents, how to use Meditation & Yoga for their healing.

‘Mr. Meditation’ a Former Foster Youth, Shares Meditation with NYC School Children

A reporter from Imprint News did a segment on FM. Read on to learn more!

Teaching FM's Seniors

February 28th marks the last session of teaching FM's seniors the Five Steps 2 Wellness. The past 12 weeks instructing my students who are in their late 60s into early 70s, has become one of the joys of my life given I have gently guided them as they were patiently receptive to my teachings. The funny thing is I see my 1st graders in my seniors and then see my seniors in my 1st graders. To be able to bear witness to the duality of life between young and old, and to see where the two meet at similar paths, namely in frustration, silliness, joy, suffering, and happiness, has uniquely blessed me as their student. The best part, however, is hearing how my seniors have already begun to bring the practices to their children and grands. Ms. Toni, who is sitting on the far left of the first picture, recently told me a story where her three and six-year-old granddaughters were having trouble being still until she directed them to practice some breathing and yoga practices, and after seeing them recenter themselves, she exclaimed, "thank you, Jesus!" and then followed up with, "thank you, too, Demetrius."

FM & YMCA Partnership

I recently started FM's Five Steps 2 Wellness at the YMCA in Yonkers, NY where I am teaching young black and brown men how to use the Five Steps to jumpstart their healing. I've only had four classes, but I am very hopeful our sessions are going to grow in the next six weeks as I have been building an intimate relationship with the guys by coming in an hour before class and either playing basketball with them or even rapping and free-styling, letting them know I am just like them and can connect on their level as they then follow me to begin our inward journey. One young black male walked into our space and said "black people don't do yoga" until after he finished the class and said "I'm glad I'm doing yoga now." I cannot stress enough the importance of representation, and for my young men to see a black man doing yoga as they let down their walls and preconceived notions about the practices, and join. I know my service at the Y will truly be Revolutionary and Transformational for my black and brown young men!

From Client to Partner:

FM's CEO Partners w/

Lawyers for Children

When I was a child in foster care, Lawyers for Children (LFC) was the law firm that represented me in family court. It was while I was at LFC I began to unearth my voice as my lawyer would fiercely advocate for me and stand-up for my rights. I would watch in admiration as she would go to bat for me, and speak of my life mattering in such a way that was initially foreign to me. Fast forward to just to over a decade, I have returned to LFC to give back to the organization that inspired me to speak up and to be unapologetic about my greatness. Teaching the youth who are coming behind me at LFC is another major, heart-felt accomplishment as the law firm specializes in advocating for the young person and then I come in and help them deal patiently with their emotions and challenges through our Five Steps 2 Wellness!

Personal Classes w/

Former Foster Youth

Nia and I were both at Edwin Gould for Children and Families Services when we were in the foster care system. She remembers me as a young man sagging his pants, with fake but appearing real silver diamonds as earrings, and as one whose anger could erupt at a moment's notice. So, for her to see me on Facebook so many years later speaking about the benefits of yoga and meditation, she couldn't help but reach out and inquire about how the practices are helping me transform myself. It was in early 2022 I received a message from her and ever since then she has been keeping up with her practice with me ever since; scheduling our one-on-one classes when I have the time to do so and following through. What makes me so proud of Nia is the fact that although she is a former foster child like myself, who has shared similar struggles, she acknowledged something had to change and acted, and because of her bravery, she has been Fostering Meditation ever since!

Supporting Fostering Meditation

Thanks for reading through our first newsletter! I hope you have been inspired by the much needed work we are doing to help jumpstart the healing journey of all of our students. As you know, our service is only possible through generous donations. FM is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Checks can be made payable to FM's fiscal sponsor:

The Fund for the City of NY   

Attn: Dina Runcie, Fostering Meditation

121 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10013-1590 

Thank you, in advance, for your support of our Revolutionary work!

In Service,

Demetrius T. Napolitano, CEO/Founder