Black-Owned Psychedelic Church: What to Know?

• 🌿 Oakland’s decriminalization of entheogens in 2019 paved the way for the first Black-owned psychedelic church, Akoma.
• 🧠 Studies suggest that psilocybin therapy can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and PTSD, offering alternative healing pathways.
• ✊ Many Black communities remain underrepresented in the psychedelic movement, highlighting the need for culturally affirming entheogenic spaces.
• 💊 Microdosing psychedelics is gaining attention for its potential to improve emotional regulation, creativity, and mental well-being.
• ⚖️ Entheogenic churches operate in a legal gray area, where religious freedom laws sometimes clash with federal drug policies.

Oakland’s First Black-Owned Psychedelic Church: A Place for Healing and Community

Psychedelic healing is taking root in Oakland with the launch of Akoma, the first Black-owned psychedelic church in the United States. Opened in June 2024, Akoma is more than just a church—it’s a sanctuary for ancestral healing, wellness, and cultural reconnection. As entheogenic churches gain recognition, spaces like Akoma provide Black communities with access to holistic healing and education on psychedelics, all within a supportive cultural environment.

The Rise of Entheogenic Churches

Entheogenic churches are religious or spiritual communities that incorporate psychedelic substances—such as psilocybin mushrooms or ayahuasca—into their sacred practices. These substances have been used for millennia in indigenous and spiritual traditions worldwide, known for their ability to enhance self-awareness, facilitate emotional healing, and deepen spiritual experiences.

In the modern era, interest in psychedelic healing has surged. Research suggests that substances like psilocybin can help with treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety. This resurgence of interest has contributed to a broader movement advocating for the legalization and religious protection of entheogenic practices.

Oakland has emerged as a progressive leader in this movement. In 2019, the city decriminalized entheogens, making it one of the few places in the U.S. where psychedelic churches can legally operate without fear of criminal penalties. This shift has allowed entheogenic churches like Akoma to flourish, focusing on wellness and community support rather than punishment and prohibition.

Meet Akoma: A Soulful Space for Healing

Founded with the goal of creating a safe and inclusive space, Akoma’s mission is to educate and empower Black individuals exploring entheogenic healing. The church emphasizes ancestral healing, helping its members reconnect with traditional spiritual practices that have historically been erased due to colonization and systemic oppression.

Akoma’s approach is holistic, combining psychedelic healing with cultural expression, therapy, and community gatherings. Unlike many psychedelic spaces that lack diverse leadership, Akoma ensures Black representation in the psychedelic movement, creating an environment where individuals can feel seen and understood.

The church also serves as a cultural and artistic hub, supporting Black artists, creatives, and educators who incorporate themes of healing, spirituality, and self-discovery into their work. By blending psychedelic medicine with cultural identity, Akoma provides a truly unique space for exploration and growth.

The Importance of Black Leadership in Psychedelic Spaces

Despite the growing popularity of psychedelics for mental health, Black communities remain underrepresented in the psychedelic movement. Barriers such as historical stigmatization, legal consequences from the War on Drugs, and cultural disconnect within many psychedelic spaces have discouraged participation.

Akoma actively works to break down these barriers by offering culturally affirming experiences. One of Akoma’s managers shared how microdosing psychedelics helped him process grief after the loss of his cousin, showcasing how entheogens can be powerful tools for emotional and spiritual healing (Carreón, 2024).

Representation matters. When Black individuals see others like them leading the conversation around psychedelics, it fosters trust and encourages engagement. Akoma provides not only a safe space for healing but also opportunities for leadership and advocacy in the psychedelic space.

Microdosing and Psychedelic Healing Within the Church

One of Akoma’s core healing practices is microdosing—the use of small, sub-perceptual doses of psychedelics over time. Microdosing has gained widespread popularity due to its reported benefits, including:

• Reducing symptoms of depression and PTSD
• Enhancing emotional resilience and problem-solving skills
• Boosting creativity, focus, and neuroplasticity
• Improving mindfulness and spiritual awareness

Scientific studies increasingly support these claims. A 2020 study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that psilocybin therapy significantly reduced symptoms of major depression, sometimes in as little as two sessions. Other research highlights how microdosing can support long-term cognitive flexibility and emotional openness.

At Akoma, microdosing is integrated into structured healing programs, where participants receive guidance on proper dosing, intention-setting, and emotional integration. By combining psychedelic practice with ceremony, meditation, and therapy, Akoma helps individuals maximize the benefits of these substances in a safe and responsible way.

Community Offerings at Akoma

Healing is not just an individual journey—it’s a collective experience. Akoma fosters community engagement through events, workshops, and spiritual gatherings, providing members with resources for exploration and growth. Some of Akoma’s offerings include:

• Sound baths, breathwork, and yoga for mindfulness and inner clarity
• Art and music exhibits showcasing Black artists integrating psychedelic themes
• Networking events for healers, educators, and musicians to foster collaboration
• Psilocybin healing circles and integration sessions, ensuring support in psychedelic experiences

By providing a variety of programming, Akoma creates opportunities for members to engage in multiple dimensions of healing—whether through psychedelics, creativity, or collective discussion.

Oakland as a Hub for Psychedelic Acceptance

Oakland’s deep roots in social activism and holistic healing make it an ideal location for an entheogenic church like Akoma. The city decriminalized psychedelics in 2019, paving the way for religious groups and holistic practitioners to use these substances without fear of arrest.

This policy protects spaces like Akoma, which prioritize wellness-focused healing over punitive drug laws. Oakland’s leaders have acknowledged the potential of entheogens to promote mental well-being, leading to a broader discussion on how psychedelics can fit into community healing on a societal level.

Legal Considerations and Challenges

Although Akoma benefits from Oakland’s progressive policies, psychedelic churches still face legal ambiguity. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) has been used to protect certain churches that incorporate entheogens, but laws regarding psychedelic use remain inconsistent between state and federal governments.

Akoma carefully navigates this legal gray area by emphasizing education, harm reduction, and responsible psychedelic use. The church operates with transparency, prioritizing safety and informed participation to protect both its members and the broader psychedelic movement.

A Shift Toward Holistic Healing

More Black individuals are turning to psychedelic healing as an alternative to pharmaceuticals for mental health concerns. The shift is fueled by:

• A desire to reconnect with ancestral healing traditions
• Dissatisfaction with pharmaceutical treatments for mental health
• The growing acceptance of psychedelics as legitimate medicine

Akoma provides an entry point for holistic healing, blending psychedelics with therapy, meditation, and communal support as a means to achieve long-term transformation.

The Future of Akoma and Black Psychedelic Healing

The demand for Black-led entheogenic spaces is growing, and Akoma is at the forefront of this movement. Looking ahead, the church aims to:

• Expand culturally relevant psychedelic education
• Advocate for policy changes protecting entheogenic churches
• Support the creation of similar Black-led psychedelic spaces in other cities

By creating a culturally affirming, inclusive space, Akoma ensures that psychedelics remain accessible, safe, and empowering for Black individuals seeking healing.

As the first Black-owned psychedelic church, Akoma represents a transformational shift in both the psychedelic and Black wellness movements. By prioritizing cultural connection, alternative healing, and communal empowerment, Akoma paves the way for a more inclusive psychedelic future.

For those seeking entheogenic healing in a supportive environment, Akoma offers a space to explore, learn, and heal together.

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FAQ’s

What is an entheogenic church?

An entheogenic church is a religious or spiritual organization that uses psychedelics, such as psilocybin, as part of its sacred practices.

What makes Akoma unique as the first Black-owned psychedelic church in the U.S.?

Akoma is the first psychedelic church founded and led by Black individuals, providing a safe, culturally affirming space for Black communities to access psychedelic healing.

How do psychedelics play a role in ancestral healing and wellness?

Psychedelics have long been used in indigenous and African spiritual traditions for healing, self-discovery, and ancestral connection.

How does the Akoma church serve the Oakland community?

Akoma provides education, wellness programs, and cultural support, offering events like sound baths, art showcases, and psychedelic healing workshops.

How has the war on drugs impacted Black communities, and how does Akoma contribute to healing?

The War on Drugs disproportionately harmed Black communities through criminalization; Akoma counters this by normalizing entheogenic healing in a culturally safe space.

What events and spiritual gatherings does Akoma offer?

The church hosts sound baths, yoga, art exhibits, networking events, and educational workshops on psychedelic healing.

Why are alternative healing methods, like microdosing, becoming more popular?

Many people seek natural, holistic alternatives to pharmaceuticals for mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

How does Akoma differentiate itself from other entheogenic spaces?

Akoma is Black-led, creating a uniquely inclusive space for people of color in the psychedelic healing movement.

What legal considerations surround psychedelic churches in the U.S.?

Entheogenic churches operate in a legal gray area, supported by religious protections but still vulnerable to changing drug policies.

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Citations

Carreón, M. (2024, June 29). Oakland’s First Black-Owned Psychedelic Church Is Here. DoubleBlind Magazine.