Empowerment coach Jessica Denise Dickson explains why anti-racism work must go beyond ideas to the nervous system. She and Taryell Simmons discuss the difference between stress and trauma, perfectionism as internalized oppression, shifting from power over to power with, and why rest and joy are essential to sustaining justice work.
Welcome to RISE Urban Nation hosted by Taryell Simmons. In this insightful episode, Taryell sits down with Jessica Denise Dickson, an empowerment coach and embodiment practitioner, to explore how anti-racism intersects with nervous system regulation and collective liberation. Together, they unpack how unlearning oppressive social conditioning, embracing inner child healing, and cultivating community power can transform personal well-being and systemic change.
Jessica explains why intellectualizing anti-racism is insufficient without somatic embodiment and nervous system regulation.
The distinction between productive stress in growth spaces and paralyzing trauma responses.
Unpacking how perfectionism acts as a survival mechanism rooted in white supremacy culture.
Moving from coercive power over dynamics to collaborative power with community solidarity.
The revolutionary role of rest, play, and joy in sustaining long-term social justice movements.
Embodied Anti-Racism: Moving beyond conceptual understanding by addressing pre-verbal socialization and somatic trauma responses stored in the nervous system.
Stress Versus Trauma: Redefining safe spaces into brave spaces where constructive tension fosters resilience without causing overwhelming harm.
Dismantling Perfectionism: Recognizing perfectionist tendencies as internalized oppression and reclaiming inherent human worth.
Shifting Power Dynamics: Transitioning from hierarchical models of control toward distributed, community-centered power structures.
Rest As Resistance: Prioritizing emotional regulation, pleasure, and restorative rest to prevent burnout in activist work.
Practice nervous system regulation to distinguish between genuine danger and mere discomfort during difficult conversations.
Engage in active unlearning by identifying and releasing internalized habits of white supremacy culture.
Cultivate strong community networks to practice collective liberation rather than relying on individualistic saviorism.
Reconnect with inner child creativity to envision innovative solutions beyond established societal constraints.
Jessica Denise Dickson is a life empowerment coach, Enneagram expert, fitness instructor, and diversity educator with a master's degree in counseling. She guides individuals and organizations to live in alignment with their values through embodied anti-racism and somatic healing practices. You can learn more about her work and self-paced courses by visiting https://instagram.com/jessicadedickson and exploring her Linktree resources.
Taryell Simmons: Welcome ladies and gentlemen to another episode of RISE Urban Nation. Today we have my sister from another mister in the building, who is also part of RISE San Diego Leadership. I want to welcome Jessica Denise Dickson. Which cohort were you in?
Jessica Denise Dickson: Cohort six—the Zoom generation!
Taryell Simmons: The Zoom generation! You are out here doing next-level stuff. Even though you were part of the Zoom generation and did not get the full in-person experience, you navigated challenges during a pandemic. For the people who may not know who you are, please introduce yourself: who is Jessica Denise Dickson?
Jessica Denise Dickson: My pronouns are she/her/hers. I am originally from Michigan. I am descended from the enslaved on both sides of my family, and honoring my ancestors in my work is a big part of why I do what I do and how I do it. So much of my work is about re-humanizing people who have been dehumanized due to oppression, and helping people re-humanize ancestors who have been the cause of oppression. In order to heal, when you dehumanize someone else, you dehumanize yourself. The ability to move through shame and hold ourselves as fully human is crucial.
Jessica Denise Dickson: I am a life empowerment coach supporting people at the intersections of the Enneagram, anti-racism, and embodiment work. We explore our inner world, how it interacts with the outer world of oppression, where we fit in, and how we reprogram our nervous systems to create a new world and future. I am also a fitness instructor teaching BodyPump and BodyCombat at the YMCA. I love supporting people in being grounded in their bodies, building confidence, and discovering their inner power.
Taryell Simmons: How does body work correlate with the anti-racism and empowerment work you do?
Jessica Denise Dickson: Historically in anti-racism work, people read a book or attend a workshop and think that knowing a concept or definition is sufficient. That is only a starting point on a path of liberation. Intellectualizing or philosophizing is not the same as doing the work. When we are socialized into a culture, it lands at a pre-verbal level beyond conscious awareness, tied to our sense of self and survival. Whiteness is ever-present in social structures and media. When doing anti-racism work, we learn language to recognize what is happening in our embodied experience, including identifying trauma responses that are not actually dangerous.
Jessica Denise Dickson: White-bodied people socialized into whiteness often conflate being uncomfortable with being unsafe due to an aversion to conflict and a perceived right to comfort. I remind clients that nothing is chasing them, they have shelter and food, and they are safe. We can tend to our nervous system and repattern it so we respond to genuine urgency rather than disruptions to comfort.
Taryell Simmons: In DEI work, people often talk about safe spaces, but safe spaces can allow people centered in whiteness to shut down conversations when they feel uncomfortable. That is why we moved toward brave spaces. Like working out in a gym, muscles only grow when strained without causing injury.
Jessica Denise Dickson: That speaks to the difference between stress and trauma. To build muscle, the body needs stress to break down muscle fibers so they rebuild stronger. That is normal, healthy stress, distinct from trauma, which is an overwhelming sense of harm that one cannot escape. White-bodied people need stress to wake them from their lull. I do not call any space safe because I cannot dictate another person's sense of safety. Instead, I hold space for people to express if they feel unsafe and provide tools for self-regulation.
Taryell Simmons: Whiteness is not just about white people; it can exist within Black people, Latino people, or anyone white-adjacent. When I learned about white supremacy culture characteristics, I realized I was practicing several of them. It triggered me, but I had to do the hard work of unlearning.
Jessica Denise Dickson: Liberation is an ongoing journey. Whiteness lands at a pre-verbal level, so giving people language allows them to dismantle it from their sense of self. Whiteness and race are social constructs, just like time or measurement systems. In 2018, I had to actively unlearn perfectionism. When I was not perfect, my nervous system felt unsafe. I had to realize that my humanity gives me value, not perfection. Letting go is active and intentional, much like grief—it comes back around in spirals as we deepen our growth.
Taryell Simmons: When we let go of old conditioning, how do we learn to let new ideologies and perspectives in?
Jessica Denise Dickson: That highlights the importance of community. Liberation is not a solo endeavor; white saviorism promotes the idea of individual saviors, but true liberation is collective. When we let go in community with visionaries dreaming of liberation, we create space to let new ways of being in.
Taryell Simmons: Where does power live in our society? We often see people clinging to power out of fear of losing it, but liberation requires collective community power rather than a single entity holding power.
Jessica Denise Dickson: There are different kinds of power: power over, which is dominating and coercive; power within, which is personal agency and sovereignty; and power with, which is power to the people and the most potent form. Often people only understand power over, thinking liberation just means having more Black millionaires. But wealth hierarchy under capitalism is toxic. We need power with, where everyone's needs are met.
Taryell Simmons: Movements often fall into hierarchical structures, and when leaders are targeted, the movement collapses. What if the movement lived within all of us?
Jessica Denise Dickson: If movements do not adopt shared power, they eventually stall. We need nervous system regulation to know it is safe to rally in community. I consult with an organization operating on a non-hierarchical model without fixed managers. It requires overcoming the fear of failure and accepting trial and error. Self-reflection and critique within community are crucial for collective growth.
Taryell Simmons: In project management exercises, children often build better marshmallow towers than executives because adults lose their creativity through socialization. How do we reclaim childlike creativity?
Jessica Denise Dickson: Inner child work is essential. Most of us carry baggage from childhood where we made ourselves small. When our inner children understand that we can protect them today and that they are safe, they gift us back their creativity and willingness to take risks.
Taryell Simmons: As a child, I loved art, but my immigrant parents told me to focus on books to pay bills. Now I incorporate that creativity into podcasting and training.
Jessica Denise Dickson: Those suppressed parts never disappear. When we tap into the part of ourselves that believed we were artists or creators, the world transforms.
Taryell Simmons: What mistakes have you made that you are still learning from?
Jessica Denise Dickson: Becoming an entrepreneur! It can be challenging, but it is deeply fulfilling. I had to unlearn the mindset that needing help makes you weak. I have learned to receive support from community members who care about my health and well-being, preventing burnout.
Taryell Simmons: Who grounds you when making tough decisions?
Jessica Denise Dickson: My mom. She sees me from a holistic place of both strength and sensitivity, providing a grounding presence that has sustained me over the years.
Taryell Simmons: Why is personal growth so critical to anti-racism and DEI work?
Jessica Denise Dickson: When people take anti-racist action disconnected from internal beliefs, there is a lack of integrity. Integrity means living in alignment with who you know yourself to be. Someone may claim they marched in protests, but if they continue committing microaggressions, they are out of alignment. True liberation requires bridging the gap between who we aspire to be and how we show up daily.
Taryell Simmons: Where can someone start if they want to engage with your work?
Jessica Denise Dickson: People can connect via my Instagram and explore self-paced courses like The Orientation and Anti-Racism and Me, which unpack whiteness and embodied practice.
Taryell Simmons: What was your first job?
Jessica Denise Dickson: I was a computer page at my high school library, helping people navigate computers and technology. Public libraries are incredible resources.
Taryell Simmons: What advice would you give someone transitioning into coaching, consulting, or DEI work?
Jessica Denise Dickson: Start with your own internal work and maintain high integrity. I earned a master's degree in counseling and worked in higher education for over a decade as a first responder and diversity educator. The world needs people who actively embody and model liberation, not just people who think it is a good idea.
Taryell Simmons: What does the future hold for this work?
Jessica Denise Dickson: We must be prepared to fight against legislative attacks on honest history and trans rights. However, with a regulated nervous system, we fight when fighting is appropriate rather than out of reactive dysregulation. Endurance requires fighting when necessary, resting when needed, and prioritizing joy. Rest, pleasure, and joy are essential parts of liberation.
Taryell Simmons: Shout out to The Nap Ministry—rest is restorative and revolutionary.
Jessica Denise Dickson: You can find me on Instagram @jessicadedickson and @jessicadedicksoncoaching, and check out my Linktree. I am currently developing a leadership training program centered on integrity in anti-racism work.
Taryell Simmons: Any final words of wisdom for our listeners?
Jessica Denise Dickson: The time is now. Examine what stories are stopping you from living in freedom, do the work to let them go, and embody freedom today.
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