Shamika Vargas (she, her, ella)

Born and raised in Brooklyn of Nuyorican descent, Shamika Vargas is a licensed clinical social worker who leans into book smarts and our intuitive ways of knowing in every space she enters. A recent transplant to Charlotte, North Carolina, Shamika branched out as a therapist and consultant as the Owner of The Real Heal in 2021 after 15 years of working with justice involved women and their families in New York City. Shamika has been a leader and educator across non-profit and academic spaces, bringing a blend of humor, curiosity, empathy, and truth-telling to all the work that she does. Her approach to teaching and facilitation focuses on understanding the roots and history of the oppression we see today and identifying where we all come in as thought leaders and change makers in our individual and collective lives. Shamika is particularly passionate about the experience of Black and Brown women as both providers and participants in healing work. Shamika is a Cancer sign, eldest of 5, 80s baby who recognizes the value of well-placed pop culture knowledge. Shamika received her B.S.W. from Marist College and her M.S.W from Columbia University, but her greatest work is seen in her only son, Joseph.