Ana Maria Lugo (r.), a wellness educator and holistic practitioner, will co-host Rooted: A Wellness Summit.
On Sunday, May 3, 2026, OPAC (the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Nonprofit) in partnership with Raising Mami Alchemy, Inc., will host Rooted: A Wellness Summit, a first-of-its-kind immersive gathering designed to bridge indigenous culture, mental health, and somatic healing. The summit is co-led by Ana Maria Lugo, a wellness educator and holistic practitioner whose personal journey from 9/11 survivor to community healer has transformed wellness access for thousands in Ventura County.
Rooted: A Wellness Summit is built on four transformative pillars—Remember, Regulate, Reflect, and Integrate—offering a unique alternative to traditional conferences. Activating the entire Convention Center Complex, attendees will engage in 60-minute immersive sessions, including sound baths, yoga, mindfulness workshops, and cross-disciplinary panels featuring cultural practitioners and mental health professionals.
For Ana Maria Lugo, the summit represents the culmination of a lifelong mission that began in the shadow of tragedy. On September 11, 2001, Lugo was at her organization’s headquarters in New York City, an experience that left her with PTSD and survivor’s guilt. This trauma eventually led her back to school to study psychology and later into the world of holistic modalities after her youngest daughter began experiencing debilitating anxiety at age 13.
“This work is not about replacing therapy; it is about complementing it,” says Lugo, who has already introduced nervous system regulation practices to more than 10,000 school-aged children. “Through Raising Mami Alchemy, we are creating spaces where science-informed wellness meets community-centered healing”.
“The Rooted summit is a powerful extension of our core Arts-as-Wellness initiative,” says Christian Ramirez, OPAC Events & Programs Director. “By participating, attendees are helping us ‘pay-it-forward.’ Funds raised from this event allow us to sustain our Andale program, which provides free weekly yoga, sound baths, and drum circles, as well as our critical outreach in local schools. OPAC and Raising Mami Alchemy have a long history of providing free, bilingual sessions to our community, and this summit ensures those doors stay open for everyone.”
Rooted: A Wellness Summit will take place on Sunday, May 3 from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Oxnard. Tickets are available via Eventbrite. Tiered options include Community, General Admission, and VIP.
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