Victoria Santos
Victoria Santos, MA, designs and facilitates group processes in communities, organizations, businesses, universities and schools. Her work is rooted in a far-reaching vision of human potential. Warm authentic presence, compassionate communication, commitment to social justice and racial equity, and lifelong learning are threads running through all of Victoria’s work. Victoria has a deep commitment to our collective liberation and is the founder and director of Commonweal’s Center for Healing and Liberation.
Equipped with diverse approaches and perspectives, Victoria brings a strong affinity for exploring the ways that intersectional and structural oppressions express themselves in systems, cultures and individuals. She helps organizational leaders clearly recognize systemic barriers to social justice and racial equity. She then helps these leaders identify and embrace actions that foster personal and professional growth, transform organizational culture, and create lasting, meaningful impact.
Victoria has trained in the fields of psychology, conflict resolution, meditation, rituals and embodied practices. She brings over thirty years of experience and leadership in education, community organizing and community development. With a Master’s degree from SUNY-Albany in Political Science & Latin American and Caribbean Studies, she also holds certifications in transformative and healing practices, and has participated in many continuing education trainings.
Victoria leads groups and individuals in meditative explorations drawn from the Realization Process®. Developed by Judith Blackstone, this process is a body-centered approach to personal and spiritual healing and maturity. For ten years, Victoria assisted Sobonfu Somé in leading grief rituals according to the Dagara traditions of Burkina Faso. The values and spirit of both of these approaches inform Victoria’s work with groups.
Victoria is a Spanish-fluent Afro-Caribbean immigrant who was born in a rural village in the Dominican Republic. Her lived experiences in different cultures have enhanced her capacity to bring a culturally rich analysis and vision to her group work. This helps her to reach beyond received cultural norms and go to the heart of the matter: bringing to light that which is calling for attention and care.
