OUR PROMISE
We serve BIPOC, LGBTQ, Disabled, and low-income communities, offering education and tools for nervous system regulation through safe physical touch. Our programs help individuals reconnect mind, body, and spirit post-trauma, promoting holistic healing and resilience.
Who we are
Deeply Experienced Practicioners
Over the past 10 years, before establishing Communal Touch, CEO Romeo Nguyen, a Black Vietnamese Trans Man, has actively sought feedback from the communities served as a Somatic and Chronic Pain Specialist Massage Therapist LMT. Going beyond cultural competency, Nguyen engaged deeply with patients, addressing their trauma on a cellular and holistic level. His unique perspective as a member of multiple marginalized communities has shaped his approach to care. Consistent feedback revealed significant challenges in accessing adequate treatment for chronic pain and trauma. Many individuals reported feeling misunderstood or neglected by conventional healthcare providers. This gap in understanding holistic care among marginalized communities became increasingly apparent to Nguyen, who illustrates the issue with a poignant analogy: "Prolonged activation of the biological stress response leads to illness and chronic disease. Imagine you're fighting a bear; your body responds by bringing inflammation to stabilize a wound because it perceives danger. But what if you had to go to bed every night with that bear? Now, apply this to people facing structural and medical racism, poverty, homophobia, and similar adversities." When treating his patients, Nguyen approaches their care not only through their individual experiences but also from a structural, cultural, and scientific lens. His comprehensive approach underscores the urgent need for healthcare that acknowledges and integrates the complex interplay of individual and systemic factors affecting health. Through Communal Touch, he aims to create an environment where all individuals feel seen, understood, and empowered in their healing journeys.
Hoda Abdullahi is a nonprofit development strategist and organizational leader with over a decade
of experience strengthening community-based organizations through sustainable fundraising, governance support, and collaborative systems-building. They currently serve as Director of Development at Living Well Kent, where they lead multi-year fundraising strategies, cross-sector partnerships, and institutional grant efforts, helping secure seven figures in combined grant funding,
donations, and public investments. Hoda brings a values-driven approach to nonprofit leadership grounded in equity, accountability, and long-term
sustainability. They have supported emerging and growing nonprofits through organizational development, strategic planning, and collaborative funding initiatives, with a focus on organizations led by Black, immigrant, refugee, and LGBTQ+ communities. They are known for translating vision into actionable strategy and stewarding complex relationships across grassroots, philanthropic,
and public-sector partners. Hoda holds professional certifications from Antioch University and the University of Washington. As a board member of Communal Touch, they contribute development expertise, strategic insight, and a strong
commitment to community-centered governance in support of the organization’s long-term growth and impact.
Raevin is a LicensedMaster Social Worker (LMSW), with Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
approval currently pending, and a current Doctor of Social Work student. Her professional background spans clinical therapy, research, policy, and community organizing, with a particular focus on work that bridges micro and macro practice. Raevin brings a deep commitment to integrating psychological theory with community-based healing, often working at the intersection of clinical practice and academia to translate research into accessible, real-world interventions. Her work is grounded in trauma-informed and relational approaches, with an emphasis on ethical care and cu lturally adaptive practice. Inaddition to her clinical and academic roles, Raevin is passionate about using storytelling, writing, film, and media as tools for understanding culture, identity, and collective experience. This perspective informs her approach to program oversight by centering both scientific rigor and the emotional realities of lived experience. Her involvement in Communal Touch reflects a broader dedication to healing practices that are intellectually grounded, socially engaged, and rooted in care, dignity, and community connection.Donate
NEW YEAR, NEW NERVOUS SYSTEM
Community Partners & Sponsors
