Today we’d like to introduce you to Takyra Fulton.
Hi Takyra , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey didn’t begin with a perfectly mapped out plan. It began with a deep desire to create spaces where healing and rest feel accessible. Professionally, I have spent years working in high-level project management roles within global clinical research, supporting complex oncology trials. While that work sharpened my leadership, and ability to lead in high-stake environments. It also made something very clear for me, that success without alignment comes at a cost.
Alongside my corporate career, I have always been drawn to holistic wellness, mental health advocacy, and community care. I see firsthand how burnout, unaddressed trauma, and lack of culturally affirming support impacts women who look like me. That sparked a drive in me to aid in bridging the gap. That led me to pursue training in naturopathic and holistic health while simultaneously building what would become my nonprofit and wellness initiative.
Today, I’m the founder of a growing mental wellness organization dedicated to creating safe, accessible, and culturally affirming spaces for black women to prioritize mental health. We currently offer support circles, wellness workshops, and a therapy voucher. The work I do now is a blend of everything I have learned through my lived experiences. I create every initiative with strategy, structure, compassion, and intuition. I didn’t arrive here overnight, my legacy is being built through transitions, reflection, and courage. Where I am today feels less like an arrival and more like alignment. This is what continues to guide me forward as a mental health advocate and Founder.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. It has not been a smooth road, and I think that’s an important part of my journey. Being the oldest daughter, raised in a family where I watched the women exhibit strength as a requirement. I learned how to be responsible, composed, and dependable. While the amazing women in my life shaped my resilience and leadership. This led to me later needing to learn how to soften, rest, and ask for support without guilt.
Another significant obstacle has been, being the first in my family to actively break cycles of generational trauma. Growth doesn’t happen in isolation, and choosing healing came with the weight of survivor’s remorse. There were moments where evolving, setting boundaries, or choosing a different path felt like leaving others behind, even when those choices were necessary for my wellbeing.
That internal conflict created tension between loyalty and self-preservation. I had to learn that healing isn’t betrayal, and that choosing peace doesn’t mean abandoning where you come from. It means honoring it differently. Navigating that balance has been one of the most complex parts of my journey, but it’s also what deepened my compassion and reinforced my commitment to creating spaces where healing is collective, not lonely.
Recently, I have been operating in multiple different worlds at once. Working to build purpose driven work, while navigating demanding professional responsibilities and personal transitions. There are seasons where I was clear on the vision but unsure of the timing, the resources, or whether I was “ready enough” to fully step into my purpose. This led me to unlearning the idea that I had to overwork to be taken seriously.
Building something rooted in care, rest, and emotional safety required me to slow down, set boundaries, and trust that impact doesn’t have to come from burnout. That shift was uncomfortable at first, especially in a culture that rewards constant productivity.
There were also very real moments of doubt, where questioning whether people would understand the value of culturally affirming wellness spaces, or whether I was asking for too much by imagining something different. But each challenge strengthened my clarity. The road hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been honest. Every obstacle taught me how to lead with more intention, resilience, and self-trust. Those lessons are woven into the work I do today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about CALM Nonprofit?
My work centers on creating culturally affirming spaces where Black women can pause, without having to explain themselves. Through my nonprofit, I focus on mental health, emotional regulation, and holistic self-care that honors both lived experience and nervous system safety. At the core, we create experiences that help women reconnect with themselves, process life transitions, and feel supported in community.
What I specialize in is building intentional spaces, like support circles, wellness workshops, access to Therapy and community partnerships; that blend structure with softness. My background in high level project management allows me to design programs that are thoughtful, organized, and sustainable; while my holistic training ensures the work remains human-centered and emotionally grounded. We don’t rush healing, and we don’t treat it as one size fits all.
What sets my work apart is the emphasis on how people feel when they engage with us. Everything we do is designed to feel welcoming, and culturally responsive. Black women are not asked to perform strength, code switch, or carry the emotional weight of others. Instead, they’re invited to arrive exactly as they are. Community is not an add on, it is the foundation.
I am proud of the of the community we are building. A community I hoped for during my tough seasons. CALM is rooted in authenticity, care, and integrity. It reflects rest as resistance, healing as leadership, and community as care. I want readers to know that this work is not about fixing anyone, it is about creating room to be whole. Whether someone joins a support circle, attends an event, or partners with us, the goal is always the same. To remind women that they should not have to carry everything alone.
What’s next?
The future feels expansive and intentional. My plans are focused on deepening impact rather than rushing growth. I’m working toward expanding our programming so more Black women can access consistent, culturally affirming mental health and wellness support, not just during moments of crisis, but as part of everyday life. I am looking forward to growing our community partnerships and wellness experiences that support women through different seasons of life.
On a personal level, I’ am also embracing a shift in how I lead. I am moving away from survival-mode building and toward sustainable, embodied leadership. Leadership that honors rest, clarity, and alignment. The biggest change ahead is not just expansion, it is evolution. I’m creating from a place of intention now, and that excites me for what is next.
Pricing:
- All CALM programs are offered free of charge, with the goal of removing financial barriers and increasing access to culturally affirming mental wellness support.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.calmnonprofit.com
- Other: https://linktr.ee/Calmnonprofit
