Mission

By Moonlight somatically dismantles the frameworks of white supremacist colonial culture through unbounded retreat, strategic planning, and refuge spaces. We let liberatory pathways out through practices of creativity, rest and belonging. 

Our Team

Sojourner Zenobia

Sojourner is the founder of By Moonlight. They have completed decades of somatic performance training at Marymount Manhattan, Pearl Ubungen’s BFA at Naropa University, The School at Steppenwolf and Pantheatre’s Roy Hart school in Paris. They have trained in connecting with ancestors, nature and the spirit world and healing facilitation at Life Force Arts in Chicago, they trained in circle keeping with Circles and Ciphers and Kay Pranis, in 2021 and in healing justice facilitation with Jennifer Viets. Sojourner has also completed Tracee Stanley and Chanti Tacoronte-Perez’s yoga nidra training. 

Sojourner found spirituality through the practice of presence as a performer. This portal of presence opened up the Buddhist path to them and the Buddhist practice opened the healing of connecting with the earth. They became the spider that they were terrified of as a child and began to weave together everything that gave them feelings of trust, hope and freedom. They are now an embodied sacred space facilitator, installation artist, experimental vocalist, body mover and earth steward. 

For the past 10 years Sojourner has held a meditation and ritual space called “Stillness,” where they have guided hundreds of BIPOC queer folks in deepening their connection with ancestors, nature and personal spiritual gifts. Sojourner is currently exploring stillness by trusting the wisdom that emerges in their body at quiet moments and by trusting the relationships in their life.

Founder

Zahra Baker

Zahra is a vocalist, ritualist, storyteller, actor, teaching artist and wellness practitioner. She is recognized for her performance work as an engaging performing artist, a keeper of African American oral traditions and an experimental vocalist. She is honored to have collaborated with phenomenal musicians, poets, dancers, artists, filmmakers, and storytellers over the past 35 years in Chicago.

As a creative musician, Zahra has performed extensively with Shanta Nurullah, which include Shanta Nurullah’s Sitarsys, Freedom Song Leaders, Classic Black and ShaZah. Zahra has also performed with Hamid Drake as a member of the improvisation ensemble Moment to Moment. Storytelling performance history includes the Performance duo “In the Spirit,” with Emily Lansana and collaborative works with performance artist, Sojourner Zenobia. She has performed at venues such as the World Music Festival, M3 Festival, MCA, The Chicago Art Institute, The Old Town School of Folk, The Chicago Jazz Festival, The National Association of Black Storytellers Conference and Festivals, The Chicago Cultural Center, Jonesborough National Storytelling Festival, Rhode Island Black Storytelling Festival and countless Schools, Museums and Festivals.

As a 2024 Elastic Arts Dark Matters Artist in Residency, she developed a ritualized performance that included Adam Zanolini, Avreeayl Ra, Luc Mosely and Paige Brown. As a teaching artist, Zahra has developed wellness music and performing arts programs in schools, community centers, shelters, recovery centers, eta Creative Arts Foundation, the Chicago Department of Corrections and the Chicago Park District.

Facilitator
Facilitator

Aarti Tejuja

Coaching is more than a profession for me — it’s my life’s purpose. I’ve always been a natural nurturer and a spiritual seeker who cares deeply about people. Over the years, I’ve fostered and mentored young people and held healing and restorative spaces for thousands of adults.

My spiritual roots began in Hindu tradition, and in my twenties I worked at a Buddhist meditation center in Chicago, where I counseled community members and led meditation and spiritual programs. I’ve also been deeply involved in interfaith work, training in wisdom practices across many traditions and weaving them into my approach today.

In 2023, I moved from Chicago to the Appalachian Mountains on Cherokee land (Boone, NC) with my partner, Matt, and our cats. Here, I’m learning small-town rhythms, tending to the land, and co-creating Moya — a modern, intentional spiritual community rooted in everyday practice.

I’m a natural connector, collaborator, and space holder. My style is nurturing, playful, and direct, and I love supporting people in their growth. I’d be honored to meet you and explore whether we’re a good fit to walk this journey together.

Facilitation Skillset

-conflict circle

-connective circle

-celebration circle

-healing circles

  • restorative justice frameworks

  • ancestor healing

Facilitator

King Lexie Honiotes

I am King Lexie (she/her) MA candidate at Goldsmiths University of London, a certified life coach & artistpreneur. I have 17 years of experience facilitating transformational solo & group workshops. Since 2016, online coaching has allowed me to serve clients in Denver, Chicago, New York, Canada, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.


My professional coaching practice focuses on adult learning, helping people turn unwanted patterns and habits into more resourceful states. I care deeply about somatic (body-mind) research, skill building, erotic wildness, basic human goodness, authenticity, conflict resolution and enjoyment .

Consultório coaching makes hard things easier by helping you get clear on your goals and what’s keeping you stuck, so that you can move forward in your life,  experiencing more of what you want with greater ease and efficiency.  

I speak many languages: metaphor, Brasilian Portuguese, re-frames, movie quotes, dad-jokes- I am full of emergent strategies and am as dogma free and holy irreverent as I can be.

  • authentic movement

  • Interplay

  • rituals

    -grieving rituals

    -celebration rituals

    -rites of passage rituals

    -rituals of all kinds