Today we’d like to introduce you to Trinice Fabunmi Osuntoyin.
Trinice Fabunmi Osuntoyin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Trinice Ìyá Fábùnmí McNally, and I am a multidisciplinary artist, educator, social impact strategist, spiritual leader, coach, and Ph.D.student whose work centers healing, culture, and collective liberation.
Born in London to Jamaican parents and raised in Miami, I have spent much of my life exploring how communities heal, build power, and sustain themselves in the face of systemic inequity. For more than a decade, I worked in higher education, primarily at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, developing leadership programs, social justice initiatives, and global education opportunities for historically marginalized students.
Over the years, my work expanded into creative direction and social impact strategy, where I collaborated on campaigns and initiatives alongside cultural leaders, artists, and grassroots movements focused on equity, storytelling, and community transformation.
In 2020, I co-founded Envisioning Safety on our Campuses (ESOC), a grassroots organization that provides political education, healing practices, and leadership development for students, educators, and community members seeking to create more just and compassionate communities.
At the same time, I deepened my commitment to African Traditional Religions as a Traditional Ifa/Orisa Priestess and now serve alongside my partner as co-spiritual leader of Ijo Ifa Ogunda Masa. Through this work, I support individuals and communities through ritual, mentorship, and spiritual guidance while continuing to train with my elders and teachers.
I am also the founder of The Way of the Waters, a coaching and healing practice rooted in African-centered wellness, ancestral wisdom, and personal transformation that will start taking clients again in Spring 2027. Currently, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where my research explores how African Traditional Religious communities create ecologies of care that foster resilience and liberation.
Most recently, becoming a mother has transformed both my life and my work. Following a high-risk pregnancy, an emergency birth, and my daughter’s NICU journey, I have become increasingly interested in questions of care, survival, and Black motherhood. This experience inspired Mother Is Gold, an interdisciplinary storytelling project exploring motherhood, ancestral memory, and the sacred labor of care.
Looking back, the common thread through all of my work is a commitment to helping people reconnect with themselves, their communities, and the wisdom of their ancestors while imagining more healing and life-affirming futures.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Like many grassroots leaders, higher education professionals, and entrepreneurs, much of my work has been built through persistence, creativity, and a deep belief in the communities I serve rather than abundant resources.
Throughout my career, I have often found myself navigating systems that were not designed with people like me in mind—as a Black immigrant woman, organizer, spiritual practitioner, and now a mother. Many of the initiatives I have helped build began with little funding but a great deal of vision, requiring me to wear multiple hats as a strategist, fundraiser, facilitator, educator, and community builder.
One of the most significant challenges has been learning how to sustain work rooted in care while navigating burnout. For many years, I poured so much energy into supporting others and institutions that I rarely made space for my own healing and rest.
Most recently, becoming a mother brought an entirely new set of challenges and lessons. My daughter arrived prematurely following a high-risk pregnancy and spent her first weeks in the NICU. Navigating that experience while completing doctoral studies, leading a spiritual community, and stewarding multiple projects forced me to slow down and rethink what success, leadership, and sustainability truly mean.
At every stage, however, these challenges have become some of my greatest teachers. They have reminded me that healing is not separate from the work—it is the work. They have deepened my commitment to building communities, organizations, and cultural spaces where people can thrive rather than simply survive.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I often describe myself as a cultural worker whose practice sits at the intersection of art, spirituality, education, healing, and social change. Through my work as a coach, community organizer, creative strategist, researcher, and Ifa/Orisa priestess, I create experiences, programs, and spaces that help individuals and communities reconnect with themselves, their histories, and one another.
My work spans several interconnected initiatives. Through ESOC, I support political education, leadership development, and healing justice programming. Through The Way of the Waters, I offer coaching and transformative learning experiences rooted in ancestral wisdom, reflection, and personal growth. Through my research, I explore how African Traditional Religious communities create ecologies of care that support resilience and collective flourishing. As an artist and creative director, I have collaborated on campaigns, cultural projects, and storytelling initiatives that center identity, belonging, and liberation.
What I am most proud of is the communities and relationships that have emerged from this work. Whether it is a student discovering their voice, a community member reconnecting with ancestral traditions, a mother finding support during a difficult season, or a participant feeling seen and affirmed for the first time, those moments remind me why I do this work.
What sets me apart is my ability to bridge worlds that are often kept separate. I move between scholarship and spirituality, art and organizing, personal healing and collective transformation. Rather than seeing these as distinct fields, I view them as interconnected pathways toward creating more just, meaningful, and life-affirming futures. My work is rooted in the belief that healing, culture, and community are not separate from social change—they are essential to it.
How do you define success?
My definition of success has changed significantly over the years. Earlier in my career, I often measured success through accomplishments, titles, recognition, and the impact of the programs or initiatives I was leading. While those things still matter, motherhood, spirituality, and life experience have given me a different perspective.
Today, I define success as living in alignment with my values and purpose while having the capacity to care for myself, my family, and my intimate community. Success is creating work that feels meaningful, being present for the people I love, and knowing that my contributions have helped someone heal, grow, or see new possibilities for their life.
I also believe success is sustainability. As someone who has spent much of her life serving others, I have learned that success is not simply how much you can produce or how many responsibilities you can carry. It is building a life and a body of work that can be sustained with joy, integrity, and well-being over time.
Ultimately, success is knowing that I am honoring the sacrifices of my ancestors while creating a more expansive future for the generations that come after me—especially my daughter.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tjmforward.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iya_fabunmi/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinice-mcnally-a9768b22b
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0NNINMRfpk
- Other: https://www.esocnow.com/about
