Sebene Selassie is a writer, teacher, and “immigrant-weirdo.” She began studying meditation as a teen in the eighties, way before it was mainstream or considered at all cool. Always ahead of the “kooky curve,” she is also a dedicated student of esoterica including astrology and tarot. Sebene is trained as a meditation teacher, integral coach, and Indigenous Focusing Oriented Therapy (IFOT) practitioner. 

Sebene has been leading meditation classes, workshops and retreats since 2010 and especially enjoys teaching in nature. Her book, You Belong: A Call for Connection, is a love letter to weirdos everywhere. A popular teacher on the Ten Percent Happier meditation app, Sebene explores the themes of belonging and identity through meditation, creativity, and spirituality.

Born in Ethiopia and raised in Washington D.C., Sebene began studying Buddhism 30 years ago as an undergraduate at McGill University where she majored in comparative religious studies. She also has a master's degree from the New School where she focused on race and cultural studies. For more than 20 years, Sebene worked with children, youth, and families nationally and internationally. Her work has taken her everywhere from the Tenderloin in San Francisco to refugee camps in Guinea, West Africa.