Due to road closures along Highway 1 to our north and south, Esalen is closed through April 11.
Esalen Institute is open! However, Highway 1 to the south is closed — please review the alternate route directions.
Esalen is currently closed through April 28, 2024 due to a road closure. See our travel advisory for more information.

Justin Michael Williams

Justin Michael Williams is an award-winning author, Grammy-nominated recording artist, and transformational speaker who has become a pioneering voice for diversity and inclusion in wellness.

From growing up with gunshot holes outside of his bedroom window to sharing the stage with Marianne Williamson and Deepak Chopra, Justin knows well the pain of adversity and the power of healing to overcome. He has since been featured by the Wall Street Journal, Grammy.com, Billboard.com, The Root, the Advocate, Yoga Journal, and SXSW®. He is on the Board of Trustees of the Esalen Institute, is a recurring keynote corporate and higher education speaker at places such as Google, Bloomberg, and universities around the world, and is a voting member of the Grammy Awards Recording Academy.

With his groundbreaking book Stay Woke and nearly two decades of teaching experience, Justin’s message of hope and empowerment has spread to more than 40 countries around the globe, particularly through his national "Stay Woke, Give Back" tour bringing mindfulness to youth in underserved communities. Justin is dedicated to using his voice to serve, to being a beacon of hope for those who are lost, and to making sure all people, of all backgrounds, have access to the information they need to change their lives.

Justin Michael Williams is a transformational voice bringing people together across divides with a multigenerational message of hope, empowerment, and unity. He is an award-winning speaker and teacher, a Grammy-nominated recording artist, and the author of the groundbreaking book Stay Woke.

Justin Michael Williams

Justin Michael Williams is an award-winning author, Grammy-nominated recording artist, and transformational speaker who has become a pioneering voice for diversity and inclusion in wellness.

From growing up with gunshot holes outside of his bedroom window to sharing the stage with Marianne Williamson and Deepak Chopra, Justin knows well the pain of adversity and the power of healing to overcome. He has since been featured by the Wall Street Journal, Grammy.com, Billboard.com, The Root, the Advocate, Yoga Journal, and SXSW®. He is on the Board of Trustees of the Esalen Institute, is a recurring keynote corporate and higher education speaker at places such as Google, Bloomberg, and universities around the world, and is a voting member of the Grammy Awards Recording Academy.

With his groundbreaking book Stay Woke and nearly two decades of teaching experience, Justin’s message of hope and empowerment has spread to more than 40 countries around the globe, particularly through his national "Stay Woke, Give Back" tour bringing mindfulness to youth in underserved communities. Justin is dedicated to using his voice to serve, to being a beacon of hope for those who are lost, and to making sure all people, of all backgrounds, have access to the information they need to change their lives.

Justin Michael Williams is a transformational voice bringing people together across divides with a multigenerational message of hope, empowerment, and unity. He is an award-winning speaker and teacher, a Grammy-nominated recording artist, and the author of the groundbreaking book Stay Woke.

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Past Workshops