BIPOC Community Retreat
With Devin Berry, Alli Simon and Hakim Tafari
September 2 - 6, 2026
A silent meditation retreat for people who identify as Black, Indigenous, or as a Person-of-Color. Both beginning and experienced practitioners are welcome.
Registration closes on August 19, 2026. If joining after this date, please contact us.
Coming together as a BIPOC community, we create a space of ease and support to meditate and cultivate inner freedom. Held in an environment of silence, this retreat provides an in-depth experience of the Buddha’s teachings on mindful awareness, as well as the cultivation of lovingkindness meditation, illuminating a path toward healing and greater happiness.
Set in the mountains of Big Bear this retreat offers a get away from the city with extensive time for quiet, meditation and walks in nature. Hakim Tafari will also be offering optional periods of mindful movement.
Since ancient times, wise cultures have understood the value of retreat. Time in retreat allows us to step out of the complexity of our life and to listen deeply to our body, heart, and mind. Retreats offer practical instruction and group support for discovering inner peace, deep understanding, and liberation.
Our wish is to make this retreat accessible to any person of color who would like to attend. We offer a sliding scale to choose your payment options. Those who can contribute more, however, help ensure that the community of POC meditators continues to flourish.
This retreat is in partnership with Black Being LA.
HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND TEACHERS
The BIPOC retreat was excellent. Teachers, retreat managers and center staff were kind, caring, highly skilled and professional. I will treasure this experience forever. – Michelle
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THIS RETREAT
This is a silent mindfulness retreat with alternating sitting and walking meditation, instruction, dharma talks, work meditation, and practice discussion with the teachers.
Learn more ABOUT RETREAT & SEE A SAMPLE SCHEDULE.
GENEROSITY: Retreat Costs and Fees
This retreat is offered on a sliding-scale basis, to make it as financially accessible as possible. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you can afford: your generosity supports your fellow practitioners who need to pay less.
Registration fees for this retreat support the cost of developing and offering BBRC programs, which include lodging, meals, and staff compensation. Teacher compensation is not included in your registration fees. We price fees to make programs as financially accessible as possible.
As part of this tradition, many meditation teachers (including the teachers of this retreat) offer their teachings without set fees or compensation. There will be an opportunity to offer “teacher dana” (donations-generosity) to the teachers at the end of the retreat. It is encouraged but not required. Learn more about dana here.
Is cost a barrier? Nobody is turned away at Big Bear Retreat Center due to finances. We ask that financial assistance be prioritized for those who self-identify as BIPOC, hold marginalized identities, or are in financial need. For more information, please contact us at guestservices@bigbearretreatcenter.org.
SIMPLE YET COMFORTABLE, NESTLED IN NATURE
Accommodations
We offer several lodging choices nestled in nature for each retreat.
Meals
Our meals are freshly prepared to support your retreat experience.
Preparing for your retreat
We offer several resources and information to best help you plan your time on retreat with us.
Getting to BBRC
We have several resources to support your travel. Visit Getting to BBRC & Rideshares and Shuttles for more.
FEEL WELCOME AND INCLUDED: A PLACE TO BELONG
Our intention is to be as accessible as we can, even in ways that we may not be aware of yet. We hope this is a space of inclusivity where people feel welcome and held. For us, it is a practice of consistent attunement, presence and care to our community. However you identify – race, gender, sexuality, disability, mental health, and so on – it is our wish to meet your needs for belonging.
Please consider this about our environment:
– The center is on a hill with outdoor walkways between dining, gathering, and residential spaces.
– We are located at an elevation of 6,500 feet altitude in a ski town in the mountains of Southern California.
– We experience weather of all four seasons.
– We are located about 2 hours from Los Angeles and near 3 major airports. Learn more about getting here.
– We have a commitment to everyone’s mobility needs. Please contact us about ADA accessibility.
Visit our Planning Your Retreat page to learn more about accessibility and other resources. Contact us if we can support ahead of time.
HEAR MORE ABOUT BIG BEAR RETREAT CENTER
Big Bear Retreat Center is exceptional in every way. The accommodations are outstanding, food exceptional, staff very responsive and helpful and the teachers are always so loving and knowledgeable. Just a top notch retreat experience!! – Sheila
I love Big Bear Retreat Center. It’s my dharma home away from home. Everything about it – staff, teachers, food, accommodations, setting – is exceptional. A true gift to the community!!
Big Bear Retreat Center is indeed a refuge. A safe space to open your heart. – Laura
Teachers & Facilitators
Devin Berry is an Insight Meditation practitioner and Guiding Teacher at the Insight Meditation Society, as well as a visiting teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Devin co-founded Deep Time Liberation, a program exploring ancestral healing and the impact of intergenerational trauma on Black Americans. Known for his heart-centered teachings that integrate mindfulness, metta, and storytelling, Devin also teaches for SoundsTrue and offers programs nationally.
Learn more about Devin Berry
Alli Simon (she/her) is a 5th generation Angeleno and a dedicated advocate for social justice, healing, and wellbeing. She is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Black Being, a certified yoga instructor (500 RYT Yoga Alliance), and a meditation facilitator (InsightLA and IMTA). With over a decade of personal practice and teaching experience, Alli centers her work on increasing access to self-care practices, particularly for historically marginalized communities and those working in social justice spaces. Her work integrates meditation, yoga, and healing justice to address the mental, emotional, and physical toll of caretaking and systemic inequities. Collaborating with national and…
Learn more about Alli Simon
UK-born Hakim Tafari embodies a multifaceted artistic spirit. His creativity flows through many forms as a passionate Runner, Martial artist, Buddhist Dharma practitioner. Wellness advocate, DJ, Painter/Artist and Meditation teacher. In the mid-1990s, after an injury led him to re-evaluate his approach to well-being, Hakim was introduced to a life of mindful movement through martial arts, herbal medicines, and a significant shift towards nutrition-focused wellness. His mission is to teach about the benefits of the embodied experience, using the tools of mindful awareness. By emphasizing mindful movement and blending martial arts with meditation, Hakim empowers individuals to overcome life’s challenges…
Learn more about Hakim Tafari