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Black Women Find Healing and Joy at Mexico’s Aura Haus Retreat

Photographer and DJ Kiara Brown joins fellow creatives for a one-day wellness and music experience in Todos Santos designed to honor rest, renewal, and celebration.

“This is just a moment for us to care for ourselves,” says Kiara Brown, a producer and DJ performing a set crafted for equal parts healing and ass-shaking during a rejuvenating retreat called Aura Haus in Todos Santos, Mexico, on Nov. 8. “It’s a moment to honor our needs.”

Brown, a Detroit native now based in Los Angeles, is one of several Black women creatives who’ve found temporary—or even permanent—solace in Todos Santos, a bohemian enclave about an hour outside Cabo. The coastal town, known for its desert-meets-ocean views and artist community, has become a haven for American expats and creatives seeking slower, more intentional living. Increasingly, it’s also drawing a growing number of Black women who’ve decided to say “adios” to the U.S.

While Brown hasn’t officially relocated, she’s fallen in love with the town’s rhythm and beauty. She’s also one of the collaborators behind Aura Haus, a one-day retreat designed to blend wellness, music, and community. “We came up with the idea to have a wellness portion where people can do yoga and meditate—but also party, dance, and have a good time,” she says. “We know there are other people out there who live that life: the best of both worlds.”

Aura Haus will be held at Hidden Leaf Baja, a retreat center founded by Katia Pierre-Louis, a former chief data privacy officer who left corporate America after burning out on the grind. “Mexico has taught me to prioritize joy, health, and connection in ways I never imagined,” Pierre-Louis previously told BET.com. “And I want Hidden Leaf Baja to be a place where others can discover the same.”

How A Black Woman Found Liberation in Mexico

In that spirit, Brown and her co-creators want Aura Haus to reflect the calming, creative energy that defines Todos Santos—home to art galleries, boutique shops, serene beaches, and desert landscapes. The day will include yoga, meditation, and visualization exercises before transitioning into an evening fire pit ritual and a dance party. “The focus is on honoring our needs,” says Brown. “Black women are nurturers, and we take on so much for the community. This is a space where it’s like, ‘This is what I need for me,’ without worrying if it’s inconvenient to someone else.”

Guests will also receive curated goodie bags featuring beauty and skincare products from local vendors and national brands.

As for her own contribution, Brown—who DJs under the name kii—promises a genre-spanning set that mirrors her Detroit roots and global influences. Expect R&B, hip-hop, melodic piano grooves, dancehall, and plenty of electronic music. “Got to have some ghetto tech in there!” she says, laughing. “Ultimately, I just want to get everybody dancing, moving, and raising the collective vibration—bringing happiness and joy to everybody.”

Aura Haus takes place Nov. 8 in Todos Santos, Mexico. Get tickets and more information here.

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