Turning a Day of Loss into a Legacy of Healing and Resilience
Dr. Udim Isang, DPT, EdD, Mbia Idiong, is an award-winning educator, physical therapist, and activist specializing in indigenous healing practices, implicit bias in healthcare, and integrative wellness through movement and mindfulness.
September 11th is a date etched into the collective memory of the world. For me, it is not only a historical moment but also a deeply personal one. I remember exactly where I was, sitting in class, drawing in the margins of my notebook as the television flickered on.
Growing up, I didn’t watch much TV, so having the screen pulled into the classroom felt exciting at first. That feeling quickly shifted when I moved into Ms. Brown’s math class. Her husband worked in the towers, and the energy in the room grew heavy. Even though I didn’t fully understand what had happened, I knew it was serious when the announcement came that we would be sent home early.
That memory shaped me in ways I could not yet name. It taught me about uncertainty, about the fragility of life, and about the ways we carry stories forward. This is why, as I bring my book Liberation Through Practice: Voices of Black & Indigenous Healers into the world, I chose September 11th as its release date. It is an act of reclaiming, of transforming a day associated with loss into a day of honoring resilience, healing, and the voices that deserve to be remembered.
This book is more than research. It is a weaving of my story as a queer, immigrant, neurodivergent healer with the lived experiences of others who have had to carve space in systems not built for us. It is both memoir and manifesto, a call to acknowledge implicit bias in healthcare and to celebrate the practices of Black and Indigenous healers.
But writing a book is not just an intellectual act, it is also deeply emotional and physical. The body holds memory, grief, and stress, and so I return to wellness practices that allow me to release and process. Sketching, journaling, dancing, and walking are my medicine. They help me transform heaviness into rhythm, confusion into clarity, and grief into movement.
I touch on these practices in the book, but for those who want to dive deeper, I share more in my Substack writings, where I break down how these tools can be integrated into everyday life as pathways of healing and self-discovery.
I invite you to join me on this journey. Liberation Through Practice is now available for pre-order on Barnes & Noble, ahead of its September 11th release. By pre-ordering, you are not only supporting the book, you are supporting the movement toward a more inclusive and compassionate future in healthcare and beyond.
Even in moments of collective grief, we have the power to birth something new. My book is my offering, and I hope it finds you at a time when you need it most.
For in-depth wellness practices and reflections, visit my Substack.
Read more from Dr. Udim Isang
Dr. Udim Isang, The (Em)Body Doctor & Nigerian Healer
Dr. Udim Isang, DPT, EdD, Mbia Idiong, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Executive Leadership Educator passionate about indigenous healing, mindfulness, and movement therapy. As a queer, trans, immigrant, and neuro-distinct individual, they/they/it/we advocate for bridging healthcare equity and inclusive wellness practices. Learn more about their transformative work integrating mind, body, and spirit at the intersections of identity and healing.
