Dedicated Safe Spaces for the LGBTQ+ Community, Online and In Person
Queer Soul Alchemy is a dedicated safe space online and in person for members of marginalized communities.
We are a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Spiritual Organization that promotes Yoga, Meditation, and Holistic Wellness.
Our organization is committed to creating safe, affirming, and educational spaces built on personal empowerment, community healing, and environmental stewardship. Our goal is to offer LGBTQ+ people, women, and members of all marginalized communities an inclusive environment for learning, work-trade opportunities, and lifestyle enrichment.
We plan to invest in land in Northeast Ohio to create our permanent home: a transformative sanctuary where Yoga retreats and permaculture gardens come together to cultivate queer community around growth and healing. Through mindfulness practices and environmental stewardship, Queer Soul Alchemy intends to support individuals from all walks of life in embracing their authentic selves and nurturing their bodies, minds, and spirits — in harmony with the Earth.
Our Mission Pillars
Inclusivity + Dedicated Safe Space: QSA will be a sanctuary for LGBTQIA+ individuals and other marginalized individuals who are seeking spiritual healing, community connection, and healthy support.
Uplifting Humanity: QSA recognizes that there is no personal transformation without collective liberation. Self-healing does not happen in a vacuum, but rather in an interdependent process with the Earth and the Collective.
Ecological Integration: QSA’s approach blends practical wisdom from Yoga and Ayurveda with permaculture philosophy to create a balanced ecosystem and retreat that is nourishing for humans, plants, and animals alike.
Education + Empowerment: QSA’s goal is to provide accessible resources and educational programs to nurture the community’s personal growth and spiritual practices. We prioritize and uplift the voices of the marginalized.
Upcoming Events:
Our Core Values
Gratitude - for the blessings as well as the opportunities to grow.
Ahimsa (Non-violence) - we are ethically rooted in Yoga Philosophy.
Community - the beating heart at the center of all that we do!
Integrity - showing up steadily with commitment to our mission.
Authenticity - radical honesty and transparency is our style.
Sanctuary - we offer a safe haven for all humans, animals, + plants.
[GrACIAS] - to give thanks, grateful, gratitude
Meet Our Founder: Lee Devi (they/ them)
When I was growing up, I didn’t have any LGBTQ+ role models, and I didn’t know it was okay to be myself. No matter where I went, I never quite “fit in,” whether this sentiment was felt internally or reflected back to me externally. Feeling that my true self would never be accepted, I attempted to mold myself to fit the needs of whoever was around me. I expected perfection from myself, but the mental goal posts kept shifting because I subconsciously based them on the opinions of others. This lead to a lot of suffering.
Through over a decade of Yoga practice and study, I have continued to unravel layers of mental and spiritual conditioning. And somewhere along the way, I decided to become the role model of my own dreams. Today, I’m a 500-hour Registered Yoga Instructor, a 600-hour Ayurvedic Health Counselor, a Transformational Retreat Facilitator, a Podcaster, and an Intuitive Astrologer.
I’m also out and proud as queer and nonbinary. While I enjoy working with all people, I feel especially drawn to work with members of the LGBTQ+ community. I believe that Yoga, Ayurveda, Community, and Astrology have an immense healing ability to open us to the primal divine energy (adi para shakti) within.
Ohio is home. In 2017, I received both my 200-hour Yoga Teaching Certification from Yoga Central, and my Bachelor's Degree from Kent State University. Since then, I have travelled internationally and domestically, spent time in various Intentional Yoga Communities, and deepened my personal practice. I was initiated into the Sivananda Yoga order with the name “Parvati Devi” by one of my teachers, Swami Sankaranandaji.
As a devotee of the Goddess within all beings, I serve by offering ritual, practical, and energetic support in times of great transition and life’s major portals.
In 2021, I completed my 300-hour Yoga Teaching Certification with the Mount Madonna Institute in California. Then in 2024, I graduated from the Shakti School’s Ayurveda and Tantra holistic lifestyle counselor program. I have been hosting transformational Yoga retreats both internationally and in Northeast Ohio since 2022. A life-long artist, I have self-published two original coloring books: Creatures of the Earth, and 12 Signs of the Zodiac. (See them here.)
My sankalpa, or intention, for Queer Soul Alchemy is to cultivate safe spaces for our collective liberation through the events and services that we offer, and to empower others with tools for their own self-development and self-care.
Jai Ma! — Paisley Parvati Devi (“Lee” for short!)
Meet Our Team
Secretary + Treasurer: Paige Altemare (she/ they)
A native Clevelander, I've earned a degree in Chemical Engineering from CWRU, and have worked in manufacturing, project management, web development, data analysis, and finance. Alongside my professional experience, I've been a yogi for over a decade, a lifelong environmentalist, and world traveler inspired by diverse cultures and new ideas. As a queer person and dedicated activist, I hope to create inclusive spaces rooted in connection, equity, and collective liberation. In my role as Treasurer and Secretary, I bring a blend of organizational skills, thoughtful strategy, and creative problem solving, fueled by my passion for holistic wellness, sustainability, and uplifting others.
Pro Bono Consultant: Julie González Woodward (she/ her)
LPC, NCC - Retired
Julie spent her career as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, specializing in vocational rehabilitation for people with disabilities. She brings experience in recovery and Twelve Step fellowships, and is the author of several self-published books. Julie volunteers her time to Queer Soul Academy to offer business operations experience, as well as problem-solving and communication building skills.
Fundraising Goals:
-
For property acquisition, legal fees, and accounting. To cover initial organizational expenses including incorporation, legal, and accounting fees, as well as establish a fund for the property down payment. We will be able to secure 15–30 acres in Northeast Ohio for the Academy’s permanent home, and cover land surveying, inspections, and closing costs. Ideally, the property will include existing structures suitable for restoration and expansion into retreat spaces.
-
For sustainable infrastructure + retreat facilities. To implement eco-conscious infrastructure such as composting toilets, solar power, geodesic dome lodging, and permaculture food forests. These upgrades will align our operations with sustainable and regenerative principles and provide us with accommodations for guests!
-
For staff pay, growth, scholarships + contingency fund. For further investments in animal care, land and facility enrichment, insurance, and emergency reserves. Any remaining funds will contribute to a Community Scholarship Fund, making Queer Soul Academy programs accessible to LGBTQIA+ individuals with limited financial resources.
