Serita and artist, Tiny Desk judge and composer Gaelynn Lea speaking for Pollen on their respective industries
Serita Colette is a Malayali-American educator, artist, International Gay Games gold medalist and founder of Digital Sunset™. Named one of Slow Factory X For Your Viewing Pleasure 2024 Changemakers and Diet Paratha mentee, Serita’s practice intersects liberation, policy and research, gender-race-class-sexuality, healing justice, mutual aid, bodywork and rest. In 2025 they were accepted into Yam Vallis’ Herbalism School. Serita is currently curating Digital Sunset, a cross cultural event series in Los Angeles and beyond supporting cultural engagement, strategies and intervention with tech addiction, space for storytelling, healing and connection in real life. Modalities include meditation, ayurveda, live events such as hiking in the san gabriel mountains, star gazing with astronomers, dharma talks and retreats.
Serita Colette singing the voice of Princess Unicorn for NBC’s “The Office” new campaign on PeacockTV, 2021
Roots of Practice
Born during the monsoon in Kerala, India, Serita was raised by their mother Kathleen Lettie and auntie Frances Colette in Mni Sota Makoce (MN).
Their practice in radical care began at 19 running needle exchange programs in Venice, Los Angeles at Common Ground Westside Connection. Serita worked on body awareness programs that advocated for Black trans women and queer people as well as establishing safe space for youth experiencing homelessness.
In 2015 Serita established the first People of Color Yoga & Ayurvedic practice in Minneapolis, MN. Over the past 10 years Serita has led Rest & Liberation Retreats™, workshops and panels centering, Black and indigenous people, queer and trans people, and folks of color, women and femmes of color.
Promotional POC Yoga flier, Minneapolis, 2015
At 22 Serita practiced seed sovereignty under Ernie Whiteman (rest in power) and Diane Wilson of Dream of Wild Health. Serita continues to collaborate with food justice organizations advocating for healing and mental health programming. In 2020 Serita developed and facilitated a virtual healing justice retreat alongside Elandria Williams (may she rest in peace) for The Castanea Fellowship, a national food justice organization centering Black, brown and indigenous farming, seed sovereignty and food justice.
Serita’s expansive resume includes performing at The Walker Art Center, VoiceOver for NBC, QTBIPOC Rest & Liberation at Reed Hastings Lone Rock Retreat Center, and the production of a 3-part series titled “Hypernova” showcasing queer, trans, Black and brown artists.
“Controlled Burn: Queer Performance for a World on Fire” Produced by Patrick’s Cabaret and performed at Intermedia Arts 2018
Serita has performed at The Walker Art Center, First Avenue Mainroom, The Cedar Cultural Center, St. Olaf College, The Fine Line MPLS, MN Museum of American Art & “Controlled Burn for a World On Fire” at Intermedia Arts.
Serita studied dance intensively since the age of four, music since age ten, and more recently puppetry and masks. Serita performed in the City of Lakes Ballet Company until 18 and returned to Kerala at twenty-two to study Kathakali from Ashaan Shiva Das of the world renowned Kalamandalam classical arts school in India. In college Serita performed alongside Angharad Davies, Ken Gonzales Day’s “Shadowlands” touring photography exhibition, and alongside SuperGroup, Diyah Larasati, and Sister Patricia Brown.
Serita performing at the Walker Art Center, 2013. Choreography: Angharad Davies
In 2019 Serita competed in International Gay & Lesbian Aquatic Championships on the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion in NYC with the Subversive Sirens synchronized swim team winning Gold and Silver medals.
Serita is currently creating voiceover for creative and commercial work while teaching in Los Angeles, leading in person outdoor workshops, retreats, making guest appearances on podcasts, at wellness events, campuses, non-profits, and firms.
Serita competing in the Gay Games in NY for the Stonewall 50th Rebellion with The Subversive Sirens 2019
Leadership & Advanced Study
Sold Out QTBIPOC Rest & Liberation Retreat Sept 2022
Sold Out Yoga & Ayurveda Spring Renewal, Mpls May 2022
Sold Out Root Restore Reimagine Retreat for Women of Color 2022
QTBIPOC Rest & Liberation Retreat at Netflix Lone Rock Retreat Center 2022
Sold Out Sankalpa Workshop in Los Angeles 2022
MN Healing Conference 2021
Rest & Liberation: Trans Equity Summit 2021
BEAM: Black mental health and peer support certification 2021
3 Sold Out QTBIPOC Healing Workshops, KIPP 25th Anniversary w. guest speaker Ava Duvernay
3 Sold Out workshops at National Education Association: Conference on Racial & Social Justice
"Presence to Power," Leading two workshops and an un-conference
The first QTBIPOC Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Cohort
Seed Grantee Convening for the Catalyst Initiative
Allina Healthcare Grant
Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies Social Justice Scholarship, UMN
Growing Power Scholarship with Will Allen, Women's Environmental Institute