La Sarmiento shares their journey from learning "it was not ok to be who I was" to cultivating and connecting with incredible sense of love and belonging.  La brings us through a deep and touching emotional experience in this podcast and shows us how the Dharma and the community in the Dharma has had such a significant impact in their life and healing and growth.  La Sarmiento is a non-binary, Filipinx American, body/energyworker and song-spoofing dharma teacher. They are a retreat teacher/manager and guiding teacher of the LGBTIQ and People of Color Sanghas with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, teach retreats for LGBTIQ at the Garrison Institute, young adults at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center, are a graduate of the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders Training Program, and are currently a mentor for the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. La lives in Towson, MD with their life partner Wendy and their Cairn Terrier Annabel. You can connect with them online at: www.lasarmiento.com.