About GEMS
Girls & Guys Exercising Mindful Solutions (GEMS) was founded by Whitley English, a passionate advocate for empowerment, healing, and systemic change. As a survivor of domestic violence and a witness to the failures of an unjust legal system, Whitley’s journey highlighted a critical gap in her community’s capacity to provide support, advocacy, and meaningful resources for individuals facing similar challenges.
With a mission to address these inequities, GEMS focuses on generating empowerment through holistic and mindful solutions. Whitley brings her extensive experience as a North Carolina Community Health Worker with specialized training in violence prevention, certified Reiki practitioner, and holder of over 40 certifications in trauma and resilience to the forefront of this initiative. Above all, she identifies as a healer for humanity, dedicated to raising collective consciousness to its highest vibration.
Whitley D. English
CHW-VPP, Holistic Wellness Facilitator
Her work concentrates on providing direct services to individuals at risk or impacted by violence and abuse, fostering resilience and offering pathways to healing. In addition to her direct services, Whitley actively advocates for addressing all social determinants of health, recognizing their profound impact on individual and community well-being. She believes it is vital to hold systems and organizations accountable to ensure equitable and effective solutions.
Through GEMS, Whitley is dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive space where advocacy meets action, ensuring that no one has to face their journey alone.
What Is a Community Health Worker?
"A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. A community health worker also builds individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support and advocacy."
-- American Public Health Association Community Health Workers. Published 2009.
Read a feature about Whitley and WNCGEMS on the MHO website.
Read a feature about Whitley in the November-December 2024 issue of The Envoy Guide (starts on Page 16).
Read a feature about Whitley in the November-December 2023 issue of The Envoy Guide (starts on Page 6).
NOTE: Please help support The Envoy Guide with a paid subscription! This is an important local resource in Western North Carolina that gives inclusivity and voice in media to the diverse people in the region.
Whitley is also a contributing writer for The Envoy!
Interviews
Podcasts
Watch a Feb 26, 2026 interview with Whitley on the Kazual Konvo Show.
Listen to a June 25, 2024 interview with Whitley on 103.3 Asheville FM's Open Air.
Listen to a Solutions for the Underaffiliated podcast featuring an interview with Whitley, Domestic Violence: One Woman’s Familiar Story with the Justice System (4/13/2023).
"We talked to a victim of domestic abuse about how her experience with the justice system led her to healing and help for others. We need to change the system, not continue to blame victims and leave them to heal themselves alone." - Eric J. Carrig
Listen to Ep. 30 — Transforming Pain Into Purpose: Whitley English's Journey & Advocacy on Suzette Bravo's Bravo Unscripted podcast.
"In this episode of Bravo Unscripted, I am honored to share a story that can shake one from within while providing the courage to deal with adversity. My guest today is Whitley English, a survivor of intimate partner violence and the founder of WNC GEMS (Girls and Guys Exercising Mindful Solutions), an organization offering support to those affected by domestic violence."
"Whitley shares her harrowing experience of assault in 2019 by a former partner, the systemic failures she faced during her quest for justice, and how these experiences led her to create GEMS. Whitley's story highlights the challenges within the legal system, her personal healing journey through energy work and somatic healing, and her mission to empower her community through education and advocacy."
"Whitley aspires to be a voice for those who haven't found theirs, emphasizing the importance of self-advocacy and the power of education. The episode also discusses Whitley's partnerships with other organizations and her future goals, including becoming an elected official to address outdated policies." - Suzette Bravo
Videos
Watch Whitley's presentation to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on June 18, 2024.
Regular Meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners
Watch the following 2-part interview, Domestic Violence Up Close: Whitley's Story, with The Asheville View's Kahlani Jackson where Whitley recounts her experience and reflects on how it's changed her.
Domestic Violence Up Close: Whitley's Story: Part 1
Domestic Violence Up Close: Whitley's Story: Part 2
Volunteering
The following are organizations to which GEMS has contributed volunteer efforts in an official capacity.
