Meditation, Art, and a Lasting Legacy

July 30, 2026

After more than six years, the Allen is sad to bid farewell to Libni Lopez, the clinical therapist who was instrumental in founding the museum’s Mindful Meditation program on Zoom. Libni and his husband William Parsons, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, will be moving to California in late December. “It came about as a serendipitous opportunity that we couldn’t pass up,” said Lopez. “It felt like it was meant to be, as an incredible career opportunity for Will and for me to be closer to family.”

Lopez’s first connection with the program began in 2019 when the head of the Counseling Center at Oberlin College asked him to participate in a new program pairing mindfulness with art. “It was only supposed to be a short five-minute, in-person session. I like to challenge myself so I offered to do it.” In the fall of 2020, Jill Greenwood in the Allen's Education Department wanted to reboot the program but on Zoom. “We were all dealing with the effects of COVID and isolation at that time, so this seemed like a great opportunity to find community. I immediately thought of Libni, who embodies compassion and care. Just being around him makes me feel calmer,” said Greenwood.

When asked if Lopez remembers a particular artwork or session he considered meaningful to him, he said, “The session centered around Mickalene Thomas’s You're Gonna Give Me the Love I Need, in 2023. The theme of self-compassion resonated with me. We all feel empty, alone, or invisible at times, and this work unapologetically demands attention, connection, and love. Many of us often feel unseen, and this work asks us to connect with ourselves and to recognize what we need. We are all worthy of compassion and connection.”

For Libni’s last session before his move in December, he selected TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS by Jeffrey Gibson. Lopez says, “It’s another artwork centering care. Any message that softens our inner critic—the one that tells us we are not deserving of tenderness, or compassion–resonates with me. We are programmed to be our harshest critic. Anything that reminds us to be tender and to give ourselves the same amount of grace that we give others is vital. If we could put that into practice, we could reduce the amount of suffering we experience every day. To meditate on being more tender with ourselves and to leave space to give ourselves a break from the harshness we live with, especially today. Then we show ourselves love, care, and tenderness, and our mind and body thrive and we heal.”

The Allen is eternally grateful to Libni for his donation of time, energy, and devotion to this program. Many participants have been loyal followers for years. Lisa Cheng, an Oberlin alum, writes, “I loved the meditation led by Libni. I felt very emotional during it, and it brought tears to my eyes because it was such a release to be given permission not to be perfect. Perfectionism is something I struggle with, and it hinders me from doing my own artwork and starting on projects. I could really relate to this meditation and loved the discussion about the artwork and how it was paired with the meditation. I appreciate that this series is available on Zoom since I live in the Cleveland area and do not drive on the highway.”

The program will continue after Lopez’s departure with the guided mediations led by Ellis Lane (OC 2022), Curatorial Assistant in the Education Department and one of the program's facilitators since 2022. “Libni left big shoes that are impossible to fill,” said Lane. “His kind and gentle manner of speaking make our sessions a safe space for personal reflection and vulnerability, and my hope is to set the same tone of comfort.”

When asked if Lopez had any words to share with his many followers, he said, “I feel immense gratitude to have done the meditations and to do them with the community. I’m all about community. To be in a healing space, to be human, and to come with good or bad in our lives, we were intentional in wanting to be grounded, together, and to heal. I’m proud of the work we have done together. I am very excited that Ellis will lead the mediations next year and 100% confident that he will lead an incredible series.”

Learn more and sign up for an upcoming Mindful Meditation session at this link.