Yoga Behind Bars

During June, we hold Pride alongside Juneteenth, two powerful moments in history, two beautiful identities within our community. As a mostly Black and/or Queer team, this month holds our collective, so we hold each other. We’re celebrating moving away from false narratives that were assigned to us. We’re honoring our ancestors and we’re getting free. We’re holding our LGBTQ+ community and the Black and brown folks that started Pride as a revolution. Queer as in… ? Respectful and welcoming of each other’s whole self ? All-encompassing, fluid, dynamic ? Relating to each other, not wielding power over another ? Re-defining norms ? Rejecting stories, narratives, limits that were put on you ? …and yeah, some of us are also gay gay. Black as in… ? All bodies are deserving of liberation and love. ? Free them all. ? We’re more than our trauma. ? Our joy is revolutionary. ? Dismantling the systems that weren’t meant for us. ? Recognizing the ways we’ve internalized what’s not meant for us. ? …blackity black black. Join us throughout June, as we share stories that honor our many identities, selves, and complexities. Love, joy, and liberation belong to us all.

Dear community, Double your impact and join us for Give BIG, May 7 and 8! This annual statewide giving campaign is a powerful moment to support local nonprofits. Your donations make it possible for us to provide and expand programs within our community. Within the last year, Yoga Behind Bars rebuilt our adult and youth programs inside, hosting an average of 16 weekly classes at 9 facilities, totaling over 400 sessions. We couldn’t do this work without YOU. Join us for 2 days of giving and spread the word to others. During today, donations will be matched, up to $3,000. Let’s do it B I G so we can dream big. Donate here: https://lnkd.in/g2pw4QjM

After a long day of meetings with the DCYF, Progress Pushers and Washington's Women's Foundation I ended the night showing up as Co Executive director of Yoga Behind Bars to support my systemic sibling Yvonne Monique and the work she does Friends of Youth as the Sr. Director Residential and Foster Care Services. Who would have known, because we sure didn't know that we would be in leadership roles one day after being foster care children? Representation isn't just hiring lived experts, it is placing them in leadership roles that can create change!!