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!!

Leaders need to be poured into and invested in too ?? Bring your own wisdom and kind words to share with Faraji and Gabby plus a favorite book or picture of someone who inspires you for our altar. (Yes, you can take it home at the end!) Arrive at 11:30am this Sunday for food and drinks. Our celebration program will start at noon and will include libations pouring, words from the Co-EDs, pass the mic, and movement. Absolutely free to attend, although donations are welcomed (and matched 1:1 thanks to a generous community member). Each donation made by 3/14 also creates an opportunity to win a handmade leather bag from one of our Teachers Behind Bars, Garridan! You'll work together to design and plan the perfect fit for you. A million thanks to Garridan, who is donating his time and supplies to support our lifechanging work. Link to register: https://lnkd.in/gtbWb3nK Link to donate: https://lnkd.in/gyVEe4PA

Hi friends, It is with joy in my heart that I invite you to join @YogaBehindBars on Sunday, March 3rd to celebrate the partnership between our new Rising Co-Executive Director, Faraji Bhakti and myself. It's been such a gift to be in community with you and it would mean so much to share this moment in YBBs evolution with you. Arrive at 11:30am for food and drinks, our celebration program will start at noon. Absolutely free to attend, although donations are welcomed. The program will include libations pouring, words from the Co-EDs, pass the mic, and movement/dance. Link to register: https://lnkd.in/eaKne27m I hope to see you there. Peace, Gabby

My dear friends - I am so grateful and excited to tell you I'll be transitioning into a new role at Yoga Behind Bars - Capacity Building Director. When I first started as Co-Executive Director two years ago, I knew it wasn't a permanent position for me. I've been volunteering in a carceral setting for over a decade and because of that, I knew there would come a day when a brilliant person who survived the belly of the beast would be there to step into this role. And maybe I didn't know this person would be Faraji the first time we met in person. But probably by the second. If you've met Faraji, you know what I mean. He'll tell you, he's a student of the present moment. He is. But he's also a student of literature. Of lyrics and limericks. He's a poet, an incredible teacher, and student of yoga philosophy. Last fall, I realized that for him to blossom, he needed room. And I could create that room by taking a step back. What I couldn't predict is just how joyous it would feel. Because I believe in Faraji, I believe in Gabby: I believe in all of us, together, as we move towards a more just world. Please join us on Sunday, March 3rd to celebrate our new Rising Co-Executive Director, my beloved friend and fellow poet, Faraji Bhakti; as well as my work wife, my brother, my sister, the "Abby" in "Zabby", one of the greatest partner's I've ever been honored to have, Gabby "GO" Oglesby. To Garridan, Ashley, AJ. Marriam, Alyssa, Chris, Dwayne, Noy, Steve. Our teachers, our volunteers, and our donors. To my uncle Grady and our board. To everyone who came before us and to those who will come after us - We go together. With love, Zoe Capacity Building Director | Yoga Behind Bars https://lnkd.in/g5kgSS98

Hope to see you on March 2 for another YBB community yoga class. Faraji Bhakti will be offering an all-levels, trauma-informed practice. Everyone is welcome, liberated folks at the center. Please bring a mat if you have one. (We will have extras!) ?? Saturday, March 2, 4:00-5:30 PM with refreshments and community-building to follow ?? At The Conservatory NW - Art & Yoga Studio 4419 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 ?? Free or by donation ?? Free yoga bundles for individuals who are reintegrating Please note: It’s important to be aware there’s an increase in cases of COVID–19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other illness we encourage the following: -Testing prior to attending any YBB gatherings and wearing a mask. -Get the updated COVID-19 vaccine and a flu shot, along with the RSV vaccine if eligible, for greater protection during the winter months. -Get up to 8 free COVID-19 home antigen tests from the federal government before traveling for the holidays. Visit covid.gov/tests to order your self-tests. -Practice healthy habits such as washing hands, wearing a mask, and staying home when sick. #seattle #seattleyoga #seattleyogateacher #blackyogateacher #community #somatichealing #traumainformed #traumainformedyoga #soundhealing #reintegration #reentry #yogabehindbars

today marks 2 years since i began my co-ed journey at Yoga Behind Bars and i am forever changed because of it. my power used to scare me, but i always knew in my heart that i was meant to be a leader. this position has helped me fully realize who god meant me to be and in this moment i am fully seated in my power and in my purpose. i'm grateful for everyone who saw me when my trauma wouldn't allow me to see myself. and i am grateful to be steeped in relationships that nourish me, stretch me, transform me and that heal me. thank you to this community for entrusting me with your care. i am truly honored and it is my absolute pleasure ???? #blackleadership #blackhistory

"My mother's family is from Barbados and worked the sugar cane fields. My father's family is from Georgia and picked cotton. My lineage is no stranger to labor. Today we're here to tend to ourselves amidst a system that keeps us exhausted. We're here to restore a sense of wholeness and well-being. It's an opportunity to remember who we are and our ancestral power. These practices give us time to listen, to take rest as our reparations. To reclaim ourselves." ~ Gabby "GO" Oglesby

The Convening this February 23-24, 2024, is spotlighting some of our amazing facilitators. ?? Today's spotlight: Faraji Bhakti, Zoe Barker-Aderem, and Chris List. We are so excited about their session. Take a look! ?? Cultivating a Culture of Care Through Embodied Tools and Practices ?? "We gently invite our community to consider that somatic/body-based practices for emotional regulation and healing are essential for creating a culture of care. Together we will learn about trauma's impact on the brain and nervous system, understand how systems of oppression impact our bodies, practice utilizing embodiment tools for self and co-regulation, experience movement as a tool for liberation." Ready to be a part of Faraji, Zoe, and Chris’s session? Register for the Convening! Link to register: https://lnkd.in/gBJ5ETGc Faraji B. Zoe Barker-Aderem (she/her), CFRE Christine List Technology Access Foundation #education #emotionalregulation #healing #cultureofcare #Convening2024