at Laughing River Yoga

Free and incentivized programming designed to support and sustain the health and wellness of our BIPOC community members.

The Yoga Equity Project

As of April 15, 2022 we raised $12,950 to support the
Yoga Equity Project at Laughing River Yoga!

With $12,950 we have been able to pay BIPOC yoga teachers to design and offer yoga programs for the BIPOC community including free & incentivized BIPOC Affinity Space weekly drop-in classes and freely offered monthly workshops. Class style and instructors will vary from month to month, giving students the opportunity to try out new class styles and get to know our teachers!

BIPOC Affinity Space Weekly Drop-In Instructors & Class Styles:

August- Vinyasa with Vanessa Santos Eugenio

September- Vinyasa with Hope Elliott (first 2 wks)/

Gentle Yoga & Pranayama with Malaika DosRemedios (last 2 wks)

October- Vinyasa with Hope Elliott

Need a ride? We have partnered with Carshare VT to give our students $25 of driving credit. Use promo code: LAUGHINGRIVERYOGA.

Our Goal: Raise $10,000 in 30 days

Between 3/3/2022-8/3/2022 we have offered:

3 BIPOC Affinity Space workshops and
17 BIPOC Affinity Space weekly drop-in classes.

TO:

A total of 296 participants
Taught by 4 different teachers

We continue to offer a weekly drop in class and

one free workshop a month.

Here's what participants are saying about the program:

"I am truly grateful for this opportunity."

"I could not have afforded it and would not have been able to go without the incentive. I can’t thank you enough."

"I’m really so floored that you are doing this-wonderful reparative action truly focused on healing!"

"I am far away from home and was starting to become depressed. The series got me through the end of the winter."

"The classes got me into the practice and saved me from a stress crisis. Sasha is an amazing guide! The regular weekly series with the same group of people allowed us to build relationships and connection."

"So appreciative of the emphasis on healing and being in community."

The Yoga Equity Project, started at Otter Creek Yoga in Middlebury, strives to extend the physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of yoga and meditation to everyone by addressing the inequities that have historically kept many people from accessing yoga spaces.

After receiving an overwhelmingly positive response to our paid BIPOC Affinity Space Series in March 2022, the message was clear. There is a need for more freely offered Affinity Spaces and wellness opportunities for BIPOC in our community.

The Yoga Equity Project at Laughing River Yoga will be shaped by our Advisory Council and guided by our founding tenets.

We designed the Yoga Equity Project with LRY's founding tenets as a guide:

1. No one is free until we are all free

The Yoga Equity Project strives to confront the disparities that exist in the community by removing the financial barriers preventing some students from participating in wellness opportunities such as yoga.

2. We believe in the power of yoga to heal

We work to create healing affinity spaces where BIPOC students can let down their hyper-vigilance. We acknowledge not everyone is treated equally and work toward repair in our community.

3. Yoga Changes the World through Transforming Individual Lives

This project invests in BIPOC students and instructors to counteract racism and honor the beauty and value of Brown and Black lives.

4. Your Essence is Unconditional Love

We strive to create a more diverse studio environment for the benefit of all.

Have questions? Curious to learn more about why affinity spaces matter? Click here to check out our Yoga Equity Project FAQ page!

We are so excited to have the space to work more closely with our amazing advisory council of BIPOC yoga teachers. They will be the ones brainstorming, designing and teaching the curriculum. Their wisdom and experience is a true asset!