Wellness is a trillion-dollar industry, and much of it has been co-opted by white women – erasing the Indian roots of yoga AND the fact that Black women have been embracing it for decades to resist oppression! Including some famous freedom fighters you might not expect.
After her 1970 arrest, Angela Davis turned to yoga to maintain her mental health during several weeks in solitary confinement. She also spoke about practicing yoga to prepare herself to be more energetic and effective in the liberation struggle.
Rosa Parks was known to answer the door in her yoga pants, and regularly practiced well into her senior years. But she didn’t keep this to herself – she was passionate about sharing with her people, so she led yoga demonstrations at local events in her Detroit community!
While yoga in the U.S. today is still very white, according to a 2015 National Statistics Report, Black yogis have increased from three percent to more than five percent since 2012.
Not only are more Black people practicing yoga today, but many are also opening businesses and creating spaces for us – like hip hop yoga studios.
Like our elders, we must know that wellness is not just an individual practice. It is a tool for our communities’ collective care and betterment. However we choose to embrace it, health and well-being are vital parts of Black liberation!