What can we do to become more open as a community?
For sure we can start looking at our cultural appropriation
For sure we can look at our pricing
We can start an open and honest discussion
Many of us are scared to speak out
Many of us are cocooned in our comfortable bubble and don’t give it more than a passing thought
Many of us are unaware of our own unconscious racism
Why is the yoga scene so unattractive to BAME people?
Let’s share ideas and information
Let’s support each other - empower each other - to tackle this together…
We are all working out how to live in this global village together - no one has all the answers, no one will get it right all the time. Let’s give each other ideas for how to move forwards. Let’s gently point out to each other when we get it wrong.
Let’s work towards a yoga scene for all colours, all social classes, all genders, all shapes and sizes, all ages, all religions, a safe space for everyone.
I lived and taught yoga in Tottenham for over 15 years - it is a predominantly black working class area we had a thriving inclusive yoga scene there - it can happen if we all work towards making it happen.
My home city of Bristol recently made a statement - it came from black and white and said we all refuse to glorify people who built their wealth on slavery. We need to stand together we need to listen and learn and we need to have respect.
And let’s make sure this isn’t just a virtue signalling exercise - we need to do more than post on facebook - donate to organisations - those things are important - but we need to take action in our communities - have real conversations - maybe we need to learn a new vocabulary - maybe we need to start asking questions and listening - for sure we need to get out there and DO SOMETHING....
One suggestion is that you could reach out to local councillors who are active in campaigning for BAME issues - reach out to refugee centres - to local community centres and offer to work with them... ask them what you can do to help…
It’s not enough to to sit back and wonder why no ethnic minorities are coming - we need to get out there and we need to be part of the solution.
Be the change you want to see
In solidarity - Melanie