Equity is a practice—just like yoga.
Stephanie Perry-Bush, the Equity and Inclusion Officer for IYNAUS, leads the Yoga Equity Committee with a deep commitment to justice and community. Here, she offers insight into the committee’s work and how we can all take part in shaping a more inclusive Iyengar Yoga world.
Can you share more about the Yoga Equity Committee and its role within IYNAUS?
The Yoga Equity Committee was formed in 2020 with the mission and responsibility to create opportunities and a path for more Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for students, teachers and communities to study and learn the art, science, and philosophy of Iyengar yoga.
The Yoga Equity Committee hosts educational events and training for outreach efforts to Iyengar Regional Associations, studios and teachers committed to making Iyengar yoga more diverse, equitable and inclusive.
What are some of the key educational events and initiatives the committee has organized to promote equity in Iyengar Yoga?
The Yoga Equity committee has organized a number of key educational events in the past few years. Including:
- Yoga and Equity In Action: Iyengar Yoga in Prison, April 2022
- Forging Connections: Lessons from the Second Tuesday Race Forum of Denver, October 15, 2022
- Embracing Yoga’s Roots with Susanna Barkataki, November 2022
- The Power of the Collective Listening Ear with Aaron Johnson, May 2023
- Making Iyengar Yoga More Welcoming and Inclusive with Ryan McGraw and Matthew Sanford, January 2024
- In Conversation with Linda Villarosa, author of “Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on Health in America.” March 2024
These and other events were recorded and the recordings are available on the IYNAUS website yoga equity training page. Yoga equity training events can be used toward continuing education requirements.
The committee also created a Welcome and Belonging Best Practices Workbook and Resource Guide for teachers, studio owners, regional associations, and volunteers in our Iyengar Yoga organizations.
What role do teachers and studios play in creating a more equitable and welcoming Iyengar Yoga environment?
Teachers and studios have an essential role in creating a more equitable and welcoming Iyengar Yoga environment. Teachers and studios are typically the first touch point for students and the ones building relationships and connections with the community. As teachers, it’s important for each of us to use the same care and attention to our inner body as we do our outer body; to apply our yoga internally.
Yoga invites us to examine our beliefs, opinions, and values; our inner posture, you may say, and how they shape our words and behaviors. And of course, to make the appropriate adjustments so we show up in the world as yogis; in ways that are non-violent, truthful, honest, with the capacity to see the divine in everyone and everything, and without the need to hold on to things including ideas and beliefs that are hurtful.
It’s also important to reach out and expand our circle of influence, fine tune our communication skills, and create an inviting environment to gather and practice.
What are some of the biggest challenges in bringing greater diversity, equity, and inclusion to Iyengar Yoga?
Balancing the desire to wave a magic wand to create greater diversity, equity, and inclusion to Iyengar Yoga with the reality that societal change happens incrementally until a tipping point is reached and then change flows like the cascades of a waterfall. The practice of tapas is definitely required as the road to bringing greater diversity, equity, and inclusion is long and uncertain. And it’s also the best thing we can do.
In general, people like to see themselves represented in communities and activities. Representation inspires and encourages participation. The Iyengar Yoga community is pretty homogeneous. Therefore, many potential students do not see themselves or others who share important aspects of their identity in our classes. This presents a circular challenge.
How can Iyengar Yoga practitioners and teachers get involved with the work of the Yoga Equity Committee?
We invite everyone to serve on the committee, attend committee events and host local events.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephanie Perry-Bush, Equity and Inclusion Officer, CIYT Level 2
Stephanie began practicing yoga and meditation in 1995 and was drawn to the transformative power of the practice. She discovered the Iyengar method in 2008 and has been a devoted student ever since. A Level 2 Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and E-RYT500, Stephanie also serves as the Equity and Inclusion Officer for IYNAUS and leads the Yoga Equity Committee.
She is the founder of Black Girls Do Yoga, a platform that uplifts yoga as a path to health, joy, and connection. With a deep love for learning and teaching, Stephanie brings care, clarity, and purpose to her work both on and off the mat.
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