£ GBP
Black Joy x Wellness is a community centred initiative dedicated to promoting holistic wellbeing for Black and Indigenous People of Colour (BIPOC).
Our initiative is grounded in the belief that joy is a fundamental human experience that every individual deserves to cultivate, especially within communities that have historically been marginalised and underserved. Black joy x wellness was created by co-founders Christa and Georgie, both yoga teachers who experienced first hand the lack of representation in mainstream yoga classes, particularly of yogis from African and Caribbean backgrounds.
We create spaces for underserved people to feel welcome and included. An invaluable safe environment for them to find belonging and express joy for who they are. Our events tap into the richness and vibrancy of our indigenous cultures and uplift stories of joy rather than narratives of suffering and oppression commonly imposed on Black people.
Black Joy x Wellness aims to address the unique challenges faced by BIPOC in accessing resources and support for their mental, emotional, and physical health. Yoga can be an invaluable tool to heal the effects of generational traumas inherited from our ancestors and to better deal with the racialised stress that continues to exist in modern society. Through a combination of yoga, meditation, breathwork, and community-building activities, we empower individuals to prioritise their wellbeing and embrace a life filled with abundance, peace, and joy. By reclaiming these ancient practices that have indigenous roots in Asia and Africa, we amplify marginalised voices and experiences as a path to collective healing.
Since our first event in August 2023 we have hosted sold out events exclusively for Black, Brown and mixed heritage people of colour. These events have provided a safe space to enjoy the benefits of an accessible yoga practice among a community of shared origin and representation. An experience that is extremely rare for Black and Indigenous people that step into a yoga class. Our events also incorporate breathwork, sound healing and sharing circles where individuals can share personal tokens that bring them joy and vulnerable challenges they may be experiencing.
Special additions have included creating an interactive joy moodboard, West African drumming workshop and a Nigerian vegetarian brunch, highlighting pride and connection to the African continent. We remind people that are too commonly overlooked that they inherently deserve to take up space and to belong, in yoga classes, studios and beyond.
Meet the co-founders:
Christa is a yoga teacher and mental health pharmacist with over 10 years of experience supporting people with their mental, emotional and physical health. Her practice is rooted in the 8 limbs of yoga and influenced by the various styles she has practised over the years including hatha, vinyasa, dharma and rocket yoga. She believes in empowering individuals to explore movement, pranayama, meditation and deep self-reflection to support a journey of healing on a metaphysical level. Christa's mission is to bring the transformative impact of yoga to a consistently underserved community so that we can live a life filled with abundance, peace and joy.
Georgie is a Breathwork Faciliator and Yoga Instructor. Her home practice is rooted in vipassana meditation and the use of sound and breath to explore the depths of both the conscious and unconscious mind. She explores beats, breath and music that stretch across centuries of black lineage. Georgie has recently started her journey in discovering the very techniques the ancestors were using to connect to their divine spirit. Georgie is on a quest to reclaim these teachings and share them with the Global Majority and also to be part of the wider narrative of decolonising the western yoga scene.
