All images ©2017 Josh Mauser

502 Power Yoga’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commitments and Updates

Last updated: June 10, 2020

Commit to growth. It’s the fourth Law of Transformation in Baptiste Yoga.

The 502 Power Yoga Team has always been committed to growth. Not just as a business but as yoga students, as teachers, and most importantly as humans.

Since the beginning, the leadership team of 502 Power Yoga has looked at our impact on the community and how we can become more inclusive. We have always been committed to making our classes inclusive to any and everyone, and we know there is still work to be done.

Right now we are looking at ways to further our growth and learning to show up for our Black community, which is affected by systemic oppression and racism every single day. 

Here is what we’re doing:

  • Implementing ongoing, regular Implicit Bias and Inclusivity training for our teachers and staff
  • Continuing to host weekly Karma Classes that raise money for local organizations (with an emphasis on marginalized communities) 
    • $1,775 was raised for the Louisville Community Bail Fund on June 5th through a pop-up karma class as an immediate action in our efforts
  • Amplifying more BIPOC voices in our studios and our trainings. 
  • Working toward a scholarship fund for our 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training dedicated to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, as a way to create more diversity in the Louisville yoga teaching community.
  • Incorporating new tools and additional training in our certification programs and 200-hr yoga teacher training to educate trainees on systemic racism, implicit bias, trauma-informed teaching, and more. 
  • Holding our team accountable to ensure a safe, inclusive, and diverse workplace and community at all three of our studios. 

This is not an exhaustive list, but where we are right now. We are committed to holding ourselves accountable in this work and will continue to update our community as we learn more and continue taking action. 

Just like in our yoga practice, we know we will stumble. We’ll make mistakes and fall out. And just like in yoga, we will keep coming back to our True North. We will continue to put action behind our exclamation that Black Lives Matter. We are committed to growth.