Ashley's yoga journey began with the expectation of experiencing mainly physical benefits, but it turned out that the practice greatly improved her mental well-being instead. She found a new sense of serenity and joy, and her yoga mat became an oasis.

During her journey, Ashley couldn't help but notice the lack of representation of yoga instructors and students who looked like her. With her background as a certified diversity executive, she is dedicated to creating equitable spaces and opportunities for marginalized communities. Eager to foster an inclusive health and wellness culture, she decided to become a yoga teacher through CorePower’s teacher training program.

Ashley is a 200hr certified yoga teacher with training in power, vinyasa, and yoga sculpt. Outside of teaching yoga, she has over 8 years of experience as a strength training coach. She enjoys working with students of all skill levels and finds joy in witnessing her students gaining confidence in their practice.

When not teaching, Ashley can be found curating wellness events or biking along the lakefront.

Charity's journey as a yoga instructor began with teaching community-based beginner classes for individuals in recovery in partnership with Recovery Cafe and The Phoenix: Sober Active Community. She received her 200 RTY from Zazyoga centered in vinyasa gentle flow trauma-informed yoga. She uses her practice as a method of regaining bodily autonomy and reconnecting the mind and body after experiencing addiction and trauma. For Charity, teaching yoga is about being of service to others, strengthening the spirit, and building community.

Dylan completed her initial training at the Free To Be Power Yoga studio in New Orleans in 2021. It was during this time that she awakened to the powerful benefits of yoga, and since then has committed herself to revealing the benefits to underserved communities in her hometown of Chicago. Dylan specializes in a total body integration deep flow, which emphasizes mindful strengthening and enhancement of one's mobility. Off the mat, Dylan is currently working on obtaining her Level 2 Reiki certification and is studying herbalism, acupuncture, and naturopathic medicine. Dylan is a RYT-200 certified yoga instructor and an energy worker.

Being a jovial mover and shaker Alexis believes that Yoga and mindfulness offer a much needed balance in this turbulent thing we call life. Yoga has supported her overall well-being since the early 2010’s. In 2020 Alexis completed her 200-hour Hatha Yoga certification with Yoga Blue Fitness School and is currently in her 300-hour YTT with My Vinyasa Practice. Her popular class styles include Vinyasa, Slow Flow, and Restorative formats.

Alexis is the founder of Little Spaces Wellness, a doctoral student, artist, and nonprofit consultant. She’s committed her life’s work to being a movement and healthy living advocate, prioritizing healthy outcomes for Black Women, youth, and families. When not on the mat she’s a student to life finding time enjoying nature, being creative, and creating joyous opportunities for community connections!

Lee has been practicing yoga on a continual basis for eight years. He started furthering his understanding of yoga when he began training for his RYT 200 certification from Reflections Yoga Center, which he completed in 2014. In 2015 he started Yoga for Men at Grand Prairie Public Library in Hazel Crest. The class focused on introducing men to the benefits of yoga, incorporating strength, flexibility, and balancing poses along with meditation techniques involving scanning and breathing exercises. In 2016 Lee expanded his practice, teaching classical Hatha yoga at the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club. He has also taught individual mediation classes, observing firsthand the impact meditation has on calming and modifying behavior in positive ways. Lee’s approach to yoga focuses on the integral relationship between philosophy, meditation, and the asanas. He sees this relationship as the key to achieving balance.

Zen Frankie is a vegan chef, meditation teacher, herbalist, and mycologist who began prepping and cooking vegan food out of a desire to heal himself of Crohn’s disease. He has researched many aliments and diseases and has been cooking vegan foods for the past ten years. Zen Frankie is the founder of Zen Vegan Life, a vegan and alkaline food and drink delivery and catering company that not only specializes in providing goods that assist with raising one’s vibration, but also supports families with special diets/dietary needs. Zen Frankie is a Reiki Master and teacher, musician, sound healer, and botanist.

Marguerite has been teaching private and group yoga classes for more than fifteen years. She is a certified yoga and meditation instructor, having received her credentials from the Temple of Kriya Yoga. She later joined the staff at Temple, and for three years co-led their teacher training program, specifically in the areas of subtle anatomy, Patanjali’s “eight-limbs” yoga system, and the ancient Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita. She has received training in various styles of Hatha yoga, including Ashtanga, Kundalini, Restorative, and Yin yoga. Her classes are focused on establishing proper alignment, building strength and increasing flexibility, and relieving stress and tension in the body. Marguerite is a certified Breathwalk© instructor and a former triathlete.

Camille is dedicated to offering yoga to our vibrant community, where everyone, regardless of body type or level of experience, can show up on their mats to connect with others and reconnect with themselves. A yoga practitioner since the mid-1990s, Camille teaches students awareness of body, mind, and spirit through meditation, artful alignment, and creative sequencing. Her style is a blend of the practiced yoga traditions which include Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Bikram yoga, sprinkled with ballet and karate training with some ballet and karate training sprinkled in.” A cancer thriver, Camille is a wonderful example of the healing powers of yoga. Her personal practice has helped her maintain a very functional quality of life in the face of multiple treatments and scores of side effects. She has also published several articles on health and well-being, and encourages everyone to live their best life.

With a love for health, wellness, and education, Kyla started her journey of getting to know herself and wanted to share that journey with the world. She found the best way to do that was to become more intuitive about her body and fitness well-being!

Already experienced in yoga, she reconnected and recommitted to the practice. After falling back in love with it, she earned her 200—and 300-hour certifications with Yoga Blue Fitness in 2020 and Black Prana Magazine in 2021, respectively.

Initially starting to teach virtually, she has since expanded to teaching for conferences and celebrities and hopes to continue inspiring everyone to be well!

Kyla uses her a background in psychology, education, and public health to inform her classes and students to help others on their own movement and fitness journey!

If she's not on her mat, you with find Kyla at home watching movies with her dog!

Danielle studied film in college and enjoys arts and culture. Her introduction to yoga was through taking community and free classes at different studios throughout the city. Danielle’s commitment to her practice sparked her to enroll in teacher training and receive her 200 RTY certification from CorePower Yoga. For Danielle, yoga keeps her centered, present and helps her to maintain a positive mindset throughout her day. Her yoga philosophy centers on self-awareness and self-love and listening to one’s self. Also central to her life are her family and friends.

Kyah, a certified yoga instructor and flexologist, discovered her passion for movement in 2020 after overcoming years of challenges with mental and physical health. Motivated by her own journey, she pursued yoga teacher training at Yogaview Chicago and has since immersed herself in the practice. Kyah is dedicated to sharing her expertise in strength, alignment, and stretching to empower her community, encouraging them to move in ways that foster both physical openness and mental well-being.

Mekeba Malik is a professional dance artist from Chicago, currently shining his light with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. He is a Certified Personal Trainer (Functional Strength Training and Sports Performance Training) and Certified Yoga Instructor (100H Rocket and 200H Vinyasa). Mekeba believes that health is wealth and is blessed to be able to share practices of health and wellness with those he has the opportunity to serve. He grounds his movement practices in the perspective and belief that the body is the vessel through which the Spirit experiences a natural experience and the act of finding balance in when to move and when to be still is the dance we all collectively dance. Mekeba is proudly and unapologetically a servant to the Most High, ensuring he is doing the internal and external work to be a living testament. Mekeba is a lover, and he tries his best to give love freely to all. He loves nature and being by fresh water. Mekeba loves to read and eat. But what he enjoys most is being a blessing.

Tiffany Mangum is a 500hr certified yoga teacher that resides in the Bronzeville neighborhood. She has been teaching yoga to diverse groups across all ages for the last 12 years. She enjoys seeing and hearing the difference the practice of yoga makes in her students. She introduces yoga in a way that anyone can do. She finds yoga to be a great outlet for everyone to connect with their body and any goals they have to achieve in this space. She is passionate about yoga, meditation, and creating access to these practices. She currently hosts yoga wellness workshops, teaches vinyasa flow and restorative (her favorite styles), journaling, and 1:1 clients. She awaits to connect with all who share in the yoga space with her. She is excited to meet you and practice beside you as well

Adetokunbo Osinaike is a seasoned Somatic™ Breathwork Practitioner, dedicating three years to honing his craft through personal practice and certification. With a fervent belief in the healing power of conscious breathing, He specializes in Somatic™ Breathwork, guiding individuals through cathartic emotional releases and facilitating deep self-discovery. Ade's nurturing approach creates a safe space for clients to explore and release stored stress, trauma, and emotional blockages, empowering them to live authentically and align with their true purpose.

In addition to his work as a breathwork facilitator, Ade serves as a personal life coach, integrating breathwork principles into his coaching practice.

Julia is the owner and founder of Studio Yogi. She has been practicing yoga for nearly twelve years. Julia started her practice to maintain muscle strength, flexibility, and balance, while dealing with limitations caused by osteoarthritis. She understands that no one body possesses the same range of motion and that each body is different. She believes that’s the beauty of the human form: each one is unique. For Julia, it’s not about the aesthetics of yoga (how beautiful each pose looks) but about the functionality: how the postures benefit her students’ unique bodies. Julia encourages everyone to embrace their inner yogi. In addition to her RYT 500 certification, Julia holds numerous professional development credits that have focused on Pranayama yoga, Inclusive Yoga for All Body Types, Trauma-informed yoga, and Yin yoga to name a few. Julia is a member of Prison Yoga Chicago and the Black Yoga Teachers Alliance.

Denean Pillar-Jackson, as the Founder and President of Teachone Wellness, stands out as both a yoga instructor and an integrative wellness consultant.

Since 1998, Denean has been deeply engaged in the world of yoga, evolving from a dedicated student to a proficient instructor, specializing in hatha yoga and meditation since 2009. Her instruction is rooted in the 5 points of yoga, encompassing mindful exercise, asanas, pranayama, proper diet, and meditation, fostering a comprehensive wellness approach. She has training certificates in mediation and mindfulness, art of living breathing techniques, wellness and trauma, along with receiving her 200 hr. teacher training in 2023.

Denean skillfully combines traditional yoga practices with modern brain and heart science, aiming to create a holistic wellness path. Her expertise in trauma-informed practices and emotional health is central to her approach, targeting optimal physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. Denean's holistic vision and her role as a wellness leader are underscored by her diverse training and impactful client work, marking her as a transformative figure in the wellness community.

Cassandra has been a practitioner of yoga for more than twenty years. She completed her Yoga Teacher Training in 2016 and specializes in Samapatti yoga, a form of Hatha yoga that seeks to make yoga accessible to every body, regardless of the many ways we perceive ourselves to be different. She teaches with care not only those who may never have experienced yoga before, but also those who have been practicing for years. Cassandra is also certified in Children’s, Teen, and Trauma-informed yoga. In addition to teaching yoga and meditation, Cassandra is a spiritual practitioner who provides private sessions for her clients, working in various modalities including shamanic energy work and sound therapy. A Reiki Master and an intuitive channeler, she also provides Soul Coaching sessions that are informed by reading clients’ Akashic Records. Cassandra is the executive director of Light of Loving Kindness, a nonprofit organization located on Chicago's South Side.

Vinyasa yoga is a natural fit for John. He completed his RYT-200 at Yoga Six, served an apprenticeship at Zen Yoga Garage, and joined Prison Yoga Chicago as a trauma informed certified Yoga teacher and Executive Board Member. John has been practicing yoga for nearly over a decade. Off the mat, you may find John practicing Karma yoga in his role as a mentor with the Friends First program at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls or serving in his position as co-vice chair on the Harris Theatre Associate Board, when he’s not working full-time as a project manager. John brings an attitude of self-discovery, creativity, and fun to every class. Show up to feel empowered physically, mentally, and most importantly, spiritually.

Yolander holds a B.S. in biology, an A.A. in medical assisting, and an M.S. in health administration. She has been practicing yoga for over ten years. Her love for yoga came from wanting to find an intimate space within which to connect with her mind, body, and spirit. Wanting to share her love and passion for yoga with others, in 2017 she decided to become a certified yoga instructor. She completed RYT 200 hours certification at the Chicago School of Yoga then founded her own studio, YoSoul Yoga, LLC. Between 2017 and 2020, she obtained certifications in Chair, Children’s, and Prenatal yoga. Yolander teaches Vinyasa Flow, a style of yoga characterized by the stringing of a multitude of postures together so that the movement from one posture to another is seamless. It also uses the breath/breathing practices. You will find that Yolander’s yoga style is warm and caring. Her favorable personality and approach often draws individuals to her, and many seek her yoga classes on a regular basis.

At the young age of twelve, Michael was introduced to yoga. Stretching became an unseen tool to use after athletic activities. In 2007, Michael was in a car accident and used breath work, Tai Chi, and Qigong as a way to get initial healing. In 2009, after he met Black men and women yoga instructors on Dania Beach in Florida, Michael Saa Sekhem was born. Michael received his certification in ancient Kemetic yoga in 2010. He has since studied instruction in Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Bikram, and Kundalini yoga. Since coming back to Chicago, Michael has deepened his focus on working with young adult Black men, as well as partnering with community organizations and therapists to bring yoga to urban communities.

In 2007 Shanasha (Shuh-nay-sha), a.k.a “Namaste Nay” practiced yoga for the first time. She found yoga to be a healing, renewing, life changing practice that drew her in and never let go. Her professional fitness journey began in a neighborhood recreation center where she later obtained an AFAA certification in Group Fitness and quickly went on to teach Pilates, Yoga, and Bootcamp classes. After suffering from injuries on separate occasions throughout the years, Namaste Nay deepened her commitment to her yoga practice; finding that yoga alleviated these ailments for good and complimented her love for sports and weight training. When she isn’t doing shoulder stands and other inversions, Namaste Nay loves to cook healthy meals, spend time with nature, go on adventures, and share laughter! Namaste Nay is certified in Rocket Yoga (200hr YTT), and the Yoga trapeze. She is well versed in many other forms of yoga through years of practice and exploration.

Kiara Jade's yogic journey began in 2020 when the world shut down. She left behind all things that no longer served her and started studying Kemetic yoga under the training of YogaSkills. Through this practice, she learned the importance of breath-connection and self-regulation through postures and movements that are naturally aligned with the human body. Kiara Jade's meditative flow practice uses the breath to connect with the mind, unlocking parts of the body where stress, trauma, and tension may be held. Her mission is to provide a space that fosters a holistic sense of wellness, self-empowerment, and a continual process of self-discovery, believing that everyone deserves a moment to focus on nurturing their mental, emotional, and physical health.

Linda is a primary care nurse practitioner with extensive skills and experience in behavioral health counseling. She brings years of medical experience to her transpersonal psychology and hypnotherapy practice, as well as her energy medicine work and meditation practice. Linda’s focus is on creating expansion in the body and psyche so that one may hold all that is possible for their life. Linda’s meditations are mindfully heart-focused. During meditation, progressive muscle relaxation and breathing techniques will leave you feeling grounded, expanded, and present. Her classes may include a focus on chakras, auras, sound healing, and other modalities.

Larry Turner is a clinical psychologist, RN, yoga therapist and long-distance cyclist. He has been practicing / teaching yoga for over 30 years and has taught yoga techniques in various traumatic environments. In the 1990’s he developed a yoga program for the adolescent psych at Univ. of Il. Hospital. In private practice he uses partner yoga with couples, breathing techniques and has taught yoga to staff and inmates at the Juvenile Detention Center. Larry has worked with victims and staff in Hurricane Katrina 2005; Haitian Earthquake 2010 and in Sierra Leone 2015 during the Ebola Crisis. Larry remains focused on alignment, breathing, quieting the sensations of the mind and laughter. Yoga Chicago magazine has written several articles about his yoga journey.