Let's Be Clear: A Message from Yoga International.

We stand with the Black community and activists fighting against white supremacy and systemic racism. We stand with those rightfully seeking justice on behalf of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the countless others murdered by the police. We stand by the message Black Lives Matter.

We are committed to listening, learning, using our platform to amplify Black voices, and using our resources to support anti-racist activists and organizations. Though our practice can be a powerful tool to empower and inspire us, handstands and warrior poses aren’t going to change the world. As teacher and activist Michelle Johnson reminds us, yoga is so much more: Yoga is skill in action. Yoga is also about self-reflection. It’s about seeing, and acknowledging the work that we have to do, and then going out and doing that work.

As a company, and as a community, we have taken the following steps this week. As members of our community, we hope that you will join us in whatever ways you are able to. We also understand that this is just the beginning.

• We have donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, the NAACP, and the George Floyd Memorial Fund.

• Our editorial, production, and design teams are focusing on amplifying the work and voices of Black yoga teachers on our platform.

• We have committed to regularly and consistently using our social media platforms to highlight the work of Black yoga teachers.

• We are attending and supporting local events and peaceful protests in our area.

• We are also paying closer attention to the internal structure of our company, looking for ways to actively make our Yoga International a truly anti-racist environment and further prioritize diversity and inclusion in our hiring practices.

We know we have more work to do. We are listening. We welcome your feedback.

Sincerely,

Todd Wolfenberg, CEO

Kat Heagberg, Editor in Chief

Emily Smith, Executive Producer