Three Trees Yoga stands against racism and all forms of oppression. The philosophical foundations of Yoga compel us to acknowledge the ongoing violence against Black people as one example of systemic racism in our society.
We acknowledge that regardless of one’s own race or ethnicity, individuals are at various points along an anti-racist journey. We also understand that bias can be unconscious or unintentional, and that racism is the combination of social and institutional power plus racial prejudice. Identifying these two specific forms of oppression and disparate outcomes do not automatically mean that those involved intended negative impact, and having these conversations requires courage, respect and compassion, and may not always be or seek to be comfortable. As an anti-racist and ethnically unbiased community, we will purposefully strive to identify, discuss, and challenge issues of race, color, ethnicity and the impact(s) they have on clients and staff members.
It is not enough to simply state a clear, strong opposition to racism. We are examining how Three Trees Yoga may have perpetuated unconscious racial bias. We renew our commitment to expressing our values in the decisions and actions we take as a yoga studio and as a community. We commit to additional policies and actions to root out—and heal—racism in our organization and in our world:
- We will dedicate space and resources for more racial equity and social justice conversations at Three Trees.
- We will build relationships with our local community organizations that support social justice, diversity and racial equity. We commit time and resources to partner with them in their work. (Our recent partnerships include Communities in Schools).
- We will explore and prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion in our classes and support this through scholarships
- We will explore and prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion in our Teacher Training Programs and support this through scholarships.
- We will explore and prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion in our hiring and retention programs.
We invite each of you to explore how your own personal values are expressed in regard to racial and economic justice issues. It is our hope and intention to create spaces that connect each of us to our shared humanity and where we are seen and valued fully in the richness of our varied identities.