Healing is most effective when it emerges from within the communities most impacted by systemic oppression. Gabrielle Blue, California Program Manager for the Prison Yoga Project, emphasizes the power of representation in this work: “Teaching incarcerated individuals who look like us is about more than just offering yoga—it’s an opportunity to rebuild community and heal deep-seated wounds. Building community has always been the cornerstone of our strength; through our collective effort, we can help them heal, reconnect, and grow.”
Blue also highlights the broader scope of incarceration, noting that “incarceration takes on many forms, ranging from prisons to jails, mental health facilities, rehabilitation centers, and beyond.” These systems, she explains, have severed individuals from the very communities that sustain them. “Black people, in particular, represent more than 38% of those currently incarcerated in the U.S. despite making up a much smaller percentage of the population. This stark reality makes our work as Black yoga facilitators even more critical,” she added.
Prison Yoga Project began in 2002 when James Fox taught yoga and mindfulness at San Quentin State Prison. Recognizing the profound impact these practices had on the lives of incarcerated men, PYP was founded with a vision to expand these healing-centered programs globally. By 2020, PYP had become an independent nonprofit organization, scaling our reach to offer trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness to individuals impacted by the system worldwide.
With more than 200 programs worldwide, including in 19 U.S. states and across countries like Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK, France, Portugal, and Australia, PYP brings healing-centered practices to system-impacted individuals globally. Their core offerings include:
- Programming: Weekly trauma-informed yoga classes, immersive yoga, and mindfulness programs designed specifically for system-impacted individuals.
- Publishing & Media: Distribution of resources, including books, practice guides, and videos in multiple languages. Since 2010, PYP has sent over 40,000 books to incarcerated individuals free of charge.
- Training: PYP’s training programs equip facilitators to deliver trauma-informed yoga in system-impacted environments. We offer scholarships to ensure these programs are accessible and inclusive and to promote diversity within our facilitator community. To date, over 3,000+ facilitators have been trained globally.
- Community: PYP’s online Community platform offers facilitators and members ongoing learning, peer support, and resources through webinars, practice videos, book clubs, and peer consultation groups.
The PYP Foundational Training equips facilitators with tools to teach in these spaces with greater awareness, sensitivity, and effectiveness. By embracing these roles, BYTA facilitators can transform the lives of those they serve and contribute to dismantling cycles of trauma and disconnection within our communities. Together, we are reweaving the fabric of the community—one breath, one practice, and one connection at a time.
