Bianca would like to honor the strong indigenous maternal line of women who have guided her towards the path of yoga and other healing modalities. Bianca’s yoga journey started when her mother, Melissa Cordova, and her grandmother, Margaret Cordova first introduced her to various holistic wellness spaces. Bianca Biazevich is a Yoga and meditation guide, social justice advocate and a Colorado State University Alumna (CSU) with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies. At CSU, she taught yoga for first generation students, BIPOC community resource offices and football students in the athletic department. Bianca specializes in Vinyasa, restorative, and chair Yoga. Her yoga journey has allowed her to teach locally as well as internationally at the American University of Rome in Italy. -- Bianca, will be sharing her journey and challenges as a woman of color in the yoga industry with her first hand experience changing one step at a time the industry she holds dear.
(Click Image for Spanish Translation)
It was not until last year that I encountered other women of color in the yoga community. This is problematic for many reasons. Lack of representation and diversity leaves room for the tokenization and exclusion of people of color and often creates unwelcoming environments for communities of color and other marginalized communities including people with disabilities. This contributes to institutional oppression, racism and discrimination. As a woman of color, not only am I affected by this, but so are our communities that I have mentioned. Historically, institutional oppression, racism and discrimination in America’s healthcare system has affected marginalized communities significantly. The health of BIPOC communities are directly linked to lack of resources.
To understand why there is a lack of diversity and access to Yoga, it is important to recognize the ways in which Yoga has been culturally appropriated in American society. We must give credit to yoga’s South-Asian ancestral roots. The westernization of yoga has been limited to expensive teacher training, cute leggings and fitness for privileged demographics. Not only does this uphold racist structures of inaccessibility in our wellness spaces, but it contributes to the colonization and erasing of Yoga’s cultural heritage and tradition.
As a yoga instructor of color, I have often been met with resistance creating inclusive, diverse, and equitable spaces of yoga for all communities. It has been met with rigid, linear standards of individuality which is not yoga at its’ roots. Yoga at its ‘south-Asian roots are communal and compassionate in nature. As an indigenous woman, I firmly believe that you cannot practice yoga authentically without a social justice world view. In most-cases, yoga is a luxury people cannot afford, especially marginalized BIPOC communities. I am mindful as I break down barriers of inaccessibility to Yoga by offering free or donation based classes. I have immense gratitude for being able to teach Yoga at safe, inclusive and accessible spaces like Urban Sanctuary. At Urban Sanctuary, we offer free classes for the BIPOC community as well as donation-based classes at local parks.
Born and raised in north Denver, I have learned how important community is for my personal and professional endeavors. During my work at the Town Center of Aurora, I was asked to provide an all-level yoga class for the community. As a part of my social justice advocacy work, I speak truth to power about inequity and inequality in local health and wellness spaces. I refuse to be silent. I am a voice for others who do not have a seat at the table. I received my certification to teach Yoga in 2015. Never did I think, this would be my life’s journey of restorative justice advocacy directed towards yoga’s policies and practices.
The endearing lived experiences that have been shared by students of color throughout my yoga journey have deeply affected ways in which I will continue to uplift and serve my community. Yoga has continuously been a healing modality for me as I move through the loss of my beloved mother, Melissa Cordova. Yoga has been a beautiful tool to transform my mental, physical and spiritual health and it is my hope to continue sharing this sacred Indian south-Asian practice with my community
It is my hope that you are humble on this yoga path. I believe that being a social justice advocate is essential for being a yogi. It is important that we invest back in our communities. I ask the community to support by putting money into local, women, BIPOC-owned businesses and yoga studios that are not privileged by their demographics.