06/20/2020
Juneteenth is a day for people to celebrate the freedom of Black people. It marks the day when Union soldiers arrived in Texas to announce the end of the Civil War and slavery, June 19, 1865.
Juneteenth is an important day of reflection and commemoration. This year carries particular meaning in the wake of Black lives lost to police brutality and it means so much more. As a country we are still fighting racist voting laws that disenfranchise black voters, horrible inequities in our health care system and mass incarceration that removes black people from their families, communities and the civic process. We are certainly nowhere near ending the effects of slavery. June 19 is an important day to acknowledge our country’s racist past and make good on our commitments to addressing it. We know that many of you are contributing your voice, passion, money and artistic abilities to address these wrongs.
This photo of and by Deidra Rene Demens has many layers of meaning. We hope you will contemplate its significance. Deidra has given permission for sharing this photo, you can support her photo essays and other work here https://www.deidrademensyoga.com/
Adeline Yoga is donating today to People's Breakfast Oakland https://www.hellablackpod.com/about
Juneteenth is an opportunity for looking at our past and our future. We would like to highlight two Black Iyengar teachers who have walked this path of Yoga for many decades, inspiring us and lending a helping hand to uplift us all. Ben Thomas - Senior Teacher and author of "Iyengar Yoga: The Integrated and Holistic path To Health" and Jaki Nett Senior Teacher and author of "Crack in the Mask". Thank you Ben and Jaki for your generous leadership over many decades.
Juneteenth highlights the importance of looking inwards to wrestle with the changes we need to make as a community moving forward. At Adeline Yoga everyday we seek to engage in courageous conversations and actions that serve as crucibles for change on all levels both personal and community wide. There is so much more we need to do. We are bound together in this work toward liberation.
