Dismantling systems of oppression & redistributing power in yoga spaces with kelley niocle palmer [Podcast Episode 2]

In this episode, Amber Karnes & kelley nicole palmer will discuss ways that systems of oppression shows up in our yoga spaces, how we can redistribute power and resources toward more equity, and how we shift from an individual lens to a focus on community care and the collective.

Listen to Episode 2

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About kelley nicole palmer

kelley nicole palmer is a writer, wellness advocate and community organizer committed to using the tools and philosophies of yoga to cultivate liberation, joy and peace for herself and others. Her connection to the living practice of yoga, a path of mindful wellness and self realization fuels her work, impacts her life and propels her to want to share it with others through her writing, events and guest teaching opportunities. She remains focused on making this healing practice accessible to all, connecting to communities that are normally excluded or ignored in mainstream wellness circles.

Being a mother of two liberated souls has created a point of focus that brings these tools to the way she is mothering them and also calling her to share this with all parents. Through in person and online offerings, Kelley centers her work on making these connections with authentic and sustainable tool building. Her writing, offerings and more about her can be found at kelleynicolepalmer.com.

Episode 2 Show Notes

In episode 2 of the Accessible Yoga Podcast, Amber Karnes interviews kelley nicole palmer, writer, yoga teacher, wellness advocate, and community organizer. In this episode:

• Kelley introduces herself, talks about how she came to yoga, and explains why social justice has been part of her practice from the beginning
• How Kelley began teaching yoga and how that was informed by the way anti-blackness shows up in wellness
• How yoga spaces often mirror the harm that exists in society for folks with marginalized identities
• The responsibility of studio owners when it comes to social justice and dismantling systems of oppression, fatphobia, ableism, homophobia, etc.
• How we miss the barriers that prevent marginalized folks feeling welcome in a space (especially when that yoga space feels like a “safe space” to some of us)
• How the conditioning of whiteness keeps us stuck from taking action toward justice
• Practical ways that folks can redistribute resources or power within our yoga spaces
• Taking the transactional nature out of our relationships
• Ways to notice (and dismantle) gatekeeping practices in your yoga spaces
• Shifting our mindset from a lens of individualism and fear to a focus on the collective and community care
• Kelley’s upcoming course: Race & Equity in Yoga: Disruption As a Practice will be a space for self-inquiry and unpacking our responsibilities toward race equity, yoga, social justice, and more

Today’s inquiry

Each week we’ll leave you with a powerful question. We encourage you to sit in inquiry with this question, write about it, discuss it with another community member on this path. Today, Kelley poses a 2-part question:

When you think about working toward equity, justice, and liberation, what are you willing to release? What are the obstacles you perceive to releasing those things?

Connect With Us / Resources

• Kelley Palmer: Website | Patreon Community | Facebook | Instagram
• Kelley's course, Race & Equity in Yoga: Disruption As a Practice
• Here is the flow chart we described about how whiteness shows up in conversations about systems of oppression on social media:

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