Equity Rising S2 : Episode 10

yoga equity with faraji blakeney

After losing both his parents to the crack cocaine epidemic, Tacoma-native Faraji Blakeney grew up inside a foster care system that did not care for him. After three incarcerations, he was fortunate to find yoga and mindfulness inside the prison system, and it changed his life.

Faraji and Trae talk about the equity work he's doing with Black Prisoners Caucus and also with Yoga is for Everyone, an organization working to bring the benefits of yoga and mindfulness to elementary aged kids in Pierce County.

You can find Faraji on Instagram at @aumthegod; you may also reach out to him at truthlife_love@yahoo.com.

Yoga Behind Bars instructor Christine List—an early influence on Faraji's yoga and mindfulness path—gives us this week's Chime In introduction, highlighting Faraji's dedication to yoga, and to himself.

We urge everyone to learn more about Yoga Behind Bars and support their truly transformative work.

This episode was produced by Julia Drachman. This episode was edited and mastered by Josh Berl. Description was written by Laura Cassidy. Transcribed by Erika Hope.

Transcript

Christine List  00:03

So I am a volunteer yoga teacher for Yoga Behind Bars and I started teaching at Monroe about seven years ago. And I met Faraji in a yoga class at WSR probably about four years ago. And he was just real regular in our classes there and really dedicated to his own spiritual practice and his own personal transformation and very obviously so just in the way he modeled behavior for the other students, particularly younger men in the group. I see Faraji as an equity Changemaker because of his ability to kind of reach across divides between people and to connect. He is a very authentic sincere human who has the ability to reach people, including like people in my own family. And he has a sincerity and connection with other humans that is needed in the world and he will put to good use.

TraeAnna Holiday  01:16

Well, I have Faraji Blakeney with me today for our episode of Equity Rising. Faraji, thank you so much for joining me.

Faraji Blakeney  01:25

Thank you for inviting me.

TraeAnna Holiday  01:27

Absolutely. Well, you're doing a lot of great things and I'm excited to get right into it. But for us here at the Equity Rising team, we love to start out with what we call our "First Things First:" how are you taking care of yourself?

Faraji Blakeney  01:41

It's been challenging today was school starting today and lot of stuff not being filled out by the other half of school. And so I just got up from a nap. I was really feeling burned out. Spending time with my grandbaby always recenters me also. But it is difficult just transitioning from a state of incarceration to freedom. And trying to navigate this computer online education system is it's really impersonal but I'm working through it. I'm definitely overloaded, overwhelmed today with the multitude of things that have gone on to be able to bring equity to my community, which is certifications and college degree. But I'm pushing through it. I'm tired but I'm inspired.

TraeAnna Holiday  02:36

Wow, I so appreciate your transparency. Thank you so much for sharing that. And that really gets me into your story, your backstory. Because as you were sharing with me, you really have so much knowledge and wealth of lived experience that ties into your equity work. And so before we dive into you as an equity change maker and all the great things you're doing, let's talk a bit about that backstory tell us who Farage he is

Faraji Blakeney  03:09

Faraji doesn't necessarily fit into any one lane or category. I believe labels box us in from being able to express as our full selves. But a little background: I'm from Tacoma, Washington; I was born in Tacoma. My parents fell victim to the drug pandemic, epidemic - whatever we want to call it. Crack cocaine decimated my community, my upbringing, my parental guidance, and I entered into the foster care system very young, me and my little brother, which was another system of oppression, and we didn't flourish in it. The school systems and the people that took us in weren't aware of our adverse childhood experiences, and different traumas that we experienced and we're projecting from. As that evolved, I went with some family for a little bit. I don't think they understood, nor did I know how to articulate what I've been through as a kid with drug addicted parents and abuses that I suffered through the foster care system. And I ended up aging out of the foster care system and without any after support and care. It was really hard for me at 18 having credit that was shot, through my parents being addicted and using my name and my social security number for bills. So homelessness was the next step. And that came and I was having children. And so the drug world called me in to be the breadwinner for my family. I didn't know anything else. School didn't teach me anything else about surviving in the real world and the foster care system didn't either. They went from being my guardians to being my prosecutors. And you know what comes into drug life is death or prison. Not too many people retire. I went back to prison three times, because the same system that funneled me into the pipeline kept shackles on me upon my release and not support, not community based support - transformative support. I was homeless again with three children - two, one, and a few months old. And it just - survival by any means. So my last sentence, they sentenced me to 20 years for a non-violent drug offense. Thanks to "State vs. Blake" I found my freedom out of there after 14 years of incarceration. And during that time, I found some practices through yoga and mindfulness that allowed me to become a better person. You know, that's the quick, quick story. I do represent BPC: Black Prisoners Caucus. I'm also representing my organization that I'm creating called Yoga is for Everybody. Just got into a program - mentorship program - out in Pierce County, for elementary school kids to bring some mindfulness and awareness to their daily lives. Because I know it's a challenge as a child - maybe not having two parents at home, maybe not having food, and how do you come to school and learn when you're humanly stuff isn't addressed. So I love to be that light so no child that is in my circumference has to deal with the trials that I went through.

TraeAnna Holiday  06:56

Wow. I mean, thank you so much for sharing all that. Because really just listening to your story, it's evident that when we think about what it means to be a productive member of society, it takes on all formats. And when you can embed your own lived experience as a part of creating a bridge for now young people to see themselves as great and brilliant. And identifying where the gaps were in your childhood, that now you're like, "Nah, I'm going to make sure that these kids don't have those gaps." What are some of the things that you think are some of the biggest drivers for you, besides just what you experienced as a young person now? Because, you know, when you talk about being, you know, in that system of the prison system for 14 years, and kind of being in and out of it before that. You know, you get out after 14 years, and the world is a little bit different. Things have shifted a bit. And so as you find your footing, there may be some things that you realized right away that we're needing your voice. And through your experiences, what are some of those things that said, "Nah, I got to make sure that I am now bringing my work to use?"

Faraji Blakeney  08:14

The youth in my community. What's fueling me really is that nothing's got better. And I don't see - I don't see live experts showing up at these tables or being invited to these tables that create policies and affect change. It does not, it's not there, I had the privy to talk to some senators - the Secretary of Division of Family and Youth Services, Ross Hunter. And when I spoke to them candidly and showed strength through my vulnerability of what I've been through through these systems, it was eye opening to them. But it was more eye opening to me that once again, we have people in place that do not know what it looks like, feels like, to be oppressed and to be dehumanized. And they're creating policies and holding in place policies that are inauspicious to our flourishment. Like Ross Hunter said he would create a policy that every child that enters into foster care will have a credit freeze. And that's not been done. And why? Because my voice isn't there? Because - and then my story. When I speak to the foster care children - we call ourselves state raised - everybody has the same story. Like yeah, I couldn't get no apartment when I aged out and they just say "Go." Like, so how could you be my guardian deeming that my parents weren't fit, and then turn around and be my prosecutor when I only going after my survival needs: food, shelter, and clothing. Crimes of needs, not crimes of addiction or anything... all those other words. So you asked what fuels me: my granddaughter, my children. I suffered many sleepless nights inside of that system, worried that my children would enter into the foster care system, which funneled me into the prison system, which would funnel them in there. There was many nights that I could not sleep... synonym: worry. And now instead of being a worrior, I chose to be a warrior and fight the systems and speak up and make the connections and put myself out there and put all the intricate parts of my vulnerability - all that out there on the table and say, "What's your - what is your response to this?"

TraeAnna Holiday  10:49

I totally got that from the first interactions we were having at the training and I said, "Oh my gosh, this guy's story is so phenomenal." And the ways that you funneled it through, not only your lived experience and now your work, but also your creativity, I see as a part of that. But when you talk about, you know, 14 years, you know, were there some integral people or books you read or things that you were doing that really had you say that you were going to utilize that time to better yourself so that when you were able to rejoin your family and rejoin your community that you would be bringing something so much greater than maybe you had before you went inside? Was there some intricate moments there during that time that really cemented, you know, your outlook now and your approach as you did rejoin your community?

Faraji Blakeney  11:47

So the first book that comes to mind is "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsch. That was a life changer for me. Eckhart Tolle's "A New Earth" is another one. I've read a couple books by Dr. Ashby on Afrocentricity and trying to decolonize my Eurocentric mind and detoxify my masculinity. HEAL Program, out of Seattle, came in there and put on a couple of events. Like I said, I'm a BPC member, Family & Children committee, so that organization helped me get my ideals out. There's quite a few more books that come to mind, but not their titles. But more so my path of spirituality with Siddha Yoga. Which when I say yoga, for the untrained: it's not just stretches, it's more about meditation, mindfulness, connected in mind, body, and heart. Thinking of other people that showed up, there's a lot of sponsors that showed up that aren't tied into DOC that allowed me to be a human and treated me and respected me as a human, that let me feel that I have some value. In this 14 years, it wasn't like the whole 14 years I was evolving. For the first seven I was being the same person. I was having the same thoughts, same ways of making money, same ways of dealing with life situations. It came at a time when, halfway through - who would know it was halfway of my sentence when I had 20 year sentence? But my children were suffering some pretty harsh living situations and personal situations. And in that pain and hurt, for feeling helpless and hopeless, and I'd be unable to be a father... I journeyed deep inside of myself and discovered a lot of pain and brokenness that was there from my childhood, from my young adulthood. And it was immobilizing. I literally slept for days and like cried for days, and entered out and surrendered and told myself there's something higher and greater than what I've been told. And I'm not finding the answers through what my family have been told is the way to God or spirituality. So I just surrendered and said, "Please take over and empty me out." And that was the catalyst for my change... That was the catalyst and it all didn't happen at once. I was still using the "N" Word and I was still addressing women as what they're not. And that stuff started falling off the more I got fully involved in yoga, and knowing myself and being mindful and learning what breathwork looks like in high violence situations. And learning with detachment looks like in dehumanizing situations, because that's what you will experience in prison - is violence and dehumanization. And it comes from both sides -the staff and the inmates. So I don't know if I answered your question, Trae, but I tried to.

TraeAnna Holiday  13:18

No, I mean, you definitely did. Because I think that, you know, you're talking about certain books that you read, and just pivotal moments for you inside. It's very interesting to hear you talk about how, you know, for the first seven years, you were still the same person. And then you got to that space of being like, "This just can't be all that life is." And there's those moments for all of us where, you know, no matter what our circumstances are, we get to a place where we recognize and identify that, for us, we have to reach higher heights, right? Like there's this inner drive and it's really embed in all of us to say, "You know what? Like, this isn't enough. This life that I've been living is not going to be enough. I can't continue on in that way." And so you definitely answered the question, because when I think about those pivotal moments for me, I always go to the times where I felt like I was beating my head against the wall, right? I think about so much of my history in terms of being in corporate America, and wanting, you know, white men who were the main leaders in these spaces, to recognize my greatness and my brilliance, right? And I was be like, "Hey, I know that I can be a producer, you know, just let me be a producer. Like I got all these creative ideas, I got this creative energy." And maybe it was because there was not certain things on my resume or because my work experience didn't always reflect where my mind was at, that they couldn't see it, right. And so those moments where I just was like, "Oh, man, this is so challenging," because I'm literally beating my head against some glass ceiling, something I cannot see or identify. But I knew that it had something to do with how people were receiving me and perceiving me. So I really appreciate you sharing that because I think that moment, obviously, was so pivotal. Now what was it about yoga that really made you say, "Oh, this is the thing?" Walk us through what that introduction was like for you when when yoga really came into your life.

Faraji Blakeney  17:17

Well, when it came into my life, it came in the form of, what we call in the lineage, Yana yoga, which is knowledge - a yoga of your mind. I was really intellectual then, and really like, well read, I would say and so that drew me in. Some books came my way through fellowship, and other people on their path. And as I started reading these books from eastern India or western India, it was filling in both words - FEEL and FILL - it was filling me up and there was a feeling that was coming over me that was really nurturing, and understandable to my mind, my colonized mind. And at that point, I didn't even have the phrase of colonization of my mind - that I was a slave mentally through the school systems and how this world perceives and receives us. And so as I started learning more of the history of yoga and what it entails, the tree of life started blossoming. And there was these limbs to yoga that said, "Hey, use discrimination in your actions, and then your thoughts and then your speech. Hey use breathwork to center in." And yoga means union or yoke - to come back to your center. Often there's things that unbalances us. And it was really giving me self introspection, like, "Look what's going on inside of you." So much we project outside so many egos. And "you have to be this" and "you have to be that" and "you come from this neighborhood", and "you come from this background." So you have to speak this way. Like the mind is literally telling us how to diminish our light. And we don't even recognize it. It also became really apparent that I was having thoughts in my head that weren't mine when I was weightlifting and I was trying to reach a goal. And then I went lower with a different type of weight, which we call dumbbells, and I went 25 pounds lower and couldn't even lift at once. And I was like, "Man, I'm doing this? Who told me to work out this way?" And I realized that I didn't have my own thoughts. That was a really big pivotal moment in my transition, taking ownership of my divinity... of my own divinity. That's the disconnect. You said, these bridges that we need to create in these pockets of disconnection, and that was a big disconnect there. It's like, "Do you realize that you're a programed robot?" And being really honest with myself, an organization called Yoga Behind Bars came in right around the same time and they were doing Hatha Yoga, which is the stretches. And I was drawn into that program. And there, I was nurtured by the teachers and by the mat and by the experience and expression, in fellowship and community. We have to break these systems of institution. And us guys and women coming out of prison need community support. They don't need DOC and probation this and do that. And so the yoga started unfolding with mind and then I was going to the body. And then I was blessed by Siddah yoga... Ashram, they started sending me in lessons. And the lessons were just like, "Go look in the mirror, go look inside, go. Don't turn away from that fear and those scary things. Go look at it. Don't turn away from that pain." And the closer I got to it, the more it became illusionary it was just like, "Man, this stuff isn't even real. I'm not even living in a real world. Because my mind is going to project my past experiences on the present moment and then that's always going to alter what I can get out of the present moment." And this is what I was learning through yoga, and it was really just like, it's almost indescribable in terms of words. It just was really a heightened sense of self awareness that allowed me to tune into everything that was alive. I give thanks to Siddha Yoga, Yoga Behind Bars, Swami Vivekananda, that brought the first books into my life. But as my flower evolved, I stopped being so heady because I realized I hadn't got control over this colonization. And then I became more of Raja Yoga - Raji yogi -which is breathwork, learning how to master my breath. And once that happened and I started doing some fasts from speaking for multiple days, I fell in love with yoga. It unlocks something in my heart. There was something metaphysical, but it felt physical. I felt a release a lightening of my heart. And now me and my children, and the people that I'm connected to now, we're Bhakti tribe. That's B-H-A-K-T-I. And that means devotional love for God. And we just go around loving. And I see God in you, Trae. I see God in your son, my son, the plants that are nurturing my yard, the trees that provide the shade... when I could tune into God and everything, it allows me to live in a divine moment. When I get back into my colonized mind and these oppressive systems and these policies that dehumanize, I get back to the Faraji, he had, "Oh, I gotta figure this out." So it's a tough balance. I'm definitely struggling right now with seeing God in everything just because of my reintegration into the world and trying to figure out this computer and go to school, and then go through treatment. I wish I could share the language that they're using in this treatment that... I don't get high but I'm still forced to do this for DOC. And every paragraph is talking about "I want to commit suicide or relapse" and "this is how I feel." And it's like I told my counselor, "This was written in 1995. This doesn't address my unique individuality. And you're making me read this stuff. And every time I'm reading it, I just all my energy goes. All my inspiration and empowerment goes and then I'm forced to answer in line with what's being said, and that's not me." So I'm having a tough time right now. But it's purposeful so we don't get stronger by having it all easy.

TraeAnna Holiday  24:02

Yeah, I mean, you are just speaking my language here when you talk about seeing the divine in everything. And for me, I've been able to really hone in on some African spiritual practices that are, you know, really were grounded in ancient Egypt and Kemet. And looking at spirituality as a spiritual science and identifying that every challenge is really an opportunity for us to realize our divinity even more. Because the more - like if you think about any crossroads, right, at every situation, every challenge, whatever you want to call it, every time you're faced with something: it's like a crossroads. And you got the opportunity to respond in something that's going to be more emotional, more of  your human side, or you got the opportunity to respond in something that is more divine, right. And so I love hearing you talk about seeing the divine in everything, because I think that's really the awakening that so many of us need right now in today's world, particularly with regard to the circumstances we find ourselves in right now. We talk about COVID as a pandemic around health issues, but we understand that it's rippling effects really are hitting so many different areas of our lives. And, you know, you being able to see this work you have to do for DOC, it's a part of an antiquated system. So this is exactly why for for us here on the podcast, equity is the foundation of what we're talking about because - I say it almost every episode - it was intentionally not built into anything. So now, you know, there's work of folks like yourself out here, that are taking it upon themselves, to now build it into things and to establish what that means and to bring holistic practices to our communities and to bring a breakthrough of thought. The monotony of thought sometimes is the barrier. It is the weight, right, that kind of holds us to the conditionings that we've had, and that we've cultivated throughout our lives or our human existence. But I love what you're saying here about, you know, being able to speak out to that trainer, even to say, "Look, this was written in 1995, it doesn't apply to who I am today. And you have to understand you're taking me into these other spaces, because of the language inherently." There needs to be so many more people being able to say that, because really, that is so powerful. Honestly, it's so powerful to hear you say it. And I love being able to hear from our guests on this podcast, how they're taking equity into their world. And that is one of those examples, right there, Faraji, like, whether you even see it as that or not. You know, sometimes people will go "Well, I didn't realize that was equity." It's almost like all of this work, that's revolutionary, that is thought provoking, that is life changing, that is, you know, going to be impactful for generations to come, it really has a foundation of equity. And, you know, when I think about health and wellness, you know, I understand practices. I mean, so much of what you were talking about: breathing correctly is so key, because that really centers us. You know, when we think about, you know, we're in these vessels right. We're in these human vessels, but who we really are is like these spiritual beings. And, you know, I understand that, that so many more people need to hear that and see it and really be around it in a multitude of ways. And so a lot of your work is now being able to be a vehicle for that, a vessel for that, as you take yoga into the community, and you take the benefits of yoga, because, you know, we have yoga studios all over the place. But do people really identify what the origin of yoga really was? And you're speaking to that when you're talking about yogic practices of the mind: stretching the mind to understand certain things and going beyond what you've always known. That is the beauty of it all. I want to get into this because, I mean, everything you are talking about is really laying a foundation for why you saw the need to bring yoga out to the community, and to be able to start training people and, you know, really bringing them into something that was so beneficial to your life. What are some of the steps you've been able to take thus far? Since now, you know, being back in the community to say, "This is the pathway I'm going to do and this is how I'm going to do it."

Faraji Blakeney  28:46

So I may have took too many steps. Just being really eager to provide that that holistic approach to my community, my family, my children, my outreach community, Seattle area, Olympia area... So the first step was just getting out and breathing. And just like saying, "Here's this new world!" For anyone that has not done a substantial amount of their time incarcerated, you become desensitized to what this world and being in human interaction and really family feels like. And for my first 10 days out, I didn't sleep, but for a total of 24 hours, because I was over stimulated to the maximum. But I was still finding fruit from my practice behind the walls and able to say, "Hey, man, it's going down. Get centered. Breathe and just watch it and see what's happening." And so that was the first step is trying to find my grounding practices in an uncontrolled environment with all the uncertainties and stuff. And then my next step was to reach out... to reach - not that DOC or systems: they weren't doing anything. "Make sure you're at this address, make sure you come reach out to the community and sponsors." And I didn't know where to go for that. So I went to sponsors that see me, in my better light inside of prison. And they connected me with folks. And it started with getting reregistered for college to finish my business degree. And right at the same time, Yoga Behind Bars said, "Hey, we can get you a scholarship - full scholarship - to be trauma informed care certified. And here it is, it's yours." And didn't have to jump too many hurdles besides learning how to navigate the computers and passwords and DocuSigns and W-9 forms that you have to sign to get paid for speaking at an event. Like, a lot of it's inferred that we already know this. And we don't. And it was very challenging for me. But I asked for help. What does it look like? I asked for help in front of my children, because being their father, 14 years ago, I never asked for help in front of them. I never said "Hey, I don't know how to do this. And we're gonna figure it out collectively." I'm really big on collective. That's what I need right now in this moment, like a support system around school, and navigating Canvas and all these things that they got me doing, like, let me be in that environment. And when you start feeling alone and siloed, that's when that colonized mind and those old habitual thoughts come. So I put my vulnerable self out there. And that outcry from these people that I shared my story with, connected me to the Undoing Racism Training. And then I was there and being able to speak my story and say, "Hey, I got potential, but I need help. I need support. I don't know where this potential needs to be exercised that. But there's a lot of things I don't know how to do. There's a lot of things that has been taken away from me." And so that was the second part of finishing the URI training. Then I was trying to get my 200 hours of yoga certification. I didn't qualify for the full scholarship just because it was taken. And I found gratitude, I say, "You know what? University got this. I'm gonna just keep doing what I'm doing." But in reflection, as I'm speaking with you now, Trae, I've definitely took on too much. And like right now, I'm not going to be able to come to a lot of community events. I'm not going to be able to be with my children like I want to. Because now in my present moment, what I'm doing in the first six months of being out and completing in the first six months of being out is: I'm finishing my college degree. That's two courses I have to do all online. I'm doing a 200 hour yoga certification class. It's all online, it's all happening at the same time. In the middle of that I'm doing this oppressive treatment for 12 weeks. I'm at my ninth - or my third week now. And then on this Saturday starts my Trauma-informed Certification. And if I could go in person and be there, that's where my light shines the best. I'm a spoken word artist. I get empowered by being around people. But being all by myself on this computer, hunched over, not being able to sit up, and let my breath be full... It's a challenge. But I'm doing those four things. And it feels like I'm doing it by myself. I have my sister and my nephew that I live with. They're very supportive and just like, "Hey, we're here." I need community, I need a center. And that's what I'm going... that's where I'm bringing in equity - I know we'll go into that - is when I get... and it's harm there too! Like why do I have to be certified and get these papers, these documents with my name on it that says I went... when I've been living this! I got more than 200 hours of yoga. And so this is to legitimize me? In who's legit world by whose standards? You know, just being really honest and always vulnderable standing on my principles of truth, life, and love. It gets daunting at times, Trae. I look at it all as one whole picture and I get tired. And I just be like, "Let me go to sleep." But I ain't gonna - I'm not gonna just go into some rinky dink job. That doesn't break my family out of financial independence, like financial literacy. No, that's - that's not working. And even as I get emotional in this moment, it's like, we have to come together as a community. We have - the power is in the people, it's not in the system.

TraeAnna Holiday  35:02

You know what? Yeah, you're 100% - 1,000% Correct. When you talk about powers in the people, I mean, this is exactly why, for me, I said, - I look at it, and I go, "Well, what can I do?" Because you're right. You know, I've been really basing a lot of my work over the last few years on four pillars. And those are, you know, working within this system while tearing down the system, while building a new system without becoming a part of the system. It's like these four things you have to do, because you're so right, that we're in such a transformative time right now. Some people say, "Oh, well, in the wake of George Floyd's murder..." you know, and they use that as a pivotal moment, I see why. Because the world spun on its head. The world woke up. A lot of people globally came out their houses to say "Enough is enough, we can no longer have this." But for those of us who've been really identifying key metrics around what equity looks like, because it's going to be something that's a part of our lived experience, and because we've been in systems of oppression this entire time. When we talk about some of the, you know, frameworks that we were building in the Undoing Institutionalized Racism Training by the People's Institute, it was so eye opening for us to be really identifying what racism is - what race it is, in and of itself. When we talk about prejudice, when we talk about some of the fundamental roadblocks that really oppression is built on, you know, you're you're just right. You're right on point because it takes so much for people to say, "I'm going to go against what all this other stuff is. They've been telling me that this is the way to wealth... this is the way for me to do well for my family... this is the way for me to identify all of the things that are going to make me successful in this world, right? This is what success looks like." So much of what we have to do as - and I say equity changemakers, because it just means we're thinking differently about it, right? We're not allowing those same oppressive, foundational terms and practices to define us. Because we are doing something that is outside of those parameters. So that's how I see it. And I just appreciate your vulnerability, Faraji. Honestly because you could come on here and act like "Oh, it's all good. You know, this is what I'm doing. And you know, let me come with this poised persona." But you being real and open and transparent and honest is so amazing to me right now. Because I am totally appreciative of, you know, your approach to this discussion that we're having. But I also think, when I think about the end result of this, how many people are going to hear you and are going to be like, "Man, I need to wake up from this. I've been allowing those oppressive parameters to guide me and to guide my thoughts and ideals of what success is for myself. Of what my family needs, right? When really what my family needs, my family needs me there more than they need the money there. Okay? They need me to be more present, they need me to be able to be an example. They need me to show them and guide them into something that's going to be transformational for them." All of those things are so key to this. And I think a lot of us, you know - you are not alone when you talk about taking on a lot. Cuz trust me, my friend, that is probably a part of my moniker all the time. You know, when you become a solid rock and a foundation for so many people, you become a lot of things for a lot of people. And I found myself in that same dynamic where I'm like, "I'm here for community. I'm here for my family. I got my kids. I got, you know, my spiritual family. I want to make sure everybody is good." And I gotta look up, and I go, "But what about me?" That's actually why we start this interview with "how are you taking care of yourself?" And I just appreciated your vulnerability in that answer. So as you deal with all of this and understand the parameters that we are in, right - when we talk about working within this system, while tearing it down, or while building new systems, all of those things. You know, what's important for you for the audience to really understand in terms of not just the practices of yoga and how transformational it is, but why we need programs like the ones that you're working to create? And why we need it to permeate our communities in the ways that you originally envisioned?

Faraji Blakeney  40:07

It's quite important. I mean, as you were talking, I reached for my phone because my youngest son, he's really present in my life. He sees the light. He sees something in me that maybe at times I struggle to see in myself. And we had a studio session today and some other things. And last night when I was unpacking, and realized that that the college didn't do everything they were supposed to do, I realized that I don't have no time for a studio right now. And I don't have time to like, be with my family, which I had so much time away from them that it's almost like a cognitive dissonance there. Like, he wrote me because I told him, "I can't. I'll don't have no wiggle room. I got to stay with this schoolwork." And he said, "I love you. Don't forget, I'm watching everything you do. The potential of choosing to seek the light will gradually bring it to them. So keep being the light." And this is my young 21 year old son. And I needed to hear that at that moment, to let somebody know that they understood that I'm making a sacrifice, and that my heart by just even recently speaking to one of my sponsors, saying, "Man, I feel like I care too much sometimes amongst all this pain, and I get pulled in, I'll get here and there." So going back to why is it important - and not just the yoga side, which even yoga is like, my center, my nucleolus - is to allow people to become self aware and empowered through their voice to speak about their uniqueness in order to get the resources, the help, the guidance they need... we're not all the same. But we can go inside and find our own unique value instead of being carbon copies or imitators. You know, and we can be our unique oneness and say, "Hey, this is me. Hey, I don't learn that way, teacher. That's for these kids. I don't learn that way. Do you know this system is cookie cutter and designed for white men? And it's still got traces of that right now?" Dude, like to speak that and be challenged. And I'll be there in those schools as a mentor so when that teacher maybe get triggered by her own racist, colonized mind that she hasn't unpacked, or he hasn't unpacked, that I'll be there to speak up with that child. And it starts with being present and being mindful and being self aware saying, "Yeah, I got some going on. I am feeling a little anxious right now" not "Oh, I have anxiety." Like stop claiming these things that aren't divine matrix. It's okay to get a little anxious, get a little nervous. This is your body's response. And how do we get the space in our mind to consciously comprehend what we are being oppressed with or triggered by getting centered, getting one. I have some I have a laid out way of doing this for the children. And that's how we create equity changemakers. It's because they'll be able to speak to there's power in strength through knowledge of self. And it's important. It's important to empower that voice. My voice was diminished in school every time, every time. And if we look at it, with these communities that are disenfranchised, it's usually single parent homes. And the children become occupationally orphaned. The parent has to work and you're not even working to any great amount of freedom. We can't afford to get sick. That stuff hurts me. That... it hurts me. Because I look at my people. I look at my family members, and I see it. And they don't even realize they're on the hamster wheel. You're not even going nowhere... Not going nowhere. Like, come on, Trae. If I don't have a voice, if I don't have somebody helping me decolonize my mind as a young child, I'm going to fall into the same system.

TraeAnna Holiday  44:28

No, you're absolutely right. This is this is just powerful. This is just powerful. Because one of the things I really love about media, in general, is in 50 years, somebody could come back and hear this, right? It's cemented in time. That's the beauty of it for me is that many generations will be able to take this message on and understand the importance of it in that moment. And I think that's so key, so much of what you're talking about. Lay it out for us. I mean, you have this idea and this vision, you know, yoga is life as like your organization. What do you see it doing? One day, like - a day in the life of Faraji as, you know, the founder of this organization? What is Yoga is Life and how will it transform community?

Faraji Blakeney  45:30

The fruits, you know... there's a saying that "they buried us and didn't know we were seeds and we end up sprouting out." And giving somebody a chance to take three minutes with their breath is a scary thing at first for someone that has never done it. The thoughts come. You start feeling your heart beating. It's uncomfortable. Because we've been comfortable in our trauma and our dysfunction. This is all we know. We don't we don't even know there's something better, Trae. We don't know. It's just heart in so many communities and it's bigger than me. And so I don't even know if I got it all right. But I know I care. And I know I got a grandbaby and I don't know whose fruit she's gonna eat. I don't know whose shade tree she's gonna get shade from. I don't know who's going to empower her brilliance, her uniqueness. And what YIFE is going to do is let living your fullest expression - YIFE LYF. Yoga Is For Everybody, Living Your Fullest. It's not my fullest expression. It's not what I see... it's yours. And how do we get somebody to step in courage and strength in a place where nobody's seeing them and nobody's honoring their fullest expression in this by celebrating unique individuality. And when we all find that we breathe in the same powerful air. And that air goes inside of us. And it comes out. And it provides this, whatever the trees need. And they start seeing that, "Yes, I'm unique. And I'm an individual, but I'm connected to the whole." That way they're able to project from a higher ideal of their environment, their situation, their school system. They're able to speak authoritatively about them. You don't know me. You don't you don't know what I'm going through. And if you don't address me and say "Hey, what's your story?" So that I can receive you to you, then there's a disconnect in these children. That me and my children are being in front of showing boys that men do cry, and that you don't have to be "big boys don't, cry man up." And showing young ladies that you can be intelligent and you don't have to be ashamed of being smarter than the man. I mean, it's so many things. But let me answer your question. Showing the children that they are valued for their curiosity and their unique individuality by tuning into their breath, by doing these stretches, by doing these meditations, by seeing their interconnectivity. That's the foundation

TraeAnna Holiday  49:04

My goodness... Faraji, I'm so impressed. I'm just immensely impressed by your dedication and your love for this is shining through so clearly right now and in this conversation with me. I'm beyond measure when I say that you have 100% stark supporter over here. And I'm sure the audience as well when we are able to release this will really feel your passion through their headphones, their radio, however they're listening to this podcast because you've just touched me in a way that is very unique. And there's not a lot of people in this world that understand the depth from which you come from and what you're speaking about. And I'm just grateful that you took on this interview and this time with me to share your truth with us. I mean, as you develop everything, you got to make sure we know how we can get people engaged. So the next steps for you, obviously, you have this certification, because that's what you got to get the paper, I guess, right? We talked about that. And then really, your goal is what? Is it connecting with schools? Is it being in community centers? What are some of the things that you think would be the final outcome of all this work?

Faraji Blakeney  50:56

That's too big, Trae, for me to - I don't... let's think about the gang culture for a second. And when our young brothers were like, "Hey, man, we're being abused by cops, blah, blah, blah, whatever." They were young. We know their minds are colonized - also 15 year olds. And then 30 years goes by, and I'm seeing this - some of these survivors of this -and I, "Whoa, man, like... Man, my own homeboy killed my son" or whatever these - they're so like... an then to put it into this term, like, "even as you set the groundwork... what is it going to be like?" I can't go in there with a preconceived notion of what it's going to be like. I have to go in there present on what it is, and not what my mind thinks is going to be like or I'll cause the same disservice and the same "not acknowledging somebody for their uniqueness" as I've been through. So just come in present and aware. That's why scheduling and oh conceptualizing when events can be like - my spirit, which I learned on this path, is spontaneous. If I can be spontaneous, I'm able to be present in the present moment. And so what is this growing into? The world loving each other. The world saying, "Hey, I'm connected. I'm using the same water that you're using." What does it look like? Like, consciously, I can't understand that. I don't know whose life I'm gonna change. I don't know who's listening to this. Who's empowered by this? I don't know, Trae. All I know is I got my three principles of coming with truth... I'm coming with life... And I'm coming with love. And who's vibrating at that frequency, and wants to come get healing through my healing, and then be able to turn around and heal their community? And then now... I don't know, I don't know who planted these trees in front of my sister's house right now. But I'm able to enjoy the shade of them. So do they know that? When they planted that tree?

TraeAnna Holiday  53:10

Very smart and very real. This has just been phenomenal for us. Is there anything I didn't touch on that you want to make sure our audience hears today?

Faraji Blakeney  53:21

I love you guys. Even if I don't know you. Like I said, I'm struggling today. I got a lot of stuff in my mind with the school and just trying to be productive and proactive. So like, real heady questions are unpacking and reflecting on what we didn't. We gave and what what was needed. I saw from my heart. I'm ingratiated, again, to just even be able to be here. And be authentic. And I've never - this is all new for me. I had to be a tough guy before. I had to be all these things that were diminished. You all see the light. You feel this podcast, whatever I'm doing, I don't even know what I'm doing. I'm with my sister, Trae, and let's do the work. I need help.

TraeAnna Holiday  54:15

Wow. Let's do the work. Let's do the work indeed. And, Faraji, I am eternally grateful to you. You know, however, I can be supportive of everything you have going on... I don't care what it is, you got my number. We'll stay connected in life. Period. No matter what. Because what you're talking about and what you are doing and how you're showing up so authentically you is exactly what the world needs right now is more and more of that. So I just appreciate you again, for giving us your time, your energy, your grace, your space, your love, and your light. Thank you so much...so so much for being on Equity Rising. Namaste.  Yes, namaste. You guys heard it here from Faraji himself. I mean, when we talk about people that are - how equity is infused in so many things - people are being authentically them and that is exactly what we need in the world. We need more people to be honest and to be open about where they're coming from. I really - I'm so inspired right now. I'm just - I'm hoping all of you out there listening have been as inspired as I am today, that you were moved to do something different... to see yourself as a part of amazing solutions, as Faraji is doing... for you to get involved and get engaged in making our world a better place. Because when we all do that, we actually will see amazing outcomes. And if we don't, we actually are perpetuating these systems of oppression and anti-Blackness even, of discrimination, of hate that is permeating our societies all over the world. I encourage you guys to please reach out to Faraji if you are looking to get connected and learn more. Help out in the effort. Bring yoga to your communities. Bring the breathing techniques he was talking about just so that we can center ourselves on the breath. It is just so important everything that he mentioned today. I am elated. Thank you guys for listening to Equity Rising - this episode. You guys know we'll be bringing more episodes to you with more equity changemakers. I'm eternally grateful for you as our audience for listening. Thank you.