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THE TREE YOGA COOPERATIVE: “YOGA FOR THE CULTURE”

Nestled in the heart of Inglewood, CA, tucked behind the intersection of Manchester Avenue and Western Boulevard, lies a grassy almost 1,060 square foot area known as Circle Park. Here, you will find couples cuddling under a tree, a girls junior gymnastics team tumbling across the greenery, and - on Saturdays and Sundays -The Tree Yoga Cooperative hosting one its weekly donation based yoga classes. 

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The Tree, as it’s affectionately known, is a Black and Indigenous owned yoga cooperative launched in 2020 by Rita Ortiz, Jonié Cole, Jana Johnson, and Jenni Alvarez. The organization began in 2012 as a nonprofit called The Tree South LA but changed ownership and transitioned into a worker owned cooperative during the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

According to The Tree’s website, their mission is “to be a hub of holistic wellness and community support” and to “increase in representation of People of Color, LGBTQ, and varying body types in this [yoga] global industry.” 

“This is yoga for the culture!” exclaimed Misha The Unicorn (she/they), who teaches a beginners yoga class every Sunday from 11am at Circle Park. Misha’s eccentric style is ever-changing. Previously, she has instructed a class while wearing a unicorn onesie. At the time of this interview she is sporting blue hair and a white gown with an overlay of blue crinoline which compliments the clear blue sky and breezy wind. 

Throughout class Misha, who has been teaching yoga for 4 years, guides participants through a series of poses while a DJ Quik and Suga Free mix plays softly in the background. They even incorporate dance movements such as twerking into the practice.

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The Tree’s in person classes typically range from 5 to 30+ participants. Despite the previous Western and 83rd Street location having shut down there have been discussions to open a new studio in the near future. However, there have been challenges with raising money and securing grants. “I’m always down to figure out another place to do it and expose us to everybody else,” commented Misha on the possibility of expanding The Tree to other outdoor locations in the meantime. The Tree recently began offering classes on Sundays at Angel City Brewery in Downtown LA.  

In recent years, Inglewood has rapidly become a hot spot for gentrification, pushing out many of the native middle to lower class inhabitants who live here. This has partly been in response to recent developments such as the $5 billion So-Fi Stadium, which hosted this year’s Super Bowl, and the city’s rising popularity due to shows like HBO’s Insecure whose show-runner, Issa Rae, was awarded a key to the city. However, The Tree is one of many Black and Indigenous owned businesses still thriving and serving its community. 

More information on The Tree Yoga Cooperative, such as its private classes and pop up events, is found at https://thetreeyogacoop.org/. 

*Editor’s Note: As a South Central native, Circle Park was an integral part of my childhood. My childhood best friends and middle school principal lived in the surrounding neighborhood and my family dentist, whom I still visit, is located down the street. Fast forwarding to the 2020’s, I decided to heal my body and mind after discovering The Tree Yoga Cooperative during the midsts of the pandemic and reverse the negative effects of lockdown, such as depression and feeling out of shape. With Spring having just begun, I thought what better local Black owned business to profile for GBLA’s inaugural blog post than The Tree because of their service to their community through transformative and liberating yoga practices.*