BIPOC Yogis of Ottawa Photo Exhibition (2023-2024)

The yoga industry has overwhelmingly adopted whiteness as its default visual marketing language, thereby separating this ancient practice from its Indian roots, traditions and philosophies. Additionally, the lack of representation of the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) community in our yoga studios – as teachers and practitioners – creates a feeling of alienation and otherness for non-white yogis.

The BIPOC Yogis of Ottawa project (bipocyogisottawa.ca) is a not-for-profit community-driven initiative engaged in raising awareness of the stories of yogis who identify as Black, Indigenous or Persons of Colour within the National Capital Region. The project’s main objective is to raise funds for Yoga Teacher Training scholarships to support BIPOC yogis who aspire to become yoga teachers.

This series has been on display at yoga studios in Ottawa and in Arnprior since October 2023.