About us
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The Maine Afro Yoga Project is a community initiative under Wounded Healers International, a nonprofit committed to holistic healing, empowerment, and social justice. The project is a community-centered initiative dedicated to promoting mental health, emotional well-being, and resilience through culturally sensitive, trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness nature programs.
Founded by and for immigrants, we strive to create an inclusive, supportive, and healing environment for individuals, focusing on BIPOC and marginalized communities, with a special focus on immigrant communities in Maine.
Our programs blend mindfulness, movement, and nature-based practices to empower participants, foster connections, and build a sense of belonging. By offering free or donation-based multilingual sessions, both in-studio and at locations convenient to participants, we ensure accessibility and relevance to the diverse communities we serve.
MISSION
To create an inclusive, supportive, and healing environment where individuals, especially immigrants and people of color, can recover from trauma, build resilience, and achieve mental and emotional well-being through mindfulness and nature-based practices.
VISION
- To provide trauma-informed, culturally sensitive yoga and mindfulness programs that empower individuals to heal, grow, and thrive.
- As teachers and students, we seek to develop a more profound representation of Black yogis within the larger yoga community in Maine
How we started
We began in 2021 with a group of immigrant survivors of sexual & domestic violence who came together to support one another. For many of them, the struggles of adapting to a new country were compounded by the weight of their trauma. During one of their support meetings, a participant shared how she was introduced to a local yoga class and felt grounded for the first time in years.
The group explored yoga and mindfulness, trying gentle stretches, breathing exercises, and guided meditations.nd deeper connections.
The healing practices of yoga and mindfulness formed the foundation of MAYP, offering culturally relevant and trauma-informed yoga to immigrants and people of color navigating similar journeys.
About the Founder
Nuna Gleason is a Kenyan storyteller at heart. She believes magic happens when transformation happens inside.
She is dedicated to advocacy and shifting perspectives on how stories are told by providing platforms for the oppressed and sharing narratives of resilience and beauty emerging from seemingly broken situations.
She brings an open heart to this work as she continues her exploration of mindfulness.