Acknowledgment & Equity Statement
Hello Friend,
Welcome. Thank you for connecting with me.
I am a cisgender person in a female-identified able body. I am a heterosexual middle-ish-class American citizen of Indo-Caribbean descent. English is my first language, I have a master’s degree, and I am neuro-typical of stable mental health (most days). I live on the ancestral lands of the Lenni-Lenape people colonized as Central NJ. I am the daughter of immigrants from Trinidad and Jamaica, a partner, and a parent of two incredibly energetic, curious children. The intersection of all of these identities shape how I experience the world and I recognize that my lived experiences are different from those who hold other identities.
White supremacy and racism have governed the way I experience life and show up day to day. I have benefited from these systems in my identities as a cisgender heterosexual person from the middle-ish class who is educated with two post-secondary degrees. Also, I am closer to the proximity of power based on my medium-brown skin color over those with darker skin tones. On the other hand, I have been marginalized by these systems simply as a woman of color. Those traumas run deep. And I recognize that there are other people whose identities have caused them to be more deeply marginalized and harmed than my own, including folks of the Black, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
Equity in wellness
As a wellness professional who is a part of the yoga community, I often hear the phrase, “we are all one” in an effort to strengthen community ties. The truth is, while we are all humans (and thus “one”), we are not ALL one. This is due to our different lived experiences, traumas (which are stored within us down to a cellular level), and how we’ve been affected by (or benefited from) structural and systemic oppression. I am continuing to learn how I can do better and unlearn biased thoughts and behaviors that uphold injustice.
Disrupting the status quo
My work in guiding people to prioritize their mental, emotional, physical, and energetic health through self-care is aimed at disrupting the status quo of what society has conditioned us to believe self-care is and who gets to feel well. As a result, I am deeply committed to supporting people on their well-being journey in a sustainable way that helps them show up in the world more authentically for themselves and for others. I acknowledge that I am a work in progress and I will make mistakes so I invite you to reach out if you find something I am doing to be harmful. I remain committed to reducing the harm I cause in the world and will continue to grow in my ability to co-create a safer place for friends to be in community as well as to do more to provide support in an equitable manner.
Equity-focused and justice-centered pricing
I offer equity-focused and justice-centered tiered pricing for SG offerings. This process is imperfect and will continue to evolve. I invite you to consider how your identities historically have benefited from or been affected by systems of oppression. If your identities include cisgender, white, or heterosexual, please consider choosing the supporter rate and know that in that action, you are supporting social change while assisting someone who has been marginalized to receive support. If your identities include BIPOC or 2SLGBTQIA+, consider paying the standard or community rate and know this collective is here to support you. I encourage you to make a mindful choice based on your needs and how you can serve or be held by the community. And if you have the financial means to pay at the higher end of the scale, I will be grateful for your blessing of support for those who do not.
Information on tiered pricing and choosing your amount while doing your part to uplift the community or be supported by it:
Take some time to reflect on which of the headings and statements below best reflects your financial reality. I ask that you consider what you are able to contribute and whether you are in a position to pay at the higher end of the scale to support others who are not positioned to pay the standard tier of the scale.
Community Rate: This expense will not threaten my ability to meet my basic needs. Yet, since I have some disposable income that I can choose how to spend, I may have to make sacrifices, including eating out, replacing items, buying new things. etc.
Sustainer (Standard) Rate: I am financially secure to pay this amount. I will still be able to meet my basic needs as well as enjoy new purchases, eating out, going to events, and buying new things. I may have to account for it, but I can afford it.
Supporter Rate: I have financial freedom and can pay this amount or more as I am in a position to be generous with my money. I rarely have to worry about spending because I meet my needs and wants easily and do not typically have to consider a financial sacrifice.
Based on your answers, choose the amount that feels aligned for your situation.
Additional support
You are encouraged to ask about payment plans. Additionally, scholarships and sliding scale pricing are be available for BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. While I am working hard to create a sustainable for-profit business as a woman of color owner, I also recognize that financial insecurity is real and present. I do not want cost to be a barrier for anyone to receive the support they deserve so please contact me if further assistance is needed and we can see if we can find an arrangement that works for both of us.
I look forward to working and growing with you.