Welcome to The Thick of It this week. Glad to have you. I’m super excited to have Shanèl Dear on the show today. Shanèl is a fellow movement teacher, but also a speaker and activist based in Toronto, but currently in Montreal. She has been practicing and teaching yoga for over 3 years, she teaches from an anti colonial, body liberating lens and hopes to make class accessible to all bodies and abilities. Her work always centres racialized folk and she tries to create a brave space for all participants to show up their most authentic self. Shanèl is passionate about social justice and a huge advocate for liberating folk from current oppressive realities.

I really love the candour in our conversation today. I think Shanèl is a great voice because she shares with so much truth and levity. Shanèl and I have spoken on panels together before, and also Shanèl was one of my guests on the IGTV chat series I hosted last winter.

Our conversation today loops around a few themes including tokenism in the wellness industry, how the pandemic and virtual has effected the business of yoga and fitness spaces and about how folks can really show up during times like Black history month and do better when it comes to anti-racism.

You can find Shanel on Instagram here

If you wanted to check out the Move with Me event, or Shanèl’s class find tickets here.

As always, my inbox is open to any comments, feedback or suggestions, drop me a line [email protected] 

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Jo