Sinikiwe Dhliwayo founded Naaya to root people of color in their wellness practice.
Here, she shares what she does to make wellness accesible and inclusive.
It was the healthy foods her mother gave her (and her strict avoidance of high-fructose corn syrup).
Renting a physical space in New York City is expensive, for one.
Plus, she had an immense amount of student loan debt.
It was barrier after barrieran experience thats hardly unique.
founder of NAAYA, which roots people of color in their wellness
These devices will help equip students for distance learning and mitigate barriers to access, the Naaya website says.
Like the ideas that Black people dont hike, meditate, orswim(What?
Have you asked us if we have interest [in swimming]?
And not just doinganything, but more specifically, being active and finding joy in being active.
That representation to me is very, very important.
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And that requires brand leaders to sit with, examine, and work to dismantle their internalized racism.
Sinikiwe Dhliwayo
When this work is done on a personal level, it influences the ways businesses operate.
Splashy statements, black squares, that is cute.
founder of NAAYA, which roots people of color in their wellness
Dhliwayorecently detailedone example that shows how this is harmful.
So now Im supposed to drop everything because you feelcalled out?
If I hadnt emailed, that would have been it.
That would have been the end of the conversation.
Not just in your company, but actuallyinternallydoing work to not be racist or anti-Black.
Staying grounded
The past few months have brought a mix of emotions.
In February, Dhliwayo quit her full-time job to focus completely on Naaya.
To stay grounded and energized, Dhliwayo leans on her work with young people.
Young people give me so much hope, she says.
They are ready to unlearn white supremacy and the violent racist tropes that help vilify Black folks.
My greatest gift is being in service to young people and providing them with tools to sustain the work.
The work is tough, but incredibly rewarding.
In August, Naaya celebrated its second birthday, and Dhliwayo is excited about its future.
My biggest hope for Naaya is that BIPOC folks can define what well-being is for themselves.
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