Queer Youth Yoga Project: Program Spotlight June 2023
by Thea Hollman & Sheila Sullivan
We are so excited to share news about the very successful launch of the Queer Youth Yoga Project (QYYP)! The QYYP aims to offer valuable resources for queer youth to safely connect with their bodies, develop practical skills they can use to self-regulate, and learn more about how to support their general wellness.
The magic of the QYYP was born out of the passion and creativity of the six queer yoga teachers who brought the program to life– Thea Hollman, Monica Bouyea, JJ (Jennie) Ferrare, Hale Linnet, Steph McIsaac & Kaylin Kerina– who represent a mix of SCY teachers and teachers in the greater-Portland yoga community.
This team of rockstars met over the fall and winter to plan the project, and then delivered thirteen classes to over forty queer students at four high schools and one middle school in Cumberland and York counties. The schools were able to choose either a four-week series or a 90-minute workshop, and students weighed in on the amount of group discussion, gentle movement, breathwork and/or meditation they wanted. Discussions ranged from yoga philosophy, queer joy, dream superpowers, the stressful aspects of being a queer young person today, and so much more. Students embraced the silliness of balancing, and the stillness of savasana. Our teachers were amused to discover that dance parties were a big hit for middle school students!
Teacher JJ Ferrare wrote about a class they taught at Cape Elizabeth High School: “The students shared stories of ‘queer joy’ and acceptance, and some moments of strife. They talked about how lucky they were to be at their school. What incredible teens!”
Many QYYP students expressed gratitude for having the space in the yoga classes to be themselves, and for having so much choice around how they wanted to participate. We are so grateful to the schools for welcoming us into their communities, and to the students for sharing their stories with us. The QYYP team is excited to continue programming during the 2023-24 school year, and we are looking forward to reaching even more queer teens!
Please spread the word to other queer yoga teachers who love working with teens, and let us know if you have contacts at a school that would be interested in hosting this program!
Pictured left to right: Hale Linnet, Thea Hollman, Monica Bouyea, Kaylin Kerina (sitting). Not Pictured: JJ Ferrare, Steph McIsaac.