Over at The Aerogram, Kavita Das writes about writes about a new initiative called South Asian American Perspectives on Yoga in America (SAAPYA):

SAAPYA was founded by Roopa Singh, Esq., who is both a yoga teacher and part-owner of Third Root, a Brooklyn-based health and wellness center.  Singh founded SAAPYA as a "platform and network for the voices of yoga teachers and students from across the South Asian diaspora."

But for Singh, SAAPYA is also a deeply personal endeavor. She has long viewed herself as a cultural "bridge." But as an advocate, organizer, and yoga teacher, she became concerned by the dual trends of yoga’s growing popularity and the loss of South Asian heritage. Singh says, "while we have more spaces that feel more reflective of who we are as a diasporic presence in this country, we find that we’re being simultaneously segregated out of these much needed, patiently awaited spaces."

You can watch an unedited SAAPYA discussion in its entirety over on YouTube. The group recently brought folks together to talk in New York City. Note: It’s a discusion that lasts over two hours, but it’s certainly interesting.