Our vision

Our vision is one in which everyone has access to self and community care. In response to the access gap in western wellness spaces — aka the question of who’s not in the room? — we are piloting Charleston’s first donation-based yoga studio in partnership with The Shaw Community Center and Charleston Parks & Recreation.

the mission

The mission is to pilot a pay-what-you-can neighborhood studio with therapeutic, trauma-informed classes for all bodies. This will act as a gateway for many who did not think yoga was for them, and a way-in to the wider world of wellness.

the location

The Shaw Community Center has long been a pillar in the East Side community. We are working under the leadership of Delonza “Flip” Simmons as residents and community members seeking to activate our own neighborhood wellness center. Once successful, we hope to pilot in community centers city-wide.

the timeline

The Shaw Center is undergoing its final renovations thanks to an investment by the City of Charleston. Our goal is to soft launch come October 1st with a schedule of classes for those that the mainstream world of yoga does not reach: trauma-informed care, classes for caregivers and single parents, classes for the elderly and disabled, programs for young adults and teens, and more.

your gift

Your gift supports our ability to provide donation-based classes at the level of professionalism and expertise necessary to meet the needs of people facing higher rates of complex, chronic trauma - which, let’s be real, these days is most of us.

All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you!

What is the Shaw Center and why does it matter?

The Shaw Center is a city-owned community center located at 20 Mary Street downtown Charleston in the historic East Side neighborhood. For years, the Boys & Girls Club operated from the center with programs that nurtured an entire generation. In recent history, it’s been under the leadership of Flip Simmons, a beloved and well respected community leader born and bred in the East Side itself.

Flip’s vision for the Shaw Center is a multi-use rec center with programs for play and purpose. With the mantra “Stronger together,” Flip has a heart for togetherness at a time when Charleston’s East Side is developing and there is a culture clash amongst longtime residents and newcomers.

We believe that YIU is positioned not only to provide trauma-informed, therapeutic care, but also to bring people together across lines of difference and break down the barriers that prevent us from working together.

Ways to Give

  • Support the launch of our donation-based yoga studio at the Shaw Community Center.

  • Support BIPOC and classroom teacher scholarships for our 2026 Yoga Teacher Training, in an effort to remove the financial barrier to entry and diversify our teaching and practice community.

  • Support creative and healing arts programs for youth as part of our after-school give back to the kids at Shaw Community Center and beyond.

  • Help us bring teachers to unconventional, therapeutic environments ranging from after-school programs to detention centers, hospitals, rehab facilities, and public parks. We are currently partnered with Schroder Community Center, Lincoln Community Center, Mary Ford Early Learning Center, and St Julian Devine.