It all started when…

Raja Michelle decided to bring a Yoga Studio to South Central Los Angeles. Her great friend Jen Deraspe leased a small space on the corner of 83rd and Western Ave. On January 15, 2013, the Green Tree Yoga Meditation Foundation was established. Through a mutual friend of Jen, (Betsy Mellor) Ja Cole was one of yoga instructors to volunteer to teach and, the first African American board member. In 2014 the non-profit was made official.

The small studio space created access for daily classes to be offered. Yet, the studio and community needed more yoga teachers! Raja and Jonié started working together to build a Yoga Teacher Training program and school to certify more community members to become Yoga instructors. Through this training program, Rita Ortiz Contreras, Jenni Alvarez, and Jana Johnson became certified yoga teachers and more involved in the organization. Rita was a volunteer and mentored teachers wanting to teach in Spanish. Jenni taught all over South Central LA and worked as the nonprofit’s Operations Director for a few years. Additionally, Jana taught yoga classes for many community partnerships and outreach events.

During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Tree South LA had the space to get still and reimagine how to honor its 7 years of service in expanding the accessibility of yoga, and wellness practices and certifying over 150+ yoga instructors of color in South Central Los Angeles.

During these times, racial and economic injustice has highlighted what many of us already knew about the racial health disparities among communities of color and marginalized communities. Raja Michelle, founder of The Tree South LA, brought together leaders within the organization to become the new founding members of The Tree Yoga Cooperative.

In 2021, The Tree South LA’s impact in South LA unfolded into a new generation elevating the health and economic equity of Yoga and Wellness Leaders dedicated to expanding on the nonprofit organization’s mission as a worker-owned cooperative business.