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Mission & Vision

“Each human needs about three and a half acres of land to breathe properly…. and you create that needed space by giving back to our communities” –R. Sharath Jois, Director of the Ashtanga Yoga Institute, Mysore India

Mission

We broaden access to yoga, breathing and mindfulness techniques, focusing on communities who have experienced trauma. Our classes and training support individuals and teachers alike in recognizing their power for positive change.

Vision

We believe every yoga teacher needs training in trauma sensitivity and that everyone deserves access to a yoga experience, free of harm, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability or class.

Value Pillars

2023 Impact Report

Our Founder :
Lara Corinne Wittich (she/her)

Lara Wittich is a Level 2 authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher with 2 decades of yoga experience. She has worked all over the world teaching yoga and mindful living and developing programs to heal and empower. In 2008-2009, Lara spent three months in post-genocide Rwanda bringing yoga as healing to survivors and from there went to India where she worked with HIV positive children bringing yoga and meditation to their treatment room. In June 2011, Lara opened Land Yoga, a ground floor Yoga, Arts, & Wellness Center in the heart of Harlem. Through Land, she developed programs such as Harlem Earth Day, SOULFest NYC, and Women Who Wow, landing her recognition in The Wall Street Journal, The Daily News, and on Fox5.

In 2015, she founded a non-profit community organization, Three and a Half Acres Yoga (THAY), to inspire community healing and activism through yoga. Forever in awe of the transformative power of yoga, Lara continues to study and to challenge her limits. She leads retreats worldwide, is a public speaker, spiritual coach, and writer with recent contributions to Health Magazine, Apartment Therapy, and The Huffington Post. Lara is the author of My Bliss Book and The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga and the host of the Beyond Trauma Podcast.

Lara Land by Josu Ozkaritz Photography

Meet the board

Caitlin Condy

Secretary
As a supporter of THAY and a witness to it’s transformative programs for the past number of years, I am beyond excited to join as a board member. I am passionate about the basics in life that are often overlooked as the foundation to ease and healing; i/e a solid community, mindfulness, breadth and movement. I feel very much aligned with THAY for that reason. Those foundations are the elements that they cultivate.

I like to describe myself as the Mr.Rogers of Business (I even snap my fingers after changing from my flats to my heels,) Bringing a kindness forward approach and human centered design to the startups and major corporations I work with. I am excited to bring my start up energy, marketing chops, and love of spreadsheets (whistle while you Excel) to THAY.

Timothy Lewis

Board Member, Community Relations
Timothy Lewis is a native of Flint, Michigan- an educator and researcher with over 15 years of diverse experience across a wide range of disciplines. As a New York City Master Teacher, Timothy has worked with adolescents and young adults from many different backgrounds. Through a research fellowship with Columbia University, Timothy has led teacher trainings in STEM Education across Singapore and Malaysia, and conducted marine biology research at James Cook University in Australia. Today, Timothy gives of himself by allowing his love of learning, science, and health/wellness to expand his ability to influence change in the lives of others. An avid researcher of epigenetics, human psychology, and the new human biology, he allows a love for learning and growth to fuel his zest for life. Timothy is a 200-h RYT with training in the foundations of Yin, trauma-sensitive yoga, and a certified mindfulness coach.

Shawna Emerick

Board Member
Shawna (she/they) has had the honor to be a board member of THAY since summer of 2024. Having been a supporter of the organization since its inception, and journeying in life alongside Lara since 2008 as yoga instructors and mothers, Shawna is excited to bring THAY to Washington Heights, Inwood, the Bronx, and beyond!

For over 20 years Shawna has been teaching yoga, is a trauma informed yoga teacher, and practices Thai massage, life coaching, and mindfulness meditation. She runs classes, workshops, and retreats around the world, and also has her own private practice in Washington Heights. She looks forward to supporting THAY in multiple ways over the coming years, and is grateful for the support from her own partner, two kids, and dog, Astro!

Jamie Surya

Board Member
Jamie Surya (she/her) is a yoga instructor, teacher trainer, and owner of the Jamie Surya Yoga Studio—an inclusive, trauma-sensitive space that focuses on adaptive and gentle yoga. Providing accessible and supportive practices has been a cornerstone of her mission from the start, and led her to expand her offerings to individuals who have experienced traumatic brain injuries, as well as those navigating anxiety, depression, disordered eating, and substance misuse. Jamie strongly believes that all yoga instructors should have trauma and mental health informed training and that yoga needs be more accessible in diverse communities, which is what inspired her to get involved with THAY. Recognized by a New York State Senate Empire Award for her commitment to community service, her work extends to volunteering with organizations that advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, domestic violence awareness, wildlife rehabilitation, and immigrant justice.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

Three and a Half Acres Yoga (THAY) provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Opportunities

Current Job Openings:

Trauma-informed Yoga Teachers: THAY is hiring trauma-informed yoga teachers! Interested candidates are encouraged to share their resume and a brief cover letter, along with appropriate experience to [email protected]. Please address your cover letter to Lara. This is a paid position.

Development Manager: THAY is seeking a Development Manager to support our fundraising, events, and grants management starting in October. This is a paid position.
 

Current Volunteer Openings:

Content Manager: Work with program partners, THAY teachers, and practitioners to create content for THAY’s digital platforms. This is a volunteer position.

Board Openings: This is an exciting opportunity for those who are committed to community wellness and the transformative power of yoga. Board members will play a crucial role in guiding the strategic direction of the organization, ensuring it can expand its reach and impact. This is a volunteer position.

If you are interested in any of our open opportunities, please email us at [email protected] for more information.

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