The Black Male Yoga Initiative

What makes us uniquely human is the choice to experience and express compassion, passion, suffering, victory, apathy and vigor! The Black Male Yoga Initiative equips men who statistically are suffering preventable health and socio-economic diseases at a staggering, alarming rate,  with the tools for self-mastery to achieve their own optimum holistic health.
 
MISSION
The Black Male Yoga Initiative educates, engages & empowers Black Men to become Registered Yoga Teachers, making a measurable impact on the health of their communities.

VISION
To create the largest consortium of Black Men practicing AND teaching yoga to heal themselves and their communities.



In Memorium
What if YOU could undo systematic '-isms' that create the volatile environment that we ALL live in? One of our organizational partners works to transform the lives of juvenile offenders recommended to them from the juvenile justice system. Their program was complete but once the youth left the program they experienced a significant relapse. They called in The Black Male Yoga Initiative to address the emotional dis-ease, the lack of hope, the apathy, the inner suffering strong-hold being experienced by these guys. 
Their negative outlook on life was devastating. They were numb to hope.  We recall one of the guys speaking up in the circle: "Son, you from (Bal-di mor), you already dead Dummy." ( Dummy is an expression the youth use to address one another.)
When we heal we don't heal alone. These young guys, and most assuredly the Black Men in your life who are suffering from health complications or are simply on an intense journey to self-realization, all have the opportunity to come into alignment with their purpose and essence through BMYI. 
Yes, we have horrendous loss of life stories and near death shockers to share; however, today can we appeal to the part of you that is fed up with hearing the suffering and wants to make immediate impact!?! Please help us respectfully honor the very measurable loss of life with a commitment to that which is going to the root cause to heal. WE NEED YOU. Your gift makes this work possible. Your gift encourages. Your gift brings forth positive energy. Your gift uplifts. Your gift is an extension of you.

READY? SET. GO! (How your Seed is Cultivated)

-LifeForce™ Development Curriculum Print & Publishing. We are looking to make an initial run of 1000x copies of our life-altering curriculum. The LifeForce™ Development Curriculum is the ultimate guide for an organization or educational institution looking to implement this transformational holistic program that combines Life Coaching, Mindfulness and Yoga principles to shift the locus of control for individuals from external to internal, thus empowering their mind/body to motivate and achieve goals from within. The curriculum has had proven results for creating increased efficacy and synergy among executive teams both private and governmental as well as grassroots social change organizations.

-LifeForce™ Development Curriculum Giveaway.  After print and press, we want to be able to give away 500x free copies across the nation for programs that may not be able to afford to purchase the curriculum. For example, community centers with an all-volunteer staff, public schools in empowerment zones, etc.

-LifeForce™ Development Curriculum Launch.  We look to launch our curriculum at events in 6 cities: Pittsburg, Miami, Philadelphia, Detroit, Akron and Washington DC. We plan to do so at local Health Fairs and collaborative events with organizations both public and private. We need to have pamphlets, postcards, signage and other marketing materials at these launches in order to make our campaign successful. Funds will be used to purchase these marketing materials.

-T-shirt & Marketing Materials
Alpha Graphics of Baltimore, Maryland has donated a huge bin full of t-shirts ready to adorn our t-shirt design made in-kind by our Administrator who also operates as our in-house graphic designer for all the web design www.bmyi.org and digital ads. Your donations will help us actually get these shirts printed! While she does not charge BMYI at all, we have to cover the vendor costs to make the website live and print marketing materials. 



Fundraising Efforts
We received some excellent fundraising tips that require a bit of upfront investment. For instance this summer we are hosting a silent auction, a midsummer night festival, and a breakfast feast to raise money for BMYI. We are looking to reinvest your dollars into making an even greater impact.

STEP BY STEP WE WILL REACH OUR GOALS
So you may notice that we are asking for $7,000. Help us cover our MOST IMMEDIATE costs to continue this work. We are making a life investment, and we need support.


DONOR GIFTS
**All donors are included in our daily meditation and prayer circles. No gift is too small and infinite gratitude and appreciation are reflected for all. In respect for time/resource management, we have decided on "gifts" of appreciation after the $50 level, but no donation is too small or not valued. Thanks to ALL! Satnam.

Yama Donor: $50 - $74
-Social Media Shout Out!!! on our BMYI FaceBook and Instagram Pages

Niyama Donor: $75-$99
-Personalized Social Media Shout Out Postcard for you or your organization on our BMYI FaceBook and Instagram Pages, (1x) on our weekly Tweets on Twitter

Asana Donor: $100 - $299
-Social Media Shout Out!!! On all Pages
-Name featured in the Thank You section of the LifeForce™ Development Curriculum Book.
-Logo Featured on our Donor Recognition section on the BMYI website.

Pranayama Donor: $300 - $499
-Social Media Shout Out!!!
-Name featured in LifeForce™ Development Curriculum Book.
-Donor recognition on the BMYI website: landing (home) page and donor page
-Logo featured on the back of our BMYI T-Shirts (limit 10x)
-BMYI hand-crafted, mediation eye pillow, made from all organic materials and has a soothing scent to relax and calm the mind. (Essential Lavender or Eucalyptus Oils) Please notify of allergies and oils will not be used.

Pratyahara Donor:  $500 - $999
-Social Media Shout Out!!!
-Name featured in LifeForce™ Development Curriculum Book.
-Receives a personal private yoga lesson from BMYI founder and experienced yoga trainer, Changa Bell. Travel and Hotel stay is not included, the session is in person if local to the Baltimore, MD region or via Skype/Google Hangout if your location is beyond the immediate 50-mile radius of Baltimore, MD.
-Donor recognition on the BMYI website: landing (home) page and donor page
-Logo featured on the back of our BMYI T-Shirts (limit 10x)
- Personal on air Thank You shout on Changa's radio show The RelationShift Experience on NPR affiliate WEAA 88.9 FM Morgan State University Radio. The station averages over 100,000 weekly listeners. In addition, our radio program is archived on iTunes and on www.reradioshow.com for future use for you or your organization.

Dharana Donor: $1,000 
-Social Media Shout Out!!!
-Name featured in LifeForce™ Development Curriculum Book.
-Receives a signed thank you letter from BMYI founder, Changa Bell
-Donor recognition on the BMYI website: landing (home) page and donor page
- Personal on air Thank You shout on Changa's radio show The RelationShift Experience on NPR affiliate WEAA 88.9 FM Morgan State University Radio. The station averages over 100,000 weekly listeners. In addition, our radio program is archived on iTunes and on www.reradioshow.com for future use for you or your organization.
-Presale signed copy of BMYI founder, Changa Bell's Wellness book for youth launching in the Fall of 2017
-BMYI T-Shirt
-Free Admission to all BMYI Galas, Events, and Fundraising Efforts (travel and lodging not included.)
-Presale signed copy of BMYI founder, Changa Bell's Wellness book for youth launching in the Fall of 2017

Dyana Donor: $1,500 
-Social Media Shout Out!!!
-Name featured in LifeForce™ Development Curriculum Book.
-Receives a signed thank you letter from founder Changa Bell
-Donor recognition on the BMYI website: landing (home) page and donor page
- Personal on air Thank You shout on Changa's radio show The RelationShift Experience on NPR affiliate WEAA 88.9 FM Morgan State University Radio. The station averages over 100,000 weekly listeners. In addition, our radio program is archived on iTunes and on www.reradioshow.com for future use for you or your organization.
-Presale signed copy of BMYI founder, Changa Bell's Wellness book for youth launching in the Fall of 2017
-BMYI T-Shirt
-Free Admission to all BMYI Galas, Events, and Fundraising Efforts (travel and lodging not included.)
-Personal thank you video from BMYI participant/s in their own words.
-Appreciation plaque

MEET PARTICIPANT

MEET A BMYI RYT TRAINEE


MEET THE FOUNDER
Learn more about BMYI Founder, Changa Bell at www.changabell.com

Read some of his inspiring words in Black Enterprise as they feature Changa as a BE Modern Man.