Black History Month: Teacher Q&A

At CorePower Yoga, we know that it’s the unique and diverse voices within our communities that make CorePower what it is, and we are dedicated to uplifting and amplifying these voices every day. We want to share stories that enrich the CorePower community and expand perspectives by sharing other people’s points of view. In recognition of Black History Month, our CEO Niki Leondakis sat down with New York City teacher and NoHo Studio Coordinator, Annishia McKoy.

They discuss how Annishia found yoga, what inspired her to apply for a Power Love teacher training scholarship, and how she’s powering love from the inside out. Enjoy!

Niki: Hello Annishia! It's wonderful to see you. When we met last month in New York City for the CorePower Strength X launch, I felt such a connection to you. So it's so nice to sit down and chat with you, and get to know you a little better.

Annishia: Hi Niki! I’m the one who’s excited. I was so nervous to meet you when you were in New York, but you were so approachable. I couldn’t believe our CEO was so approachable. Thank you for having me.

Niki: Well thank you. I’d love to hear about what brought you to CorePower Yoga.

Annishia: At the time I found CorePower, about three years ago, I was feeling very burned out from my nanny job. I had been a nanny for over seven years. Then, my mom passed away unexpectedly, and there was a heaviness added onto the burnout I was feeling. I had been to a CorePower class before, and I had been receiving emails. When I got an email about the Power Love scholarship for teaching training, I thought I might as well do it. So I applied for the scholarship. I got it and I was really excited. I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t expecting to teach at CorePower. I assumed it was going to be very corporate. So I was very surprised on my first day when I walked in and everyone was so kind, so genuine and so welcoming. One of the teachers said to me, “I’ve got you.” And she was just so genuine. All the leaders I’ve met at CorePower are amazing. I auditioned right after Teacher Training, started teaching, and I was hooked. Not too long after that, I moved up to become a studio coordinator. Now, I can’t see myself anywhere else.

Yoga saved my life. People who don’t understand this, may think it sounds cheesy. But for people who know grief, they get it.

Niki: Having lost my husband tragically, I get it. Yoga saved me too. The warm welcome from a community like CorePower is like a big giant hug, especially when you’re grieving.

Annishia: Grieving hearts find each other.

Niki: They do. I believe that too. When I found out you went through Teacher Training on a Power Love Scholarship, I was elated. To know that the program made a difference in even one person’s life made me so happy.

Annishia: It’s huge. And it’s not just one person. I teach six classes a week, so this ripples out to my students. I'm proud of getting the Power Love scholarship. I try to tell people about it when they come to class. This is not just white women doing yoga. That’s not how we want it to be.

Niki: And we will continue to work on changing that, and we will affect that change. What did Yoda say? “Do or do not. There is no try.”

Annishia: Yes! We’ve had enough of people trying. We actually need to do it. And I think seeing me at the front desk – a woman of color - makes a difference. I’ve had students say to me that they came to my class because they felt more comfortable. It’s really a beautiful thing. We need more people feeling comfortable, and the Power Love scholarship is a great start.

Niki: That’s the ripple effect. That’s so great to hear.

In all the classes you’ve taken at CorePower, what’s one thing a teacher did during the class experience that really had an impact on you?

Annishia: I took a class from one of my favorite teachers here in New York City. She started class by sharing a funny story about her personal life, something about being okay with where you are, and it was so relatable. She incorporated it into her class theme too. It was a full class -there were about 30-35 in there. And by the end of the class she said each of our names individually. Like every person. I was so impressed. That is how we foster community. Share something about our lives that might be relatable for people. Like, I’m a yoga teacher, I’m not perfect and this is my life. You probably have gone through something similar. And also, I see you. It was magnificent. It felt very personal and genuine.

Niki: That is beautiful. Talk about feeling seen. I love it. When you teach, what are three things that students can expect from you in your class?

Annishia: I say ‘love’ a lot. I’ll say it at least ten times during a class. Even in a Sculpt class, I want to infuse love. I think I bring a calm and energetic quality to teaching. I hope my students will learn a little bit more about themselves and a little bit about self-love. I talk a lot about showing up for yourself. No matter how you’re feeling mentally, showing up and loving yourself, whether that means showing up with joy, confusion, curiosity. No matter what it is, I really just focus on showing up. I hope that message gets across.

Niki: You really bring love into the class.

Annishia: Yes, I say love all the time. I’ve been saying it since I was really young. Like a little old soul, saying love to people.

Niki: That’s wonderful. I think the balance of calm and high, positive energy has to come from a groundedness. What do you do to remain grounded and calm?

Annishia: I take a lot of mental health walks. I know how easily I can become overstimulated so I just take the walk. While I’m walking, I do a little meditation and breath work. When I’m not weighted, I’m trying to take that time to do stuff for me. And I just commit to that. It may be sitting and planning out my week, seeing my therapist, working out every day. Committing to those and actually doing them really grounds me. I wasn’t grounded three years ago. Now, it’s just a constant to show up for my mental health. As yoga teachers we hold space for others. I love talking to people. I can do it for hours. My students come back for that. We share things. I create space for them. So I have to create space for me too.

Niki: It sounds like you intentionally manage your mental health. That’s so great.

Annishia: Yes. Thank you. I try.

Niki: Shifting gears a little bit – though it has to do with how you use the word love a lot - last year we put words to CorePower’s higher purpose – to power love from the inside out. What does it mean to you to power love?

Annishia: I think you have to love yourself first. Without that you don’t have the capacity to love others. And also, understanding and accepting all backgrounds, all people, all lifeforms, all lifestyles and accepting them and making them feel held in my classes and in my presence. I think this is huge. Once they feel that, you can see their bodies relax. That’s what I want my students to feel. That sense of ease. And that starts with holding the space for ourselves. As I’ve been grieving, I’ve had to learn that I have the capacity to give a lot to other people, but I have to give the same to myself. It takes practice. Making time for my own yoga practice, my own meditation practice. Then I'm able to share that with other people.

Niki: Beautifully said. Thank you for that. That’s been such a beautiful theme throughout our whole conversation. It starts with taking care of ourselves.

Annishia: I think with grieving, I’ve learned it. And I think it’s true for everyone. It starts here with me. As cheesy as it sounds.

Niki: My instinct was to steer around the grief - to stay busy and to work around it instead of working through it. But I could convince myself to show up on my mat. Getting on my mat literally saved my life.

Annishia: Yes. It saved our lives. Not being able to escape it and come to my mat and sit. Those first three minutes of class, whether you’re in a seated pose or child’s pose, you have to sit there and listen to your thoughts. It’s your practice. You cultivate the energy you need every time you come to your mat. That’s why I love teaching.

Niki: Annishia, you’re making me want to take one of your classes. I’m going to make a point to do that next time I’m in New York.

Annishia: Yes, please come to my class. I’ll be so excited, and also so nervous.

Niki: Don’t be nervous - I’m a perpetual student. Since meeting you at CorePower’s Strength X launch, I’ve been looking forward to spending more time with you and learning more about you. You radiate love and positivity. I truly believe we get back what we put out in the world. So I just want you to know from our first interaction, I felt a strong and magnetic energy about you. I immediately felt a connection to you. That’s what you’re putting out into the world.

I’m grateful you were open to sharing some of your story with me, and I’m excited for more people to get to know you through this feature.