Native American Heritage Month: Teacher Q&A 2023

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. To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, our CEO, Niki Leondakis, sat down with Baltimore teacher Nicole Tayrien who shares how she uses yoga with her patients as a labor and delivery nurse, and how her late grandfather passed down the values of grit and perseverance to her.

Niki: Hi Nicole. I’m so grateful to meet you. I’ve been really looking forward to our conversation today, so thank you for creating space in your schedule to talk to me.

Nicole: Thank you for thinking of me, and reaching out. I'm excited!

Niki: To kick things off, what brought you to CorePower Yoga?

Nicole: I've practiced yoga on and off since I was young, but I've been consistently practicing since I was an undergraduate student in Austin in 2012. I found my way to CorePower Yoga specifically through my roommate, Maria, when I was in graduate school in Baltimore in 2020.

Maria had been teaching at CorePower for several years, both in Colorado and Baltimore. We lived together during the height of the pandemic, and did workouts together in our living room. We loved CorePower Yoga On Demand during this time, and we’d do C2 classes

and Yoga Sculpt. Eventually when studios were reopening, I started going to a CorePower studio that was by our house in Baltimore, and I absolutely fell in love with the classes and the format. Since I already had my Yoga Teacher Training certification from a different studio, I was able to audition and teach at CorePower.

Niki: That’s wonderful. So you're teaching part time and have a different day job?

Nicole: Yes, I teach two CorePower classes a week regularly, then often sub for other teachers. But I’m a nurse full-time.

Niki: So you are really immersed in wellness and taking care of people, with yoga and nursing. I think those marry so beautifully together.

Nicole: They really do. I'm a labor and delivery nurse, so I use a lot of yoga postures to put my patients in good birthing positions, or help them dilate a little bit quicker. I'm not certified in prenatal yoga yet, but I would like to be.

Niki: That’s amazing. I've had a handful of yoga teachers ask about adding a pre-natal certification to our teacher training programs, and it's on our radar for the future. We have a list of things to accomplish first, but I would love for us to be able to do that.

Nicole: Oh my gosh, I would sign up immediately!

Niki: That's wonderful to hear!

Niki: Can you tell me, in the time you've been teaching yoga, what's the piece of feedback you've received from a student that made you feel most proud or rewarded?

Nicole: I remember one time a student came up to me after class and told me that they really connected with the story and theme I offered at the beginning of my class. I think the theme for that day was about listening to your body, respecting yourself, and where you're at right now - or on any given day – and how that can be difficult to do considering the demands of our lives.

I had shared a brief personal story about how this came up in my own life that week, working as a nurse in the healthcare field. It can be a draining job sometimes. This student came up to me after class and thanked me for the theme, and for sharing my story because she was also a nurse, and she had been having a hard time lately. CorePower Yoga was her place to let it all go. Honestly, it made me feel good that someone could connect to what I had shared and that it really meant something to them. So that was very special.

Niki: I love hearing stories about these moments of connection between our teachers and students. They’re so meaningful – to both parties. To me, that’s really how we’re powering love in the world. It’s just magical. Thank you for sharing that.

Niki: The next question is a big one. In honor of Native American history and culture, is there someone that's made a meaningful impact on your life, or whom you admire that you'd like to share?

Nicole: My late grandfather, Al Tayrien, was such an inspiration in my life. He had this undeniable grit and drive to give his family the best life possible.

We're part of the Osage tribe in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and my grandfather grew up near the Osage reservation. He experienced a lot of the hardships that are still present on reservations today, like poverty, violence, lack of access to education, and lack of strong healthcare. Because of his circumstances, he developed a strong determination to give his future family a better life.

I'd say generally indigenous people, we are survivors, and my grandfather was definitely an example of that. When he was 18, he enlisted and spent a number of years serving in the Marine Corps. He knew going in that when he got out, he could use the GI Bill to earn a college degree, and that would mean better access to employment opportunities, a stable career, and provide a better life for his future family than the one he had. So that’s what he did. I’ve always been so impressed by his foresight and perseverance, and his determination to enhance his own opportunities for the betterment of future generations. I think at the end of the day, that’s what we’re all trying to do. We want to do better and to be better - for ourselves and for our loved ones. My grandpa Al truly lived that out in every way, and he raised my dad with the same grit.

Niki: How inspiring. What an amazing man.

Nicole: He really was, and his mentality is something that is shared throughout the Osage Nation. The Osage Nation has persevered in an astounding way. We have a very dark history. I don't know if you heard, but today a new movie came out called, The Killers of the Flower Moon, It’s based off of a nonfiction book of the same name about the Osage murders in the 1920s. It's pretty dark, but it’s really interesting.

Niki: I’ve heard about that movie coming out.

Nicole: The Osage tribe - our council, the elders, and Chief Standing Bear - have made major strides to help our people, especially in recent years. There are a lot of free community resources, education and scholarship opportunities, which actually enabled me to go to grad school. Public health clinics have popped up recently, and Osage language classes and cultural events. I'm such a proud Osage and the Osage Nation inspires me as well.

Niki: Nicole, I have chills listening to you. Your connection to your roots and heritage, and your passion for it is so palpable. I'm inspired not only to see the movie, but to read the book. I'd love to learn more.

Nicole: The book is really good. It's a heavy read, but it's so good. I think it’s also very important.

Niki: You’re right. It is. Thank you for that. How inspiring!

I can make the connection, based on what a remarkable man your grandfather was, about your desire to help others and go into nursing with that kind of inspiration.

Nicole: You’re right, that really is what inspired me to get into the healthcare field.

Niki: When you're teaching yoga, how do you try to create a sense of belonging and foster an inclusive environment for your students during your classes?

Nicole: Having a safe space to practice yoga is so important. I think creating an inclusive space starts at the beginning, by greeting students as they walk in the studio and asking them how they are. I try my best to greet students by name, especially when I have students who come regularly to my classes. It gives that sense of belonging and establishes a personal connection. It's so special to have regular students who come to my classes consistently. And I think this is really unique to CorePower. I love having conversations about yoga, but also about life and everything else. I'll get regular updates from my students and it’s so fun to be connected. Also, our studio team is amazing. The sense of community we feel with each other as staff, really gives us a strong foundation to build community with our students.

Niki: I love that. And I'm so happy you brought up name usage. The End of Week note I wrote today for our internal community is all about the impact of name usage. I just think it's such a powerful way to make someone feel welcome, and that they belong here.

Nicole: I saw your email this morning! I like how you said it builds trust when we use a name. I think that goes such a long way with our students.

Niki: I think so too. It builds trust because it signals we care, care enough to know and use your name. That's how I feel about it. You made my day bringing it up!

Nicole: That was how I felt when I first went to a CorePower class, and it’s one of the big things that drew me to teaching here. The teachers would always remember my name, and it made me feel special, and want to be a deeper part of this community.

Niki: That is an experience many of our teachers share. There’s something special going on when people are that connected. Ok, Nicole, I’m curious. What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?

Nicole: People might be surprised to learn that I speak Swahili fluently.

Niki: Wow! How did that come to be?

Nicole: I spent a little over three years living and working in Tanzania in East Africa. I was in the Peace Corps, and then worked for a nonprofit there.

Niki: That is really cool! My late husband spoke some Swahili, and was in the Peace Corps. It was a very important part of his life.

Nicole: Oh my gosh, he was in the Peace Corps too. That's so cool!

Niki: What do you like to do when you're not teaching yoga or working as a nurse?

Nicole: Usually I’m catching babies or in the yoga studio, but when I'm not, I love to be outdoors. Any kind of hiking or camping - sign me up! I was born in Arizona and grew up in Las Vegas, so I'm definitely a Southwest desert girl at heart, and I go back to visit a lot. When I’m there, I love to go to all the state parks and national parks in that area, like Red Rocks, Zion, Arches. That's my jam. I love being outdoors.

Niki: Love it. Me too! I have this outdoor sofa just outside my backdoor, and when the weather's right, I curl up there with a sunbeam on my face and think, okay, everything's going to be all right. Being out in nature like that revives my spirit no matter what's going on.

Nicole: Yes, exactly.

Niki: Nicole, Is there something that you'd like to see from CorePower Yoga in the future?

Nicole: Aside from prenatal yoga certification?

Niki: Yes, prenatal yoga certification is noted!

Nicole: I love that we're doing this interview right now. I think continuing to spotlight minority groups, people of color, is so important. I'm very grateful that CorePower is doing this. I'd love to see even more come out of this.

Niki: That’s so good to know as we work to evolve and continuously improve and grow forward. I enjoy these spotlights so much. I think the richness of the community gets amplified by featuring the individuals and the diversity of backgrounds that we have. So that is definitely doable.

Is there anything else you'd like to share, or anything you’d like people to know from reading this?

Nicole: I just want to add that I'm really grateful for CorePower and my yoga practice. What I’ve gained from this journey, and the community I've found through it, is just so special to me. I love my Baltimore CorePower squad, and it's been such an honor to work there and be involved in the studios.

Niki: That's wonderful. Thank you for sharing that.

The last 30 minutes chatting with you, and seeing your beautiful smile and positive energy radiating on my computer screen, has been such a gift. You’ve made me grin from ear to ear. I mean, you really have made my day. So thank you, and thank you for sharing your story. You’re an inspiration.