“Dr. Monea is a fabulous racial justice educator. She fosters authentic, challenging, and critically important discussions on race, racism, and social inequality – inspiring personal growth and a deepened commitment to anti-racism. Her style is powerful, honest, and supportive: she creates an environment that invites open conversation and focused introspection. Through my experiences as a participant in her workshops and engaging her in discussion groups, I’ve been moved by her ability to thoughtfully and lovingly push everyone to the next level of understanding, truth, and action.”
Kristina Graff,
Managing Director, Yoga Alliance Foundation
“Dr. Monea is a masterful facilitator in creating safe spaces. She puts you at ease, empowering you to be vulnerable and speak your truth. With her you know what you share will never be met with judgment, only love. It is in these spaces that true transformation can be experienced. Every opportunity that I have had to work with Dr. Monea has resulted in a personal evolution of myself. In one session, she helps you find the courage while instilling a knowing that you can be a catalyst of change in the world. I would highly recommend Dr. Monea to anyone on a personal journey of transformation.”
Samm Smeltzer,
CEO & Director, The HRart Center
“I absolutely refer Dr. Monea to every business, individual, yoga studio and yoga teacher looking to make internal personal changes and then to bring this work into their community. We hosted Dr. Monea’s 4-part Racial Equity training for our teachers & staff. Our team learned so much over the 4-part training and were actively engaged every week. The 2-hour sessions went by so fast! My wish is that every business would host this training for their employees. Dr. Monea’s workshop covers a lot of material and she always allows space for any group discussions and questions during the training. We learned about systematic racism, individual bias and the many ways oppression and racism shows up in our society – the real history that we never learned in school. I love how she guided us through the training and led us to find ways we can continue this work in ourselves and our community. We left inspired to continue with our work to fight racism and with the tools and suggestions on how to best implement those changes and how and where to start. Dr. Monea is professional, organized and always available for questions outside the sessions. We continue to take part in other workshops she leads with other studios and will continue to do so. Hosting Dr. Monea is one of the best things I have ever done for our studio and staff.”
Jolin Conine,
Owner of Fuel Hot Yoga
“The first time I saw Dr. Monea through my computer screen, I stopped in my tracks to listen to her share a timely message of peace and power through yoga, and I knew I wished to connect with her somehow. I booked a place in one of her “Courageous Conversation,” workshops, and afterward, immediately reached out to request a similar event for my own studio community. The session was full, in every way. Full of information… but also full of space to process. Full of accountability… yet full of compassion. Full of knowledge… and equally full of heart.
Dr. Monea carries, with endurance, a brave and important message of racial understanding. She is truly a voice for our times. I recommend her workshops to any yoga practitioners, mothers, sisters, friends, and all humans who are ready to rethink their relationship to racism, and better respond to the injustices in our world. I have had the honor or hosting authors, teachers, and leaders of the highest caliber, and Dr. Monea is a group facilitator and guide of the highest quality. Supporting her work was joyful, seamless, and inspiring. 10/10 would recommend!”
Rachel Wilson,
Owner of Om My Yoga
“I would refer Dr. Monea to a friend or a colleague or an organization or the Biden/Harris administration (fingers crossed). The best part of working with Dr. Monea is that she makes it easy to do something difficult: talk about race and social justice. Her style is both friendly and matter of fact: she creates a safe space for white people to get real about what we don’t know and how we need to grow in order to truly become full-fledged allies in the effort to dismantle white supremacy. Dr. Monea comes totally prepared to take people who want to learn about antiracism to places they need to go that they’ve never been before and to see through eyes they’ve never looked through before.
Her ability to reveal the boundaries of the boxes that white people subconsciously think within and how to get outside those boxes is powerful. Her workshops are filled with ‘a-ha’ moments that helped me see my own social conditioning and helped me take a few steps toward being able to join the fight against racism from a position beyond my own reflexive sense of entitlement.
I had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Monea for a workshop on how to talk to friends and family about race and social justice and I can’t wait to have her back. Everyone in the workshop came away feeling far more confident in their ability to compassionalty navigate their way through difficult discussions, respond respectfully but truthfully to expressions of racial prejudice, and fearlessly initiate the kinds of conversations that we need to have but reflexively shy away from. I highly recommend Dr. Monea as a speaker and workshop leader for any group or organization that’s serious about elevating the conversation about social justice.
Dr. Monea’s workshop on ‘Racism in the Yoga Community and Beyond’ was a true revelation. She helped us understand the historical development of racist ideas and to develop a shared language around antiracism. She also shared three building blocks of antiracism – reflection, resilience, and relationships – that empowered us to build a solid foundation for our own personal growth and participation in collaborative antiracism. I highly recommend her workshop for anyone who wants to learn how to be a good ally and for anyone who wants to learn how to help someone be a good ally.
Dr. Monea brings a perfect balance of warmth and professionalism to her talks and workshops. Her work is not just business; it’s personal business because she understands that racism doesn’t recognize the boundary between our personal and professional lives. Her presentations reflect the need to connect the personal to the professional in both style and substance.
Hari-kirtana das,
Author of ‘In Search of the Highest Truth: Adventures in Yoga Philosophy’
I attended Dr. Monea’s two-day training, “Racism in the Yoga Community,” at Lighthouse Yoga in D.C. last year. I really appreciate how knowledgeable and grounded she is as a facilitator. Clearly, her yoga teaching practice has impacted her racial justice work in meaningful ways, that can be felt by all who attend. Am grateful to be working with her.
Jason Biehl,
Founder, Change The Narrative
I’ve been working with Dr. Monea for over a year now at my yoga studio. Every workshop and training she has done for us has been extremely powerful. With her help, I have changed the way I do business at my yoga studio. Our offerings are more authentically diverse and inclusive, and our community is thrilled to be engaged in antiracism work. Bringing Dr. Monea on board was one of the smartest things I have done!
Julie Eisenberg
Owner of Lighthouse Yoga Center
As a yoga studio owner, yoga educator, and seeker of truth, I’ve participated in three workshops and discussions with Dr. Monea focused on anti-racist work, overcoming bias, and strengthening compaasion, and each time I’ve gained new insights into both the nature of this challenge and the gifts it can bring. From a new way of understanding empathy to clear-eyed understandings of the history and impact of racist systems in America, working with Dr. Monea has strengthened my commitment to this cause, both on a personal level and more broadly in my community. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from her, and I refer Dr. Monea’s professional expertise to as many friends and colleagues as possible.
Annie Moyer,
Owner of Sun and Moon Studio