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The Actor, Activist and Licensed Yoga Teacher on turning ache into objective
Inside minutes of watching Etienne Maurice lead his weekly yoga session in Hancock Park, it’s evident that you just’re not simply watching a well being fanatic encourage the group to breathe deeply whereas stretching, you’re experiencing somebody who’s strolling of their objective. By WalkGood LA, Maurice leads weekly donation based mostly yoga lessons which might be household and newbie pleasant.
Because the son of legendary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, it might be simple for Maurice to easily relaxation on his laurels as a Hollywood socialite. As a substitute, he makes use of his affect to be vocal about racial injustices and social motion. This consists of utilizing his Instagram web page to encourage his almost 32,000 followers to vote by publicly endorsing Los Angeles Mayoral Candidate, Consultant Karen Bass.
As WalkGood LA celebrates its two 12 months anniversary, the model has constructed a loyal following of roughly 2 hundred weekly attendees. Whereas the quantity could seem intimidating, Maurice and his crew which incorporates his sister Ivy Coco Maurice and cousin Marley Rae have curated an area that feels heat, welcoming and welcoming.
Following a latest yoga session the place Maurice candidly shared a strong testimony relating to his personal psychological well being journey, he spoke completely with the LA Sentinel in regards to the private occasions and racial injustices that led him to create WalkGood LA.
LA Sentinel: What was the catalyst for creating the WalkGood LA?
Etienne Maurice: When Ahmaud Arbery was killed, I used to be actually pissed off and anxious. He was working in his personal neighborhood, he regarded like me, he was doing issues that I might do in my group and was murdered in the midst of the road. I used to be questioning why nobody on the market was coming collectively. We have been in limbo attempting to determine if we should always protest or keep house. Then after George Floyd [was killed] I made a decision I needed to do one thing. So I’d attend different individuals’s protests and I felt one thing, however I additionally believed I may do it myself, I may convey individuals collectively. I had grown my social media following and I felt like I may arrange by myself [protest]. In order that’s after I began “Stroll Good, Run Good: Twice As Onerous To Protest”. I then determined to name it “WalkGood LA”, to make it extra inclusive, in order that we may construct a group round it.
We went to LA Excessive Memorial Park which is down the road from my home and we began protesting each Saturday. The primary protest, we had over 400 individuals present up in solidarity, to get their our bodies shifting and to additionally struggle for many who have been now not right here with us, taken by the hands of racial injustice.
When my cousin Marley, who’s a yoga teacher started main stretches, it was like a light-weight bulb went off, ‘We must always do yoga within the park!’ And the subsequent week, the day after Juneteenth, we did “BreatheGood” and about 35 individuals confirmed up. That subsequent week we doubled in measurement to 50 individuals, then 100 individuals the next week after which we have been taking on the complete park. At that time, we knew we couldn’t simply cease and right here we’re two years later persevering with to breathe for these which might be now not in a position to breathe with us. WalkGood is a residing, respiration memorial to all those who we’ve misplaced. And it’s undoubtedly been a useful resource and a software for me and so many others to grieve and mourn those who we’ve misplaced on what appears to be a day by day foundation by the hands of racial injustice.
WalkGood can be a homage to our family members. My grandmother would remind me to ‘stroll good’ everytime I would depart the home. She was Jamaican so ‘stroll good’ is a Jamaican euphemism that most of the elders really use every day to remind their kids to take care and be properly. So I believed what higher approach to honor my Jamaican grandmother and my heritage than to name my group, WalkGood.
LAS: You’re additionally an actor, a producer and Founding father of WalkGood Productions. How does filmmaking intertwine with yoga?
EM: I really feel like the most effective flows occur whenever you inform a narrative, when you determine what’s the intention that you just’re attempting to convey to your viewers and I believe the identical goes for filmmaking. Whenever you’re capturing a movie, performing, writing or producing, what are you attempting to say? What are the phrases or actions that you really want individuals to go away the theater with? I’ve been in a position to inform my story a lot clearer as a result of I’ve been taking time to be nonetheless, mirror and actually entry the reminiscences and experiences that I attempted for therefore lengthy to neglect. I believe [yoga] allowed me to be open and sincere about who I’m and the place I’m entering into life. I believe yoga, filmmaking and storytelling are actually one in the identical.
LAS: I appreciated your vulnerability in the course of the yoga session in sharing {that a} decade in the past, you have been positioned in a 5150 maintain to your bodily and psychological wellbeing. What led you to be so clear about your psychological well being journey in the course of the yoga session?
EM: If it’s one factor I discovered from my mom, it’s with the ability to stand in your reality and have the ability to be the voice for many who suppose they don’t have a voice and assist them understand that they do. You by no means understand how many individuals might have come to yoga that day which have additionally gone by means of what I went by means of in being positioned on a 5150. By WalkGood, I at all times wish to converse out about what I’ve been by means of in hopes that somebody can be impressed to inform their story and get that weight lifted off of their chest as a result of that’s what it’s, a weight, an nervousness. It’s possible you’ll really feel ashamed that you just’ve gone by means of one thing since you may really feel prefer it’s taboo when actually it’s not. You by no means understand how you may assist somebody simply by sharing your story.
In celebration of Psychological Well being Consciousness month, I believed it was applicable to share why we’re right here and why I constructed the WalkGood group as a result of I keep in mind after I didn’t have a group to fall again on. Sure, I had household and pals however nobody may actually perceive what I went by means of. Which is why I consider WalkGood has change into so profitable and grown in quantity and measurement. Folks join with what we’ve been doing for the final two years as a result of it comes from such a real, sincere, open place and other people really feel protected. I actually consider I went by means of all my trauma to be a vessel–to have the ability to share my story and inform folks that I’m not outlined by my previous or my trauma.
LAS: Are you able to give extra perception into how being a sufferer of gun violence impacted the way in which you progress by means of life?
EM: In fact. Once I obtained shot, lots of people noticed me and thought, ‘Wow, you dont appear to be a survivor of gun violence.’ That simply goes to point out you it may occur to anyone. It occurred eleven months after I went on the 5150. The 5150 was brought on by a mind damage I sustained after getting right into a automobile accident. I fell asleep on the wheel as a result of I used to be drunk. Eleven months later I obtained shot as a result of I used to be drunk although the physician had instructed me to not drink or smoke however low and behold I wakened with two bullet holes in my leg and a grazed bullet, not with the ability to recollect something that occurred the evening prior. It was undoubtedly a get up name to maneuver in a different way as a result of clearly what I used to be doing wasn’t working.
I discuss advocacy and with the ability to be a voice for others since you don’t understand how many individuals have known as me or reached out to me through social media who’re additionally survivors of gun violence however have been too ashamed to share their story. I lately had a pal inform me they’d gotten shot and so they’re nonetheless studying learn how to get by means of it. I instructed them the one method you’re going to have the ability to get by means of it’s attending to a spot the place you’re in a position to discuss what occurred. And that’s going to take time. I discovered very early on that I’ve to share what I went by means of, as a result of it might assist somebody and I believe I’m doing a fairly good job at that.
ZD: I can inform out of your social media (@WalkGoodEtienne on Instagram) that you just’re actually enthusiastic about what you’re doing.
EM: That’s what it’s about, with the ability to flip your ache into objective. It does nobody any good whenever you sit in that ache and wallow in anger and frustration. Take into consideration how one can be a blessing to somebody and the way you’re in a position to present gratitude for being alive. Once I take a look at all of my life experiences, I inform God, ‘Thank You.’ You spared my life and I’m right here for a much bigger objective’ and I believe WalkGood is that objective.
To be taught extra about WalkGood LA and attend a yoga session, observe @WalkGoodLA on Instagram.
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