Empowering Community Wellness: An Interview with the founders of Afro Flow Yoga
- web4445
- Mar 27
- 4 min read
Join us as we explore the transformative power of yoga through the insights of the founders of Afro Flow Yoga, Leslie and Jeff Jones. Through their narratives, we hope to inspire and encourage you to discover yoga's potential benefits. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or a beginner, their story offers inspiration.
Q1: What inspired you to start Afro Flow Yoga, and how has it shaped your lives?
Our journey to Afro Flow Yoga was deeply personal, rooted in both individual healing and our shared experience as a couple. Yoga has been a part of our lives for decades—Jeff began practicing in 1992 while working in a high-stress engineering job, using it as a tool for well-being, and Leslie was first introduced to yoga through her dance training at Alvin Ailey. Movement, breath, and rhythm became essential to both of us as a way to connect with ourselves and navigate life’s challenges.
In 2007, after experiencing the profound loss of three of our parents, we felt a deep calling to reconnect with our ancestry. This led us on a pilgrimage to West Africa—traveling through Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. Jeff had previously taken a nine-month sabbatical from engineering to travel through the region, immersing himself in music and culture, but this journey together was different. Visiting the slave dungeons was an awakening—an answer to our ancestors’ prayers to return home. We weren’t just stepping onto the physical motherland; we were reconnecting at the level of the heart and soul. We could feel the presence of our ancestors—their love, strength, and resilience, but also the deep pain and suffering they endured.
When we returned, we realized that what we had unearthed could not simply be understood on an intellectual level—it had to be embodied. The legacies of trauma we had awakened were not just historical; they lived in our bodies, in our breath, in our movements. We committed ourselves to a deep, two-year healing journey, individually and together, to integrate what had been revealed. Through this process, we recognized the need for a practice that could help others reconnect with themselves, with each other, and with the wisdom carried in our collective bodies. We understood that healing isn’t just about talking—it’s about feeling, moving, and creating space for release and transformation. This realization became the foundation of Afro Flow Yoga—a practice that fuses yoga, dance, live music, and the rhythms of the African Diaspora to facilitate healing, liberation, and connection.
Afro Flow Yoga has transformed our lives in ways we never could have imagined. It has deepened our understanding of healing as a collective experience, reaffirmed our connection to the ancestors, and strengthened our commitment to building a more interconnected and loving world. Through this work, we continue to witness the power of movement, breath, and rhythm as tools for transformation, and we are honored to share this journey with others.
Q2: How do you actively see yoga impacting our communities during these challenging times?
Now more than ever, yoga is a powerful tool for healing, connection, and resilience in our communities. In times of uncertainty, stress, and disconnection, yoga helps people shift from being stuck in their heads to fully inhabiting their bodies. Through movement, breath, and rhythm, we develop greater body awareness, cultivate compassion, and reconnect with our inner joy. This practice allows us to release tension, soften into ourselves, and experience life with more presence and love. Yoga also provides essential tools to regulate the nervous system and access a place of peace and inner reflection. It’s in the stillness that we find our power—it’s in the stillness that we move mountains. With so many external distractions pulling us away from ourselves, it’s easy to feel isolated, anxious, fearful, and disconnected. Through Afro Flow Yoga, we create space for people to reconnect to their hearts and the hearts of others, fostering a sense of belonging and the deep knowing that they are seen, heard, and felt. Through the collective energy of Afro Flow Yoga, we raise the vibration of love, which is the medicine needed for these times. Our practice honors the wisdom and resilience of our ancestors, reminding us of our capacity to navigate challenges with strength, grace, and unity. Through movement, music, and breath, we cultivate hope—and that hope is transformational.
Q3: What's one piece of advice for someone new/interested in yoga?
Yoga is a practice, not a perfection. It’s an opportunity to calm the mind, connect with the breath, and bear witness to your internal landscape. This awareness not only deepens your relationship with yourself but also enhances your connections with others. You can start with something as simple as a deep breath. Just taking a moment to inhale fully and exhale completely is already a form of yoga. Every time you step onto your mat—or simply take a conscious breath—you are practicing.
One of the most beautiful aspects of yoga is approaching it with a beginner’s mind. Whether you’re just starting or have been practicing for decades, every moment is an opportunity to get curious, explore, and expand your capacity—physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. The more we cultivate this capacity, the more compassion we can extend to ourselves and others. It’s never too late to start. Yoga is a portable practice—you can take it with you anywhere, anytime. Whether you’re in a studio, at home, traveling, or in nature, your breath, your body, and your presence are all you need.
"We understood that healing isn’t just about talking—it’s about feeling, moving, and creating space for release and transformation." - Leslie and Jeff Jones
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