Her Devotion

Dr. Chelsea A. Jackson, also known as @ChelseaLovesYoga to her many loyal-yoga Instagram-followers, is the quintessential definition of inspiration.

Inspriation: /ˌinspəˈrāSH(ə)n/ :the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative

At her core, Chelsea harmonizes characteristics of inspiration in a way that many strive to reach, but may never fully realize. Her grit, which feeds her determination and desire for change, are fundamental drivers in her ability to harness and influence internally and externally. Her well-developed perspective of the reality, is raw yet tranquil, and knows whether we like it or not, she understands the importance of what we’ve been given. Chelsea s commitment to integrating principles in terms of mindfulness is something that should be shared with all.

Chelsea, who frequently serves up a variety of yoga poses to her Instagram followers, also obtains a Ph.D. from the Division of Educational Studies at Emory University. Her acumen, which includes certifications in yoga instruction in addition to being the founder of the Yoga, Literature, and Art Camp for Teen Girls at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, are impressive to say the least. However, it shouldn’t go without saying that, while each accomplishment is an incredible feat in its own right, the strength required to endure the inevitable challenges one might face when attempting to hit these sorts of benchmarks are not for the faint of heart. Chelsea’s dedication, work ethic, and formidable strength are a testament to her ability to cope and adapt to her surroundings. This is an important fact that should not be ignored – because she’s doing all of this to help reshape and redefine the lives of marginalized youth.

Chelsea’s commitment to increasing awareness around socioeconomic disadvantages associated with youth minorities, stems from her experiences as a teacher, where she recognized an association between behavior, performance, and lifestyle balances in childhood development. This realization led her to ponder the questions of privilege as it pertains to “affording a better quality of life”, that including – basic childcare necessities like education, exercise, and self care. All of which, made reality a little more clear: limited affordability, limits. And while limited affordability might not impact “quality of character,” having less privilege, less affordability, can limit a family’s ability to provide for their child optimally. 

As Chelsea witnessed in the classroom – from simple behaviors like twitching, to more aggressive behaviors like bullying – the connections became more clear. Disruptful children, are not bad children, they were never bad children; what these children needed were environments that would help to develop and grow their critical development skills, creative thinking, all while providing enrichment to help them grow.  

Since then, Chelsea has worked swiftly to change the landscape of this reality by providing training for yoga practitioners, educators, community leaders, activists, and students who are interested in expanding their awareness on issues concerning marginalized youth, individuals, and communities. Chelsea frequently features a “Yogi In The Community” via her blog. These yogi’s, much like Chelsea, are those who are currently playing active roles in their communities to reshape various socioeconomic/environmental disparities through yoga. Chelsea ability to develop a yoga and literacy curriculum for Atlanta area youth organizations has helped tremendously in the way of developmental improvements. Recently, she even worked with Janelle Monae to spread awareness Her passion and devotion to her practice, her commitment to education, and her ability to stimulate change through her integrity and will; is something that we hope to see resonate in our community for a long time.

If you are interested in learning more about Chelsea, please visit her website: Chelsea Loves Yoga