A community is a group of people with similar interests and common goals.
Being part of a supportive community helps us to feel like we belong and are connected to others. When we experience difficult times, knowing that people have our backs makes a huge difference and reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles.
My late brother, Leevy Wilson, was a pillar in my community. He would play with toddlers so their moms could do chores around the house. He would pop in on the elderly and ask if they needed him to run any errands. He knew how to show up for his community and his passing left a big void.
After his passing, I wanted to start a foundation in his name to continue his work and do what I could to help my community. Back then I didn’t have the capacity to set up a foundation so I decided to revisit the idea later.
Last year, my mom encouraged me to take a free yoga client to help them recover from a stroke. She believed in me more than I believed in myself. After clearing it with their doctors we began weekly sessions. The client did much better than I could ever imagine. I believe that there are many people in my community who could benefit from my services if I had the funding for travel and other expenses.
For a long time, I thought I had to wait until everything was perfect to begin serving my community but I have come to accept that whatever I can do is enough. Last week, with empty pockets and a willing heart, I decided to officially begin the Community Cares Wellness program.
I dream of traveling around my country of Saint Lucia in a mobile studio, teaching yoga to the disabled, elderly, and children. I can already see myself pulling up to the community center or village hall and unloading my equipment as guests arrive eager to spend time together in joyful movement. I also dream of helping Black and disabled people around the world realize that they too can find joy in movement. In the age of technology and the time of Covid, people all over the world need access to safe, accessible and trauma informed movement. I believe that I can meet that need with Community Cares Wellness.
