Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The following is a paid commercial by Black Girls Sunscreen.
The views expressed our those of the sponsor and not
iHeartMedia or this station. Welcome to Shamelessly Chante with your
host Shanta Lundy.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Good morning. You're listening to shamle See Chanta and I'm
your host, Shanta Lundy. So y'ah.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
You probably don't know this about me, but I used
to practice yoga every day for almost ten years. Not
because I wanted to master a headstand or become one
with the sun, but more of grounding myself. I was
(00:46):
going to a very difficult breakup and I needed a
reason or an outlet to cope. And I found peace
in committing to an hour sometimes two hours a week,
but also feel like I was getting in shape and
being part of the community. And now to this day,
(01:10):
I kick myself when I'm just like, oh my goodness,
I haven't been on the mat or oh my goodness,
I haven't just been to a class, and when I
go back. The last time I practice was about a
month ago, and I didn't do anything intense because there's
different levels to it. It just felt so good. My
mind felt clear, and I was in a very very
good mood. So today's guest is going to talk about that,
(01:36):
she's gonna bring me back down memory lane and probably
most likely encouraged me, encourage me to get back.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
On the mat. I think she's gone to Yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
You know, Black Girl Sunscreen has done some activities where
you know, we're moving our body, we're getting energy flowing.
I'm excited to have one of those type of events
come back to us, to the HQ.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
But in the meantime, what's going on.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Francis Okay, So today I'd like to highlight make It
pop shades the romance in Francis collection. It is me, Yes,
it's you. So why why are you asking that? You're
asking why I'm doing it again? Well, I'll be honest,
I'm kind of biased because it was lovingly dedicated to me,
and my birthday's coming up in a few days, So.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Why not birth birthday? Yeah? Yes, seasons want Oh.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Okay, okay, So I'm wearing french Kiss today, So makeupop
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dot Com. Okay, so hot take French kiss is the
target color right that Francis is wearing. And another hot
take is I wear red lipstick all year round at
(03:23):
nighttime to bring my alpha together. The debate is that
reds should not be worn in the summer. What oh yes,
I have people, there's a person she stepped out the room.
She says she does not wear red in the summer.
I'm like, girl, what the red girlies get it? But
for the non red girlies, I need you to chime
(03:44):
in here. Yeah, drop it in the comments YouTube comments
on if you're wearing a red in the summer or
do you feel like it's only for fall?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Looks oh year round?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Okay, I agree and that's what we did the make
it Poup franchis and we are you listening to.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Hi?
Speaker 5 (04:05):
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Speaker 1 (04:33):
Who do we have?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
But done today? Joining us today?
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Is the founder of Thick Girl Yoga, La, a Nike
well collective instructor, a full spectrum birth worker, and a
self published author. Raised in South Los Angeles and Inglewood,
she is a passionate advocate for accessible wellness in women's health.
Her personal healing journey, shaped by yoga, meditation, community, and
(05:00):
self reflection, inspires her inclusive, empowering approach to mindfulness through
relatable teaching and practical tools. Please welcome Christina.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Weary, Oh thank you. Stop you hear those during your birth?
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (05:23):
I hear all, I hear all kinds of So you
hear that? What else you hear?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
You hear?
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Look that one can happen to More recently, I had
a mom tell us to shut up because everyone was
telling her to breathe and push and she just was like,
you know what, stop talking to me, stop stop guiding me,
you know, And it was a time for us all
(05:50):
to listen like we were scared a little bit.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
You know, Yeah, okay, what about this noise?
Speaker 4 (05:58):
You don't hear that one sometimes in a yoga class,
and some of those noises come through yoga classes too, so.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Not this one, because that's not like or nothing. Well,
I think that's the thing.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
I try to bring the laughter definitely myself during yoga classes,
and if they get too stoic where people are just
sitting there with this blank face, I'm just like, wait,
lighting up, like remember joy, like remember to have some
joy while we're moving, because that's.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
A part of it.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
You know what I think it is, this is coming
from someone that practices yoga, is that folks are really
just trying to hone in on how to get it right. Right,
So how do you get the downward dog or how
do you get the child's like, how do you get
it right? And then you're wondering if people are watching you,
and people always watching it, oh always, I say that, Yeah,
(06:50):
it's right, and that's why you're not getting laughter and
smiles because everybody's just trying to hold together.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
That's that's my observation. Yeah, and that's true. It's true.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
I start off with just claimers at the beginning of classes,
like hey, mind youramat.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Everybody's body is different.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Mind your business, like, yeah, you know, we're looking to
see what other people are doing to see if we're
doing it right. Yet those other people possibly don't know
what they're doing either. So I remind people to trust
their body, and that goes from you know, yoga class
to a birth like trust that your body knows what
(07:25):
to do. Now if it starts to feel uncomfortable and
you are hurting yourself. We got some variations for that.
Yet other than that, like trust that your body knows
the way, and I think along the way, we're taught
to pay attention to things outside of us. But that's
the practice of yoga, which is, hey, tune into yourself,
tune into how you're feeling, and and go from there.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
The best is when I'm looking for people, when the
instructor says to your left, and people go to the right.
Nobody knows they're left right, So I'm just gonna go
to whatever I feel is most comfortable or maybe the
most open.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Yeah, right, And then we are after nine years of teaching,
I still left and right sometimes, especially if I don't
have a good cup of coffee in the morning. I
tell people like, hey, if you're doing it, if you're
doing that left, we'll do the other left. You know,
do the other left after and you know you'll be
able to balance it out.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Can you tell us your personal journey with yoga and mindfulness?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Oh, honestly, just to really make it accessible. And accessible
is a big word in a world where you know,
some studios only have stairs, where some people are speaking
to all of the disadvantages that people have in their head.
They're speaking to the insecurities. So making it accessible and
(08:50):
I say that in a way that is helping us
to be encouraged to trust ourselves to move with our
with at our own pace and be okay with that.
And the beginning of classes, I tell people like, there
may be one point in class where everyone is doing
something different because everyone's body is showing up differently. And
(09:12):
so my dream is to continue to make spaces, honestly
where people feel safe enough to move and get whatever
they need to get out of their body. Because we
are energetic beings, like we need to rid ourselves of
some stuff and go back into the world, like to
do whatever it is that we're supposed to do on
this journey, and so I want them to be encouraged.
(09:34):
I want them to be nurtured so that they can
continue to show up how they need to. And I
think that's the beauty of being able to teach and
lead and allow people to be open to that.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
But how did you find out that? Like you were
good at this? Like do you remember your first class?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Someone introduced you to the class, you know, finding a
yoga instructure, instructors like dating, Like how did you come to.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Where you are today?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
First for me was selfualization and so socialization. They have
a temple out in Mount Washington, and I was an overthinker.
I still get it a little bit, you know, just
like overthinking everything, the future of the past, I want
to know. And I went to Mount Washington and a
(10:20):
friend took me there and it was so quiet. It
was so quiet that I could hear myself breathe. It
was so quiet that, like I felt, there was some
anxiety from the quiet. I received my first journal then,
and I started to write and meditate a few years later,
(10:41):
after of course, having like so many trials with meditation,
from the guided meditation to listening to music and things
like that. I found yoga in college, and so I
took my first yoga class in college and I took
it because y'all don't laugh. We have these required gees, right,
and they say you got to take PE or something
(11:02):
like it, and I say, you know what, let's try
yoga because I didn't want to take a PE class
like a regular physical education class, and so I took
the yoga class. Art it changed my life. It changed
my life, and I was literally floating to the car.
And that's when the awareness that yoga and meditation combined
(11:24):
allowed me the bliss, the inner bliss, and so I
needed the movement to calm my mind, to sit and
be still, and so I think they pair well together
for those who are very active mentally. I did play
basketball for a little while, so physically, like, I wanted
(11:44):
to move. And if you're moving and thinking about something else,
there's a possibility you can hurt yourself, you know, during
these poses, and so you have to breathe. You have
to focus in on your breath, and as you focus
in on your breath, whatever you were thinking about really
isn't of too much importance unless you know it is
(12:05):
something that is super traumatic, that has, you know, carried
on with you. And so from there, I was just like,
everyone needs a piece of this, you know, it's just.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
The forty minutes rightsion.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Yeah, And so that was that was the beginning for me.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
And I taught me how to breathe again, and so
I got out of my head a little bit, I
got out of my feelings a lot of bit, and
I was able to get centered.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Very nice. Thank you, yeah, thank you, Christina.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Yes, So in the beginning you spoke kind of about
inclusivity and wellness spaces. So have you seen a rise
in black spaces for people that are seeking a wellness
journey and do you feel there's a disconnect between mainstream
wellness and the black community.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
I've definitely seen a rise, and it's been beautiful. There's
been plenty of organizations that I have brought forward studios
allowing us to get out into the park and move outside,
which is a whole nother vibe, and I'm really grateful
for that. I still think that when you google the
word yoga, you don't see people who look like me.
(13:17):
You'll have to scroll a little bit to see people
who look like me. And I know that that is
that's the norm. And so I have plenty of friends
and there's a lot of us who have received our
certifications who are out here teaching, yet we don't get
the same acknowledgment as others. And I think that's where
(13:40):
you know, there can be a problem. Yet I do
trust that like your tribe will always find you, you know,
staying true to who you are, you'll attract the people
that are supposed to be, you know, being be led
by you. And that's a gift in itself as well
in a sense.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
When you say, you know, people don't look like you
that do yoga, what does that mean?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Skinny and a smaller body, white, Yeah, and you're not
that at all. And so just I'm just understanding that
and even going into spaces where I'm going to teach
and they don't know what I look like, and I
(14:25):
walk in and they think I'm a student. I've been
to different yoga festivals throughout the country as well, and
you can I'm an EmPATH, I feel, and so I
can feel the energy upon when you know when I come,
and then I feel the energy when I leave, which
is very welcoming. Oh, Okay, she knows she knows what
she's talking about. Oh she she she's doing she did well.
(14:49):
And so I can feel that, and I've learned to,
you know, to work with it because I know that
the calling that I have to share this work is
bigger than in any other in anyone else else's energy.
And so yeah, it's it's been, it's been a journey.
It continues to be.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
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you get some black girl sign scram black, urine gunde
sign bab, just let on your black girl sign scram black.
Don't crack it doesn't Black people get sign burned too.
As my cousin, you want to protect your skin, Quy,
(15:34):
make sure you get some black girl sign Scram black
your gun sign bab, just let on your black girls.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
What are some of the misconceptions of I think, honestly,
a lot of people think it's a luxury.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
I believe it's a necessity. You know, it's something that
should If it needs to be free, then.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Now that's where because that's I can't underst stand that yet.
The practitioners, the people I've invested a lot in myself,
the certification. I'm trying to reformed I'm you know, I
have my two hundred hour and so a lot of
people want it to be free and I totally understand that.
And if we can work together with the bigger powers
(16:19):
that be like LA Parks and rec you know, and
get and get funding for that, I wouldn't mind. And
at the beginning I did, I did. I gave myself
away and I was near burnout and I have a child,
you know, on top of that, and so just being
aware of the investment that I put into myself that
(16:42):
people should want to donate.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
You're also a full spectrum birth worker. Yes, never heard
that term before. Can you tell us what that means?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Sure? I would love to.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
And first I want to share that the term duela
is being used more more now than ever. Yet we
know that the term doula is German and it means slave.
So this is the reason why we are working to
use the term birth worker, birth attendant, postpartum attendant after
(17:15):
birth care. I myself had a midwife and a team
with me and to just be continuously educated by them
and then do the research myself. I was just like, Wow,
there's certain things that we don't know unless we just
take that extra step to know and I wanting to know.
(17:37):
And so for me full spectrum birth worker is I'm
there for still birth, I'm there for abortion, I'm there
for labor, for active labor, for birth, I'm there for postpartum,
and I'm also there for grief if there is a death.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Do most insurance companies cover that.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
State of California has been doing very well with that,
so they have the medical been fit where if you
are on medical you will receive a birth worker for
your birth and for postpartum. There are certain there's about
fifty insurance plans that are offering coverage of the service
as well. Where did your passion or desire? Where did
(18:17):
that come from? It came from honestly, my experience with
the doctor as a child. It was always my weight.
We always talked about my weight. So I never had
this healing energy going to the doctor's office. And for me,
I didn't want to birth my daughter in a hospital,
(18:38):
and so I birthed her at a community birth center.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I had a water birth.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
The day that I went into labor, I met my
backup doulah, so I had two duelas there. I had
do two birth workers there, and I had my partner,
and I felt so supported. Nineteen hours of labor, she
came through on her estimated due date and water never broke.
I went home that same night, had a sandwich and
(19:04):
went to sleep. I was just like, everyone deserves an
opportunity to birth the way they wanted to, with the
way that they want to.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
All right, So, Christina, we play this fun game called
yeah nay. I'll give a phrase and you just say yeah, okay.
So the first one is yoga and jeans. Yeah, the
flexibility is not there. Jeans bike riding as wild. All
(19:35):
anything activity with jeans on and George is wild.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
So we know Chante's answer. No, yeah, the same for me.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
That's enough, okay, okay. A prenatal playlist with trap music.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Oh yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, I say yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I follow a lot of doulas and midwives on social media,
and the playlist that the the Birthers be having is hilarious. Yeah,
so absolutely, yes, okay. Stretching in public, yes, yes, yes, okay, Fancis,
So my answer is yes, I'm gonna stretch in public.
(20:14):
Waist speeds, oh yeah, I have.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
I have one waist bee on and I'll share with
y'all I'm six months pregnant, so we have a little
boy coming through in August, and I got one more
waist speeds.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It's like it's holding on okay for me? Nah, yes,
waist trainers, waist trainers.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
I did a waist trainer a while ago, and honestly,
I feel like it helped with my posture. I would
say yeah, but why don't we gonna just say no,
because now I'm just like breathe. So waist trainers only
for working out, walking, running, So I would say yes,
I'm kind of with the same reasoning that Chante gave
(20:53):
crocs in the birthing room. So I wore crocs twelve
years ago. Before people thought they were cool. They were hideous,
but they were they were comfortable, they were comfortable, and
now I see people just wear them like everywhere. So
I would say, yeah, I don't have a pair, so
but I do have schepar pairs of Purdue socks. Negative
(21:17):
walking into a room and not speaking to whom mother's there.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Ooh, my mama would give me for this one. No,
we speak, never would never do that. Same.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Don't be rude using a fitness machine right next to
someone with other open machines.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Oh that's so annoying. Oh that's the when.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
Yeah, that's when I'm like, you didn't see that other
machine over there? So nah, secondhand embarrassment. Look, m nah,
I'm okay with being cringe.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
No wagh, no way, I'm embarrassed about everything. Okay, what
you got, Francis. Yeah, I get embarrassed very easily for
other people. So I always have second hand talking loud?
Is that one of your things? Talking loud? Somebody talking loud?
Is that embarrassing for you?
Speaker 2 (22:14):
It's annoying, not embarrassing, it's annoying. I'm not a loud talker. Okay.
This one is my favorite.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
Guided meditations narrated by Morgan Freeman or Samuel L.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Jackson.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
Yeah, Samuel L. Jackson narrated a book. It was called
Go the F to Sleep or something like that.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Or was it on the commat? Is it on the comment?
I don't know it probably no, No, it was.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
It was. It was a children's book, but it was
for adults. It was interesting but hilarious. Both of their
voices are soothing. I would definitely tune in. Yeah, no,
I'd have.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
To say if I'm trying to meditate, that means I'm
trying to relax. So yeah, hot yoga in August with
no a c.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Hot yoga is great, y'all, especially if you want to
release some impurities from the body. Yeah, I would say
hot yoga anytime of the year. I love a sign
of workout, so yeah, for sure, I like I.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Like to practice in just normal temperature. The hot. The
hot for me gives me a little bit of a headache, okay. Yeah,
and my hair is always always done, so yeah, I'm good.
I feel you.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I'd have to say no because I'm gonna be I'm
gonna drink too much water throughout the whole thing because
I'll be thirsty.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Okay. Two more given birth and full glam this that's
why I laugh. Yeah, people will or put it on
after right. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
I had a mom who came with her hair rapped,
and I took a video of her husband like calming
down her wrap while she was in labor, and she did,
you know, her lashes in Awe for myself.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Now, I'm cool, Like, let's let's breathe through this and
get through this is another thing I haven't thought about.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I think I might not be full glamb, but I'm
gonna be cute for my pictures, and my baby's gonna
meet me. You know that's my mom, right, it's my mom,
she fly, I remember her birth. Yeah, it may not
be full, but I'm gonna be all together. My brow's
gonna be done.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, I might have a little lash on in some gloss,
and my hair is definitely gonna be done. I love it. Yeah,
I love it.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
I'm gonna say no because I don't do full glam.
I mean, but you got a red lip, so yes,
I have a red lip.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
I might Okay, yeah, I might, great question. Yeah, drinking
green from a wine glass?
Speaker 4 (25:02):
Oh yes, yes, yes, yes, because I'm fancy. I can
be a little fancy. I may not do a full glam,
but I like to romanticize my life. So yeah, we'll
put We'll do that.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
And now I'll drink like a sparkling water from a
wine glass or a champagne glass. When I don't want
to drink, and I know people are gonna ask me,
why aren't you drinking?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
So I just pretend.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Then I got a little some in my cup and
it's actually just water. Okay, yeah, because mind your business
and stop making me feel like I need to drink.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Yeah for real? Yeah, yes, because why not? Pretty five
a green juice? That's right.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Listen.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
That was fun And I feel very calm talking to you.
You yeah, very very calm. So what is next for you? Madam?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
M M?
Speaker 2 (25:57):
What is next for me?
Speaker 4 (25:58):
I am on this road of creating a training for
Thick Girl Yoga LA, a holistic postpartum training, and we'll
bring in some yoga, We'll bring in herbalism, will bring
in just holistic practices because I feel like this is
the time for me now. I feel like I'm an
anti roll to reach back and sprinkle people with the
(26:22):
knowledge that I've received so that we can continue to
build community.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
I would love to see that training. Awesome.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Yeah, it's coming. And so I have an event every summer.
It's called Thick Girl Yoga LA Beach Day. We are
on our eighth year and it's just a thank you,
thank you. It's a day where I bring out other practitioners.
We have hooping, sound bath yoga, and I get to
(26:50):
put other people like up in front of the community
and we get to have fun. And honestly, seeing the
joy in adults faces like helps me to remember why
I'm doing this because they're bringing forward that inner child,
you know, and we all need to tune into into
that part of ourselves sometimes.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Well, I am looking forward to that, and please give
us some information on not ready to minute later on
your event. Eight years is not a small accomplishment. That's
a big one because putting events together is a lot
of hard work. Yes it is, Christina, Thank you so much.
I have one final question for you, Christina. So during
(27:33):
the beach event, are you wearing sunscreen? Yes, of course,
and of course we're that was it, yes, of course.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Fall What's funny is how how the universe works, right,
because I already buy the product. My daughters is the
product and I use it as well. And so I
went to Punta Kana and I got burned so bad.
That was when I found out that like black people
(28:01):
burn in the sun.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
What was your age if you don't like share that,
Oh I was.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
I think I was early twenty six. Yeah, so I
was like mid twenties, and I didn't think that it
was something that was for us. And so being introduced
to it and how moisturizing it is. Truth be told,
some days I only put that on. But the fact
(28:29):
that my little one, she has her whole skincare routine,
Like she's definitely teaching me and it's it's something that
she uses on her regular as well, So she's spending
her her money to purchase it.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Oh yeah right, I love that too. I love that
for her. She's she's very independent and so yeah, we
definitely used on screen for sure, and that part. Thank
you appreciate that question for instance. And to hear the
rest of the episode, tune into Shamelessly Chante's YouTube channel
(29:06):
and you're listening to Shamelessly Chante. Bye yeah yeah, yeah,
yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
The proceeding was a paid commercial by Black Girl's Son's
screen
Speaker 3 (29:32):
H
The following is a paid commercial by Black Girls Sunscreen.
The views expressed our those of the sponsor and not
iHeartMedia or this station. Welcome to Shamelessly Chante with your
host Shanta Lundy.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Good morning. You're listening to shamle See Chanta and I'm
your host, Shanta Lundy. So y'ah.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
You probably don't know this about me, but I used
to practice yoga every day for almost ten years. Not
because I wanted to master a headstand or become one
with the sun, but more of grounding myself. I was
(00:46):
going to a very difficult breakup and I needed a
reason or an outlet to cope. And I found peace
in committing to an hour sometimes two hours a week,
but also feel like I was getting in shape and
being part of the community. And now to this day,
(01:10):
I kick myself when I'm just like, oh my goodness,
I haven't been on the mat or oh my goodness,
I haven't just been to a class, and when I
go back. The last time I practice was about a
month ago, and I didn't do anything intense because there's
different levels to it. It just felt so good. My
mind felt clear, and I was in a very very
good mood. So today's guest is going to talk about that,
(01:36):
she's gonna bring me back down memory lane and probably
most likely encouraged me, encourage me to get back.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
On the mat. I think she's gone to Yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
You know, Black Girl Sunscreen has done some activities where
you know, we're moving our body, we're getting energy flowing.
I'm excited to have one of those type of events
come back to us, to the HQ.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
But in the meantime, what's going on.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Francis Okay, So today I'd like to highlight make It
pop shades the romance in Francis collection. It is me, Yes,
it's you. So why why are you asking that? You're
asking why I'm doing it again? Well, I'll be honest,
I'm kind of biased because it was lovingly dedicated to me,
and my birthday's coming up in a few days, So.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Why not birth birthday? Yeah? Yes, seasons want Oh.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Okay, okay, So I'm wearing french Kiss today, So makeupop
shades or shades for short comes in three very uber
ribrant colors, Cherry noir, french Kiss, and red Wine. It's
summertime and we're here to bring in the heat. With
shades of red Ladies. It's an SPF fifty gloss our
(02:58):
custom red shades are made specifically for melanated skin tones
and looks great on everyone. You can get yours at
Black Girls, Sunscreen dot Com, Amazon dot Com, and Target
dot Com. Okay, so hot take French kiss is the
target color right that Francis is wearing. And another hot
take is I wear red lipstick all year round at
(03:23):
nighttime to bring my alpha together. The debate is that
reds should not be worn in the summer. What oh yes,
I have people, there's a person she stepped out the room.
She says she does not wear red in the summer.
I'm like, girl, what the red girlies get it? But
for the non red girlies, I need you to chime
(03:44):
in here. Yeah, drop it in the comments YouTube comments
on if you're wearing a red in the summer or
do you feel like it's only for fall?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Looks oh year round?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Okay, I agree and that's what we did the make
it Poup franchis and we are you listening to.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Hi?
Speaker 5 (04:05):
If you want to protect your skin, cray, make sure
you your some Black Girls sun Scaring Black Urine garandem
Son Bank just lit on your Black girls sun scaring
black eye black don't crack a doesn't black people get
sun bird too? As my cousin, you warn to protect
your skin, cray, make sure you your some black girls
(04:27):
sign sciring black urn Gande son bab Just.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Who do we have?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
But done today? Joining us today?
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Is the founder of Thick Girl Yoga, La, a Nike
well collective instructor, a full spectrum birth worker, and a
self published author. Raised in South Los Angeles and Inglewood,
she is a passionate advocate for accessible wellness in women's health.
Her personal healing journey, shaped by yoga, meditation, community, and
(05:00):
self reflection, inspires her inclusive, empowering approach to mindfulness through
relatable teaching and practical tools. Please welcome Christina.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Weary, Oh thank you. Stop you hear those during your birth?
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (05:23):
I hear all, I hear all kinds of So you
hear that? What else you hear?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
You hear?
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Look that one can happen to More recently, I had
a mom tell us to shut up because everyone was
telling her to breathe and push and she just was like,
you know what, stop talking to me, stop stop guiding me,
you know, And it was a time for us all
(05:50):
to listen like we were scared a little bit.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
You know, Yeah, okay, what about this noise?
Speaker 4 (05:58):
You don't hear that one sometimes in a yoga class,
and some of those noises come through yoga classes too, so.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Not this one, because that's not like or nothing. Well,
I think that's the thing.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
I try to bring the laughter definitely myself during yoga classes,
and if they get too stoic where people are just
sitting there with this blank face, I'm just like, wait,
lighting up, like remember joy, like remember to have some
joy while we're moving, because that's.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
A part of it.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
You know what I think it is, this is coming
from someone that practices yoga, is that folks are really
just trying to hone in on how to get it right. Right,
So how do you get the downward dog or how
do you get the child's like, how do you get
it right? And then you're wondering if people are watching you,
and people always watching it, oh always, I say that, Yeah,
(06:50):
it's right, and that's why you're not getting laughter and
smiles because everybody's just trying to hold together.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
That's that's my observation. Yeah, and that's true. It's true.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
I start off with just claimers at the beginning of classes,
like hey, mind youramat.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Everybody's body is different.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Mind your business, like, yeah, you know, we're looking to
see what other people are doing to see if we're
doing it right. Yet those other people possibly don't know
what they're doing either. So I remind people to trust
their body, and that goes from you know, yoga class
to a birth like trust that your body knows what
(07:25):
to do. Now if it starts to feel uncomfortable and
you are hurting yourself. We got some variations for that.
Yet other than that, like trust that your body knows
the way, and I think along the way, we're taught
to pay attention to things outside of us. But that's
the practice of yoga, which is, hey, tune into yourself,
tune into how you're feeling, and and go from there.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
The best is when I'm looking for people, when the
instructor says to your left, and people go to the right.
Nobody knows they're left right, So I'm just gonna go
to whatever I feel is most comfortable or maybe the
most open.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Yeah, right, And then we are after nine years of teaching,
I still left and right sometimes, especially if I don't
have a good cup of coffee in the morning. I
tell people like, hey, if you're doing it, if you're
doing that left, we'll do the other left. You know,
do the other left after and you know you'll be
able to balance it out.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Can you tell us your personal journey with yoga and mindfulness?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Oh, honestly, just to really make it accessible. And accessible
is a big word in a world where you know,
some studios only have stairs, where some people are speaking
to all of the disadvantages that people have in their head.
They're speaking to the insecurities. So making it accessible and
(08:50):
I say that in a way that is helping us
to be encouraged to trust ourselves to move with our
with at our own pace and be okay with that.
And the beginning of classes, I tell people like, there
may be one point in class where everyone is doing
something different because everyone's body is showing up differently. And
(09:12):
so my dream is to continue to make spaces, honestly
where people feel safe enough to move and get whatever
they need to get out of their body. Because we
are energetic beings, like we need to rid ourselves of
some stuff and go back into the world, like to
do whatever it is that we're supposed to do on
this journey, and so I want them to be encouraged.
(09:34):
I want them to be nurtured so that they can
continue to show up how they need to. And I
think that's the beauty of being able to teach and
lead and allow people to be open to that.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
But how did you find out that? Like you were
good at this? Like do you remember your first class?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Someone introduced you to the class, you know, finding a
yoga instructure, instructors like dating, Like how did you come to.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Where you are today?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
First for me was selfualization and so socialization. They have
a temple out in Mount Washington, and I was an overthinker.
I still get it a little bit, you know, just
like overthinking everything, the future of the past, I want
to know. And I went to Mount Washington and a
(10:20):
friend took me there and it was so quiet. It
was so quiet that I could hear myself breathe. It
was so quiet that, like I felt, there was some
anxiety from the quiet. I received my first journal then,
and I started to write and meditate a few years later,
(10:41):
after of course, having like so many trials with meditation,
from the guided meditation to listening to music and things
like that. I found yoga in college, and so I
took my first yoga class in college and I took
it because y'all don't laugh. We have these required gees, right,
and they say you got to take PE or something
(11:02):
like it, and I say, you know what, let's try
yoga because I didn't want to take a PE class
like a regular physical education class, and so I took
the yoga class. Art it changed my life. It changed
my life, and I was literally floating to the car.
And that's when the awareness that yoga and meditation combined
(11:24):
allowed me the bliss, the inner bliss, and so I
needed the movement to calm my mind, to sit and
be still, and so I think they pair well together
for those who are very active mentally. I did play
basketball for a little while, so physically, like, I wanted
(11:44):
to move. And if you're moving and thinking about something else,
there's a possibility you can hurt yourself, you know, during
these poses, and so you have to breathe. You have
to focus in on your breath, and as you focus
in on your breath, whatever you were thinking about really
isn't of too much importance unless you know it is
(12:05):
something that is super traumatic, that has, you know, carried
on with you. And so from there, I was just like,
everyone needs a piece of this, you know, it's just.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
The forty minutes rightsion.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Yeah, And so that was that was the beginning for me.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
And I taught me how to breathe again, and so
I got out of my head a little bit, I
got out of my feelings a lot of bit, and
I was able to get centered.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Very nice. Thank you, yeah, thank you, Christina.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Yes, So in the beginning you spoke kind of about
inclusivity and wellness spaces. So have you seen a rise
in black spaces for people that are seeking a wellness
journey and do you feel there's a disconnect between mainstream
wellness and the black community.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
I've definitely seen a rise, and it's been beautiful. There's
been plenty of organizations that I have brought forward studios
allowing us to get out into the park and move outside,
which is a whole nother vibe, and I'm really grateful
for that. I still think that when you google the
word yoga, you don't see people who look like me.
(13:17):
You'll have to scroll a little bit to see people
who look like me. And I know that that is
that's the norm. And so I have plenty of friends
and there's a lot of us who have received our
certifications who are out here teaching, yet we don't get
the same acknowledgment as others. And I think that's where
(13:40):
you know, there can be a problem. Yet I do
trust that like your tribe will always find you, you know,
staying true to who you are, you'll attract the people
that are supposed to be, you know, being be led
by you. And that's a gift in itself as well
in a sense.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
When you say, you know, people don't look like you
that do yoga, what does that mean?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Skinny and a smaller body, white, Yeah, and you're not
that at all. And so just I'm just understanding that
and even going into spaces where I'm going to teach
and they don't know what I look like, and I
(14:25):
walk in and they think I'm a student. I've been
to different yoga festivals throughout the country as well, and
you can I'm an EmPATH, I feel, and so I
can feel the energy upon when you know when I come,
and then I feel the energy when I leave, which
is very welcoming. Oh, Okay, she knows she knows what
she's talking about. Oh she she she's doing she did well.
(14:49):
And so I can feel that, and I've learned to,
you know, to work with it because I know that
the calling that I have to share this work is
bigger than in any other in anyone else else's energy.
And so yeah, it's it's been, it's been a journey.
It continues to be.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
If you want to protect your skin, Quy, make sure
you get some black girl sign scram black, urine gunde
sign bab, just let on your black girl sign scram black.
Don't crack it doesn't Black people get sign burned too.
As my cousin, you want to protect your skin, Quy,
(15:34):
make sure you get some black girl sign Scram black
your gun sign bab, just let on your black girls.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
What are some of the misconceptions of I think, honestly,
a lot of people think it's a luxury.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
I believe it's a necessity. You know, it's something that
should If it needs to be free, then.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Now that's where because that's I can't underst stand that yet.
The practitioners, the people I've invested a lot in myself,
the certification. I'm trying to reformed I'm you know, I
have my two hundred hour and so a lot of
people want it to be free and I totally understand that.
And if we can work together with the bigger powers
(16:19):
that be like LA Parks and rec you know, and
get and get funding for that, I wouldn't mind. And
at the beginning I did, I did. I gave myself
away and I was near burnout and I have a child,
you know, on top of that, and so just being
aware of the investment that I put into myself that
(16:42):
people should want to donate.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
You're also a full spectrum birth worker. Yes, never heard
that term before. Can you tell us what that means?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Sure? I would love to.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
And first I want to share that the term duela
is being used more more now than ever. Yet we
know that the term doula is German and it means slave.
So this is the reason why we are working to
use the term birth worker, birth attendant, postpartum attendant after
(17:15):
birth care. I myself had a midwife and a team
with me and to just be continuously educated by them
and then do the research myself. I was just like, Wow,
there's certain things that we don't know unless we just
take that extra step to know and I wanting to know.
(17:37):
And so for me full spectrum birth worker is I'm
there for still birth, I'm there for abortion, I'm there
for labor, for active labor, for birth, I'm there for postpartum,
and I'm also there for grief if there is a death.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Do most insurance companies cover that.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
State of California has been doing very well with that,
so they have the medical been fit where if you
are on medical you will receive a birth worker for
your birth and for postpartum. There are certain there's about
fifty insurance plans that are offering coverage of the service
as well. Where did your passion or desire? Where did
(18:17):
that come from? It came from honestly, my experience with
the doctor as a child. It was always my weight.
We always talked about my weight. So I never had
this healing energy going to the doctor's office. And for me,
I didn't want to birth my daughter in a hospital,
(18:38):
and so I birthed her at a community birth center.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I had a water birth.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
The day that I went into labor, I met my
backup doulah, so I had two duelas there. I had
do two birth workers there, and I had my partner,
and I felt so supported. Nineteen hours of labor, she
came through on her estimated due date and water never broke.
I went home that same night, had a sandwich and
(19:04):
went to sleep. I was just like, everyone deserves an
opportunity to birth the way they wanted to, with the
way that they want to.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
All right, So, Christina, we play this fun game called
yeah nay. I'll give a phrase and you just say yeah, okay.
So the first one is yoga and jeans. Yeah, the
flexibility is not there. Jeans bike riding as wild. All
(19:35):
anything activity with jeans on and George is wild.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
So we know Chante's answer. No, yeah, the same for me.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
That's enough, okay, okay. A prenatal playlist with trap music.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Oh yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, I say yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I follow a lot of doulas and midwives on social media,
and the playlist that the the Birthers be having is hilarious. Yeah,
so absolutely, yes, okay. Stretching in public, yes, yes, yes, okay, Fancis,
So my answer is yes, I'm gonna stretch in public.
(20:14):
Waist speeds, oh yeah, I have.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
I have one waist bee on and I'll share with
y'all I'm six months pregnant, so we have a little
boy coming through in August, and I got one more
waist speeds.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It's like it's holding on okay for me? Nah, yes,
waist trainers, waist trainers.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
I did a waist trainer a while ago, and honestly,
I feel like it helped with my posture. I would
say yeah, but why don't we gonna just say no,
because now I'm just like breathe. So waist trainers only
for working out, walking, running, So I would say yes,
I'm kind of with the same reasoning that Chante gave
(20:53):
crocs in the birthing room. So I wore crocs twelve
years ago. Before people thought they were cool. They were hideous,
but they were they were comfortable, they were comfortable, and
now I see people just wear them like everywhere. So
I would say, yeah, I don't have a pair, so
but I do have schepar pairs of Purdue socks. Negative
(21:17):
walking into a room and not speaking to whom mother's there.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Ooh, my mama would give me for this one. No,
we speak, never would never do that. Same.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Don't be rude using a fitness machine right next to
someone with other open machines.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Oh that's so annoying. Oh that's the when.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
Yeah, that's when I'm like, you didn't see that other
machine over there? So nah, secondhand embarrassment. Look, m nah,
I'm okay with being cringe.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
No wagh, no way, I'm embarrassed about everything. Okay, what
you got, Francis. Yeah, I get embarrassed very easily for
other people. So I always have second hand talking loud?
Is that one of your things? Talking loud? Somebody talking loud?
Is that embarrassing for you?
Speaker 2 (22:14):
It's annoying, not embarrassing, it's annoying. I'm not a loud talker. Okay.
This one is my favorite.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
Guided meditations narrated by Morgan Freeman or Samuel L.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Jackson.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
Yeah, Samuel L. Jackson narrated a book. It was called
Go the F to Sleep or something like that.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Or was it on the commat? Is it on the comment?
I don't know it probably no, No, it was.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
It was. It was a children's book, but it was
for adults. It was interesting but hilarious. Both of their
voices are soothing. I would definitely tune in. Yeah, no,
I'd have.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
To say if I'm trying to meditate, that means I'm
trying to relax. So yeah, hot yoga in August with
no a c.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Hot yoga is great, y'all, especially if you want to
release some impurities from the body. Yeah, I would say
hot yoga anytime of the year. I love a sign
of workout, so yeah, for sure, I like I.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Like to practice in just normal temperature. The hot. The
hot for me gives me a little bit of a headache, okay. Yeah,
and my hair is always always done, so yeah, I'm good.
I feel you.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I'd have to say no because I'm gonna be I'm
gonna drink too much water throughout the whole thing because
I'll be thirsty.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Okay. Two more given birth and full glam this that's
why I laugh. Yeah, people will or put it on
after right. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
I had a mom who came with her hair rapped,
and I took a video of her husband like calming
down her wrap while she was in labor, and she did,
you know, her lashes in Awe for myself.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Now, I'm cool, Like, let's let's breathe through this and
get through this is another thing I haven't thought about.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I think I might not be full glamb, but I'm
gonna be cute for my pictures, and my baby's gonna
meet me. You know that's my mom, right, it's my mom,
she fly, I remember her birth. Yeah, it may not
be full, but I'm gonna be all together. My brow's
gonna be done.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, I might have a little lash on in some gloss,
and my hair is definitely gonna be done. I love it. Yeah,
I love it.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
I'm gonna say no because I don't do full glam.
I mean, but you got a red lip, so yes,
I have a red lip.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
I might Okay, yeah, I might, great question. Yeah, drinking
green from a wine glass?
Speaker 4 (25:02):
Oh yes, yes, yes, yes, because I'm fancy. I can
be a little fancy. I may not do a full glam,
but I like to romanticize my life. So yeah, we'll
put We'll do that.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
And now I'll drink like a sparkling water from a
wine glass or a champagne glass. When I don't want
to drink, and I know people are gonna ask me,
why aren't you drinking?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
So I just pretend.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Then I got a little some in my cup and
it's actually just water. Okay, yeah, because mind your business
and stop making me feel like I need to drink.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Yeah for real? Yeah, yes, because why not? Pretty five
a green juice? That's right.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Listen.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
That was fun And I feel very calm talking to you.
You yeah, very very calm. So what is next for you? Madam?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
M M?
Speaker 2 (25:57):
What is next for me?
Speaker 4 (25:58):
I am on this road of creating a training for
Thick Girl Yoga LA, a holistic postpartum training, and we'll
bring in some yoga, We'll bring in herbalism, will bring
in just holistic practices because I feel like this is
the time for me now. I feel like I'm an
anti roll to reach back and sprinkle people with the
(26:22):
knowledge that I've received so that we can continue to
build community.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
I would love to see that training. Awesome.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Yeah, it's coming. And so I have an event every summer.
It's called Thick Girl Yoga LA Beach Day. We are
on our eighth year and it's just a thank you,
thank you. It's a day where I bring out other practitioners.
We have hooping, sound bath yoga, and I get to
(26:50):
put other people like up in front of the community
and we get to have fun. And honestly, seeing the
joy in adults faces like helps me to remember why
I'm doing this because they're bringing forward that inner child,
you know, and we all need to tune into into
that part of ourselves sometimes.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Well, I am looking forward to that, and please give
us some information on not ready to minute later on
your event. Eight years is not a small accomplishment. That's
a big one because putting events together is a lot
of hard work. Yes it is, Christina, Thank you so much.
I have one final question for you, Christina. So during
(27:33):
the beach event, are you wearing sunscreen? Yes, of course,
and of course we're that was it, yes, of course.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Fall What's funny is how how the universe works, right,
because I already buy the product. My daughters is the
product and I use it as well. And so I
went to Punta Kana and I got burned so bad.
That was when I found out that like black people
(28:01):
burn in the sun.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
What was your age if you don't like share that,
Oh I was.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
I think I was early twenty six. Yeah, so I
was like mid twenties, and I didn't think that it
was something that was for us. And so being introduced
to it and how moisturizing it is. Truth be told,
some days I only put that on. But the fact
(28:29):
that my little one, she has her whole skincare routine,
Like she's definitely teaching me and it's it's something that
she uses on her regular as well, So she's spending
her her money to purchase it.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
Oh yeah right, I love that too. I love that
for her. She's she's very independent and so yeah, we
definitely used on screen for sure, and that part. Thank
you appreciate that question for instance. And to hear the
rest of the episode, tune into Shamelessly Chante's YouTube channel
(29:06):
and you're listening to Shamelessly Chante. Bye yeah yeah, yeah,
yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
The proceeding was a paid commercial by Black Girl's Son's
screen
Speaker 3 (29:32):
H
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UConn basketball star Azzi Fudd brings her championship swag to iHeart Women’s Sports with Fudd Around and Find Out, a weekly podcast that takes fans along for the ride as Azzi spends her final year of college trying to reclaim the National Championship and prepare to be a first round WNBA draft pick. Ever wonder what it’s like to be a world-class athlete in the public spotlight while still managing schoolwork, friendships and family time? It’s time to Fudd Around and Find Out!