DuShaun Branch Pollard (MBA, RYT 200, RCYT) has been practicing yoga for almost 13 years and fell in love with it because it allowed her to find peace of mind while moving her body.

As a yoga student, DuShaun noticed that she was the only black and plus-sized person in most of her classes. This inspired her to become a practitioner and bring yoga to more people who looked like her.

DuShaun is a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) through the Yoga Alliance and was certified through Bloom Yoga Studio in June 2020. In addition, she received her 95-hour Children’s Yoga Certification from Mission Propelle in the summer of 2018. DuShaun previously worked in higher education, is a trained restorative justice circle keeper, and is currently a community organizer.

DuShaun founded Sage Gawd Collective in the summer of 2020, and DuShaun is focused on bringing yoga to as many BIPOC and plus-sized communities as possible. Through Sage Gawd Collective, DuShaun teaches several accessible yoga classes throughout Chicagoland and works to remove as many barriers to the practice as possible. She believes people need rest, relaxation, and resistance; yoga is a powerful way to tap into the balance of ease and positive effort. DuShaun teaches through the lens of equity and trauma-informed, hosting classes in “non-traditional” settings all over the city. She intends to remove as many barriers as possible to bring yoga to those looking for calm and relaxed minds.

DuShaun truly believes yoga is for all and shares that belief throughout Chicago and beyond.