meet our facilitators
Hey space holders! Welcome to iya. Home of non-performative yoga and education beyond asana.
We’re a bunch of yoga nerds whose journey began with asana and has since then expanded to include the other facets of yoga, including philosophy, pranayama, meditation and more. In a nutshell, we teach all the other dope stuff within the practice of yoga that you don’t see on social media, while ensuring the physical practice is adaptable for different bodies.
Here, the standard is not performative yoga poses. Instead, we introduce space holders like you to different aspects of the practice to support your study as teachers and students.
Abiola Akanni
YTT Director & Founder
Pronouns: SHE|HER
E-RYT 200hr Yoga Instructor
A leader in the field of yoga, Abiola Akanni has successfully cultivated inclusive wellness spaces that encourage communities to develop their personal yoga practice. The Nigerian-American yoga educator is the creator behind Yoga by Biola and founder of iya, the online platform offering non-performative yoga beyond asana. Akanni is committed to sharing the tools of yoga to aid in self study and personal freedom.
Claudette Evans
Facilitator
Pronouns: SHE|HER
E-RYT 500-HR Yoga Instructor | YACEP
Claudette is a long-time student of yoga, a teacher and a studio administrator. She is passionate about the study and practice of yoga, as well as the training and mentoring of its teachers. Her nerdy enjoyment of yoga philosophy, not to mention her classical voice training, naturally led her to study the Sanskrit language, Vedic Chanting and Mantra. Claudette’s classes create space for self-expression through body and voice and foster a joy of movement.
Adrienne Renee
Facilitator
Pronouns: SHE|HER
200-HR Yoga Instructor | Structural Medicine Specialist
Adrienne is a Structural Medicine Specialist, Massage Therapist, private coach and passionate student/teacher of yoga. Her style of teaching emphasizes anatomy and functional alignment to bring greater awareness to the subtleties of the body. In her free time, Adrienne enjoys practicing inversions, backbends and engaging in nerdy conversation about movement and fascia.
Tamika Caston-Miller
Facilitator
Pronouns: SHE|THEY
E-RYT 500-hr Yoga Instructor | Founder of Ashe’ Yoga
Tamika Caston-Miller, E-RYT 500, YACEP is a historian, spiritual director, educator, and Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra Guide with special interest and extended training in Hatha, Restorative and Yin Yoga, and Yoga Nidra. Her creative yang classes are steeped in the Yoga Sutras while encouraging fun and authenticity, while yin classes are a skillful combination of Meditation, Storytelling, Yin and/or Restorative Yoga curated with thoughtful sequencing and music in an effort to help one turn inward and restore. Tamika embraces student agency and body diversity to build ashé through authentic asana and meditation practices, which are informed by the yoga sutras in support of the individual’s physical, mental, and emotional transformation goals.
Angie Foster
Facilitator
Pronouns: SHE|HER
200-hr Yoga Instructor | Founder of Afro Yoga
My name is Angie Franklin and I’m the Founder and CEO of Afro Yoga. I’m a certified Vinyasa, Kemetic and Yin Yoga teacher, wellness entrepreneur and self-taught graphic and web designer. I have a knack for bringing people together and am a natural community builder. I’m a double Aquarius (whewww) and as such, I love to break down old structures and rebuild them with visionary prowess. My work intersects where wellness and social justice meet. I lead trainings on the business of yoga, racial equity and community building for yoga studios and companies.
Terilyn Wylder
Facilitator
Pronouns: SHE|HER
200-hr Yoga Instructor | Energetic Anatomy Educator
Terilyn is all about community. This passion and commitment shines through in every class that she teaches and in her every interaction. She teaches from the belief that yoga is for every body; all racial identities , all sexual orientations, all gender identities, all shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities, all cultures and all religions. Terilyn is committed to continue doing the work to decolonize her mind from limiting beliefs to hold brave and safer space for all bodies to feel welcome and feel the inherent dignity that is our birthright.
Terilyn sees yoga as a tool to reveal and heal trauma as well as express love, joy and liberation and she feels deeply honored to hold sacred space for others to find healing and liberation in themselves.