lululemon Launches Here To Be—Partnership with Africa Yoga Project Premieres in NYC

November 2, 2016

Following the October launch of its community-based social impact program, Here To Be, to an audience at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, lululemon has introduced the venture and its nonprofit partnerships to its guests in cities nationwide. The international program, fortified by a 5-year, $25 million commitment to support the work of its nonprofit partner organizations, is designed to unite and amplify the yoga service community to create equal access to yoga.

This year, African Yoga Project (AYP) became lululemon’s first Here To Be international partner. Grant funds and product support curriculum development for the AYP Academy provides life and job skills to their yoga teacher training graduates. The organization’s vision is to create opportunities for youth to step into their greatness and become self-sustaining leaders in their communities.

On November 4 at 6:30pm, lululemon wraps up its AYP tour in New York City, with a midtown-Manhattan meditation and film screening. The documentary follows the journey of lululemon ambassador, Jian Pablico, as he witnesses firsthand the power of yoga in Kenya. 

lululemon sees the potential for yoga service programs to reach deep into local communities to support resilience and healing. From school programs that give kids the tools to focus their minds, to classes that unite people who have sustained injury or illness, or who are coping with the long-term effects of violence and conflict, these programs make yoga and meditation accessible to a wide variety of unique communities. As Here To Be scales over the next 5 years, lululemon intends to enroll and train 2,000 instructors to bring yoga and meditation to at least 500,000 people around the world.