A Q&A with Danny Fluker Jr.

Let’s learn a little bit about you. Where are you from? What do you like to eat/cook? What's your go-to song to sing loudly in the car? Dream vacation?

I’m a native of Atlanta Georgia. 

I love almost anything Caribbean, Southwestern or Mediterranean. 

Pretty much the entire Hamilton, Greatest Showman or Lion King soundtrack. 

My dream vacation would be anywhere near a large body of water and warm weather.  

Tell us about your personal yoga journey. How did you find yoga and what keeps you coming back?

I started yoga as a way to counteract severe anxiety. I keep coming back because there are parts of myself that open up in deeper ways when I practice. 

You founded Black Boys Om in 2018. How did that come about?

The idea came in a moment - I was co-facilitating a meditation workshop for men at Yellow Mat Wellness, a Black Woman owned yoga studio in Atlanta. Siha Collins, the owner is a passionate meditation practitioner and teacher and asked me to lead the men through the asana portion of the workshop. All the men who showed up that day were Black and it was the first time I’d experienced the energy of being in a room full of Black men meditating. During that workshop conversations around Black male wellness, mental health, trauma, stress and the collective lived experience of what it means to be Black in America came up. Internally I began to wonder about what it would look like to replicate this experience for multiple Black men. I began to connect with other Black male yoga teachers that I personally knew and others who I knew by association. I began to share with them my thoughts around starting a collective with a specific purpose of amplifying our efforts for our communities, together - with the specific aim of helping Black boys and Black men through our own wellness practices. I also began to reach out to a few friends I knew who started nonprofits of their own. I didn’t realize that I wanted BBO to be a non-profit at the time, I just knew that I wanted it to be a community organization of some sort. One of my yoga mentors, Brandon Copeland was teaching yoga to Black boys in a private school in southwest D.C. and I remember being inspired by his work and wanted to figure out a way to replicate bringing yoga to Black boys in schools. As the collective grew by word of mouth the goals of helping our communities together became more focused - a lot of brothers were already doing work in their communities and the drive to amplify that work and to create an organization centering that work for more impact came into focus. We began to do pop-ups in yoga studios, park events, primary schools, college campuses, community centers, correctional facilities and faith organizations. Our network continued to grow and at present, we have 250 Black male yogis a part of our collective in 100 locations around the United States and the world.

How have the events of the last year impacted your practice and your organization?

I’ve taken a break from teaching yoga and meditation. When quarantine first began I had a collaboration with one of my best friends - weekly recorded offerings and I eventually had to stop. I began to focus more and more on my personal practice with the occasional private client. I’d stopped teaching at a major yoga studio and when my state opened again I didn’t go back because I didn’t feel comfortable facilitating people's practice in a closed space. Regarding Black Boys OM, we shifted our offerings online and in open spaces in parks around the country. We started a virtual academy with free membership for Black boys, Black men and their families. Phase 1 ended at the end of October with 400 Academy classes taught and 292+ Black boys OM Academy members. 

Why is it important for Black male yogis to have a space of their own?

I didn’t realize it was so necessary until I experienced being in a room full of Black men meditating. There is something to be said about a shared lived experience in an environment where healing is cultivated and space is held. 

I think it speaks to why safe spaces exist at all.

You're leading PYR's online BIPOC Yoga Circle on December 1 (thank you!). What intentions will you bring to that space? 

I hope to hold space for all of what the participants are holding within themselves. I hope it is encouraging,  cleansing and purposeful.  

Are you familiar with Six-Word Memoirs? It's an idea based on Hemingway's famous six-word story, "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." What would yours be?

Chasing God, Honoring Blackness, Breathing Healing. 

How can we in Richmond support you and your work?

Please follow us on social media, Black Boys OM - on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram -  share about we are doing and if you have the capacity please give. Every little bit helps.