Across the U.S., Latina-Owned Yoga Studios Are Creating the Spaces We Always Needed
If you’ve ever walked into a yoga studio, clocked the mood lighting, heard the ambient whale sounds, and thought “hmm… I might not belong here,” you’re not alone, mija. For years, wellness spaces have looked and sounded like they were curated by the same minimalist Pinterest board. But Latinas across the country are flipping that script faster than you can say “inhale, exhale, dale.”
Across New York, California, Chicago, and New Jersey, a new wave of Latina-owned yoga studios is proving that wellness isn’t just for the elite; it’s for the community. These mujeres are grounding, stretching, and healing while blasting Bad Bunny, burning palo santo, and reminding us that yoga is for every body.
Welcome to the Fierce Wellness Tour. Next stop: five Latina-owned studios leading the movement and bringing serious sazón to the mat.
Ofrenda Yoga Studio (East Harlem, NYC)
For Jazmin Tejada, yoga wasn’t love at first sight; it was more like a slow-burning romance with a few red flags and a major plot twist. “I didn’t find yoga—yoga found me,” she says. After a back injury ended her salsa dancing career, gentle yoga became her therapy. Fast-forward to today, she’s the proud owner of Ofrenda Yoga Studio, a cozy, no-judgment zone in East Harlem where bachata meets balance.
When you walk into Ofrenda, it feels like stepping into your bestie’s apartment: “You might catch some reggaetón, salsa, or señora baladas playing. It’s giving Saturday morning energy, like get up, clean, or maybe dance with your broom a little.”
Forget the stiff “yoga voice”, here, it’s all Spanglish, real talk, and zero mirrors. “We want our students to focus on how they feel, not how they look,” Jazmin says. Classes range from fiery flows to slow, grounding sessions, but her favorite? “Power and Flow. It’s constant movement to music, and that’s my jam.”
Her mission is as heartfelt as it is radical: “Latinos and people of color deserve nice things too. We deserve spaces where we can show up fully as ourselves. No code-switching, no judgment.”
The Mat (Vallejo, California)
IG: @thematvallejo
Sister duo Crystal and Joselyn Reynoso didn’t just open a yoga studio; they built a wellness familia. The Mat is proof that representation and heat (literally, it’s a hot yoga studio) can coexist beautifully. “When we first started taking heated yoga and Pilates classes, we realized there weren’t many people who looked like us,” Joselyn says. “So we created the space we wished existed.”
At The Mat, you’ll find yoga sculpt, yin, Inferno 26 (their Bikram-style class), and even Yoga Nidra for when you need that post-work nap disguised as enlightenment. They play everything from Petit Biscuit to Karol G, offer classes in Spanish, and host Día de los Muertos sessions that honor ancestors with movement and love.
Their philosophy? “Yoga and Pilates are for everyone, regardless of size or background. There’s a stigma that wellness is for a certain demographic, but it’s truly for all human beings who enjoy connecting through movement.”
And their advice for aspiring Latina entrepreneurs? “Go for it. Believe in yourself wholeheartedly and draw strength from your roots. That same bravery that helped our parents build new lives lives within us too.”
Sana Yoga NJ (New Providence & Union, New Jersey)
IG: @sanayoganj
At Sana Yoga, the motto is simple: Feel. Heal. Sana. Viviana González Gago built her studio straight from the heart and maybe a little chaos. “Sana Yoga was born from my soul. Yoga found me when I needed to breathe again,” she shares. This Chilean powerhouse has turned her twin New Jersey studios into hubs of spiritual perreo, where Bad Bunny meets breathwork. “You’ll hear everything from Latin to rock to hip-hop, maybe a little Bad Bunny right after mantra music,” Viviana laughs. “It’s all part of the medicine.”
Her culture shows up in every detail, from the palo santo in the air to the fire in her classes. “We don’t chase perfection; we celebrate presence,” she says. “Every class feels like therapy, a dance party, and a sacred ceremony rolled into one.”
When asked what being a Latina in wellness means, she doesn’t hesitate: “It means breaking barriers and redefining what wellness looks like for us. It’s carrying the fire of all the women before me who didn’t get the chance to rest and saying, I will.”
Spiritual Flow: Yoga–Gong–Pilates (Woodland Hills, CA)
Mother-daughter duo Susie and Vivian are proof that healing runs in the bloodline. What started as a garage sanctuary is now Spiritual Flow Studio, a stunning, infrared-heated space infused with their Mexican heritage. “Culture shows up everywhere,” Vivian says. “We play Latin music, burn palo santo, and offer a class called Latin Beats: Mat Pilates, where it’s nothing but Spanish music and reggaetón.”
But make no mistake, this isn’t your average yoga studio. They’re the first in the San Fernando Valley to integrate LED red light therapy into classes. Yup, you’re literally glowing while you find your flow.
Their most-loved event? A full-on two-hour solstice ritual featuring cacao ceremonies, limpias, tarot readings, and sound baths led by mamá Susie herself. “Our mission is to help people feel empowered, connected, and spiritually aligned. As Latinas, we’re reclaiming space in wellness and showing that spirituality has always lived in our culture.”
Latina Sweat Project (Chicago, IL)
What started as free yoga classes in Chicago’s South Side parks turned into a movement and eventually into a studio. “Latina Sweat began long before we had walls,” Margarita says. “It started as community healing on the concrete.”
Now, the Latina Sweat Project is a full-fledged studio powered by purpose. Classes are donation-based, bilingual, and often end with live music, guided meditations, or storytelling circles. The playlists? Everything from Selena to Fuerza Regida.
“We wanted people to walk in and immediately think, ‘De aquí soy.’ Wellness shouldn’t feel out of reach,” Margarita says. “Our instructors are from the same neighborhoods we serve. Students become teachers, and teachers become leaders.” Their mission? To make wellness accessible, culturally rooted, and community-led. “Every class is an act of resistance and self-love, a reminder that rest and joy are our birthrights.”
A New Era of Wellness
Across the map, these mujeres are redefining what yoga looks, feels, and sounds like. They’re creating spaces filled with warmth, rhythm, and community where you can unroll your mat, drop your shoulders, and just be.
They’re showing that wellness doesn’t have one aesthetic; it has accents, music, and ancestors cheering us on. Whether it’s flowing with Bad Bunny, meditating to the sound of a gong, or lighting a candle on Día de los Muertos, these studios remind us that wellness isn’t a luxury; it’s our legacy. As Jazmin from Ofrenda puts it best: “We deserve nice things too.”
So go ahead, mi reina. Roll out your mat, light that palo santo, and step into your power. This new wave of Latina-owned yoga studios is proof that when we move, we heal, not just ourselves, but our communities too.
