From the Mat to the Mission: Meet Scholarship Recipient Janae Johnson

Janae Johnson grew up in Greenwood, Indiana, the kind of kid who was always moving — competitive sports, athletics, the drive to win. Wellness, in the holistic sense, wasn't part of the picture yet. That shift came in high school, when her family began paying closer attention to what they were putting into their bodies and how they were treating them. The game changed. Janae went from playing to compete, to learning to listen — to rest, to recovery, to what her body was actually asking for.

That early awakening planted a seed. Years later, it brought her to The Hot Room — and eventually through a Vinyasa teacher training she might never have accessed without the Breathe Foundation.

"I Had Always Felt This Would Be Out of Reach"

Growing up in a low-income family shapes the way you see doors — which ones are open, which ones have your name on them, and which ones you've been quietly told aren't for you. Wellness spaces, with their price tags and their cultural homogeneity, often fell into that last category for Janae.

"I had always felt that being in a space such as this one would be out of reach," she says. "But since joining The Hot Room and going through teacher training, I have realized that it is important to be in a space that recognizes the systemic barriers and challenges individuals like myself face."

As a Black woman, Janae brings an intentional lens to every wellness space she enters. She looks for places that don't just talk about inclusion — but build it into the foundation. That's precisely what drew her deeper into The Hot Room community, and what made the Breathe Foundation scholarship feel like more than financial support.

"Equity being the foundation of this scholarship demonstrates The Hot Room's dedication to creating a diverse and inclusive environment that fosters connection and collaboration," she reflects. "The Breathe Foundation's focus on equity reminds me that being a teacher and furthering my practice through education is not out of reach."

What Representation Really Means

Janae thinks about representation on two levels — as a student, and now as a teacher.

As a student, it means walking into a class and not being the only person who looks like you. It means access to spaces made up of people from all different walks of life. "THR specifically has shown me just how accessible a wellness space can be," she says. "Every time I step into a room I am surrounded by diverse groups of people."

As a teacher, the bar goes higher. Representation means the wellness world actively recognizing the barriers that exist — and taking real steps to dismantle them. Not a diversity statement. Not a stock photo. Action.

Where She's Going

Janae has been teaching for a year now, and she's just getting started. Her vision for the future is rooted in continued learning — she's looking toward Yin and Sculpt certifications, expanding her toolkit and her reach. She wants to bring The Hot Room's mission to large communities, to groups of people who haven't yet heard that this space is for them.

More than that, she wants to be part of something bigger. "I want to be a part of the foundation's bigger picture," she says, "creating opportunities for those who feel that they are out of reach."

Why This Work Matters

There's no better way to say it than the way Janae said it herself:

"The foundation exists specifically to provide opportunities for people of color and minority groups to further their practice and education. In my personal experience, I would not have been able to go through teacher training without the support of the Breathe Foundation."

The Breathe Foundation isn't a nice-to-have. For people like Janae, it's the difference between a door that opens and one that doesn't.

If you believe that the wellness world is better — more whole, more healing, more honest — when it reflects all of us, consider making a gift today.

DONATE TO THE BREATHE FOUNDATION →

The Breathe Foundation, by The Hot Room, provides equity-based scholarships for BIPOC individuals, LGBTQIA+ community members, people from low-income households, individuals with disabilities, and those who have experienced trauma or adversity — because representation in wellness isn't optional. It's the mission.