our story

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I’m Pamela Buckner, CEO, Chairman of the Board, and President of Soul Unity Community Coalition. This movement began over a decade ago, during a time of deep personal loss. I turned to meditation for healing and soon felt called to explore yoga. Although I had tried yoga before, I often felt unwelcome in those spaces—my brown skin and curvy body rarely reflected in the room around me. I struggled with flexibility and balance, and each attempt left me feeling inadequate and disconnected.

Everything changed when I discovered Yogalution in Long Beach, CA, led by Dharma Shakti. That first class included mantra chanting, and as I looked around the room filled with diverse faces and energies, I felt something I had never felt before in a yoga space: belonging. I had found my home.

Inspired, I pursued yoga teacher training with a program that reflected the diversity I had longed for. I completed my training in November 2014 and began teaching immediately, determined to bring yoga to communities like mine.

I began teaching in community spaces—YMCAs, parks, and even a thrift store—because I believed yoga could be a powerful tool for healing in marginalized communities. But as I attended yoga festivals, I noticed a painful truth: people of color were few and far between, often isolated and disconnected in spaces that claimed to be about unity.

In response, I created the Soul Long Beach Yoga Festival in February 2020. It was a celebration of diversity and inclusion, held in the heart of Long Beach. We welcomed over 350 attendees, 30+ vendors, and multiple food vendors. The energy was electric.

Just two weeks later, COVID-19 shut down the world. But we kept the momentum alive with a virtual festival in 2021, drawing yogis from across the U.S. and the U.K. for two days of yoga, meditation, music, and spoken word.

In 2024, we rebranded as the Soul + Unity Yoga Festival, expanding our mission beyond Long Beach. We hosted the festival in Los Angeles’ historic Jefferson Park—a neighborhood that reflects the rich diversity we celebrate. With over 200 attendees, 25 vendors, and vibrant community engagement, the festival was a beautiful success.

After the 2024 festival, we took the next step and officially became a nonprofit. The Soul Unity Community Coalition was born to deepen our impact and expand our reach. Our mission is to make yoga and wellness accessible to all—especially in communities that have historically been excluded.

We are committed to:

• Hosting free and donation-based yoga festivals
• Offering accessible yoga teacher training
• Creating health and wellness events in underserved communities
• Providing online yoga and meditation classes
• Collaborating with diverse teachers and community partners

We believe yoga should reflect the world we live in—diverse, inclusive, and united.

This is just the beginning. We invite you to be part of our journey.

Soul Unity Community Coalition is here. Yoga.Includes.Me.