Today we’d like to introduce you to Melvin Boyce II.
Melvin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In 1994, while working on my Masters in Sociology, my graduate advisor gave me the opportunity to teach, a career choice class to 1st generation college freshman students. This sparked my passion to become an educator and provide access and experiences for students. In 1996, while only just my master’s thesis away from a degree, I left school to move out to Los Angeles with my cousins. I went from a small town called normal, IL, to hanging out in television and movie sets all day with my family. Although these moments were fun, they were not fulfilling. In 1996, I met a wonderful spirit by the name of Wendy Raquel Robinson. She blessed with the opportunity to start at her passion project called AMAZING GRACE CONSERVATORY. I began working with some amazing youth in the south Los Angeles Area. During that same time, I also began working for LA Bridges, a gang intervention /prevention program.
With Torre Reese. Mr. Reese had an after school program called SEE A MAN BE A MAN. These opportunities allowed me to take my passion of Spokenword and teach it to the youth. In 2007, I began teaching for PEOPLE WHO CARE Youth center, one day while the class had behavior challenges I gave them some yoga poses to do. They thought the pose were silly. Then a young man walked in and everybody straightened up. The young man stated “you better listening to this corny teacher, I got out of juvenile hall six months earlier because of yoga”. That was my ahh moment!! If the prisons are letting our youth out early because they practice yoga, maybe if they practice yoga while they are free they will not go to jail. I began teaching you yoga in 2009, and I have been humbling blessed to have taught over 9,000 students in the Los Angeles, Honolulu and Denver area.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my most humbled challenges is helping students understand trauma. Is something they don’t have to live with alone. One of my schools is in “Nipesy Hussle square”. When the high school students change class periods they can see where Nipsey was killed. The trauma is so heavy some students believe it is normal.
Spokenyoga – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Spokenyoga provides wellness tools to support youth as they master their emotional literacy. We work with youth for Pre K-12th grade . I specialize in compassion and listening to our youth. Which allows me to see in any giving moment the healing apparatus they need to find balance in the moment. I combine spokenword or Positive statements that allow students to center there mind while they remind themselves through words and movement they are amazing!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment was on August 4, 2019 at the Nate Holden Theatre. We dedicated our show to the life of Ermias Joseph Asghedom AKA Nipsey Hussle. For six weeks, I had my student write poetry with the feeling that Nipsey mother would hear these poems and they would support her healing process. The students performers there amazing Spokenword, when the show was over, I saw that Nipseys mother giving a standing ovation to our students!! She whispered in my ear “keep doing this purpose work and keep healing our babies”.
Pricing:
- One on one sessions $95/hr
- Family sessions (2 to 8 people) $120/hr
Contact Info:
- Address: 3651 South Labrea #768
Los Angeles, CA, 90016 - Website: Deepred.bandcamp.com
- Phone: 3235968656
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Spokenyoga
- Facebook: Spokenyoga
- Twitter: Spokenyoga
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