The Texas Yoga Association could not have formed at a better time. These words have been echoed many times over the past few days from Houston to Austin to Dallas.
Last week Jennifer Buergermeister, Founder and Executive Director of the Texas Yoga Association, reached out to yogis all across Texas promoting unity to rise up as one in response to the inquiries many yoga teachers were served from the Texas Workforce Commission. Now facing a fifteen day deadline, the launch date of the Texas Yoga Association (originally planned for February 19-20, 2010 at the Texas Yoga Conference) would have to be pushed up, and fast.
On Sunday, January 17, 2010, more than 25 Houston yoga studio owners, yoga teachers, and yoga supporters gathered, including Will Collins, a Houston pro bono attorney, Sue Schecter, former State Representative for Harris County, and Brad and Brad Shields, two lobbyists from Austin. On Monday, January 18, 2010, David Sunshine, Kurt Johnsen and Vicki Johnson hosted a meeting of more than 20 Dallas yogis at the Dallas Yoga Center. Jennifer Buergermeister and Kristin Scheel travelled to Dallas representing the Texas Yoga Association. Brad and Brad Shields also attended the Dallas meeting. As these groups joined one spirit emerged: unity in this great community, to create a positive solution for yoga. We learned that as an association, the yoga community has greater standing under the law than we have as individuals. Like many other professions, the yoga community needs industry representation who works with government agencies and policy makers to educate state authorities about yoga. The union of the Texas yoga community was long overdue.
The groups explored a range of options concerning the primary issue of how to respond to the Texas Workforce Commission, while keeping in mind that the larger stake in this game is to preserve and protect the integrity of yoga for years to come. As our fifteen days quickly expire, the Texas Yoga Association legal advisers are working fervently to draft a unified response for the affected yoga teachers. Meanwhile, the Texas Yoga Association lobbyists set up an informational meeting between the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Yoga Association which will be held next week. The purpose of this meeting is to help the Texas Workforce Commission understand more about yoga and the programs it seeks to regulate.
This is only the beginning and there is much to be done at the grassroots level in order to succeed. We need to continue raising awareness of these issues in the yoga community and amongst yoga supporters. With every class we teach and every student we meet we have another opportunity. We must keep a unified front before the Texas Workforce Commission, and share information relating to these communications. The Texas Yoga Association will continue to issue updates and connect people with each other and the pooling of resources. The Texas Yoga Association needs your help too. We are setting up local charters in cities across the state of Texas. Dallas and Austin have set up charters, and we need to continue reaching out to establish charters in other regions. We need representation from the entire state in order to speak on behalf of the Texas yoga community as one. Fundraising and membership must begin immediately to generate donations for our political action fund. We will come together on February 19th & 20th as planned at the Texas Yoga Conference to continue building our spirit and developing our united representative community, the Texas Yoga Association.
We are honored and blessed with your support, and the support of our advisers,
Houston Pro Bono Attorney/litigator:
William J. Collins, III
Sheehy, Ware & Pappas, P.C.
2500 Two Houston Center
909 Fannin Street
Houston, Texas 77010
(713) 951-4603
Dallas Pro Bono Attorney/litigator:
John V. McShane
McShane & Davis, LLP
Campbell Center, Tower I
8350 N. Central Expy., Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75206-1624
(214) 365-9030
Austin Lobbyists:
Brad Shields
Shields Leglislative Associates
208 W 14th Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 413-2700
bradshields.com