Nuna Gleason is the creator of the Maine Afro Yoga Project, a 200-hour certified yoga teacher, storyteller, and cultural consultant. A survivor and dedicated advocate for others, she believes that true magic begins when transformation starts from within. Through mindfulness, trauma-informed yoga, and nature-based practices, Nuna empowers people to discover freedom in body, mind, and spirit.

Born and raised in Kenya, Nuna carries a background in psychology, mental health advocacy, and a lifelong commitment to social justice. Her work centers on creating accessible, culturally rooted wellness spaces for immigrant communities, survivors of sexual violence, and people of color. She is known for honoring untold narratives and revealing resilience and beauty from experiences often seen as broken.

Her yoga journey began with a scholarship from Sea Change Yoga to complete a 200-hour teacher training at Portland Yoga Project. As the only Black woman in her class—and one of the few with no prior experience—she often felt that yoga was not meant for her. “Like many Black folks, I used to believe yoga wasn’t for me. I almost quit, but I’m glad I didn’t.”

In those early spaces, she saw yoga presented as healing, but rarely in ways that spoke to her community. She thought of asylum seekers navigating immigration systems, African survivors of sexual and domestic violence silenced by culture, and families carrying trauma across generations. She knew yoga could be a tool for healing, but not if it was kept inaccessible, exclusive, or stripped of cultural resonance.

So Nuna began creating something different. She drew from her African roots—exploring Kemetic yoga, traditional movement, rhythm, and storytelling—to shape an Afro-centered practice that welcomes every body. For those who don’t speak English, for those who cannot sit still in silence, for those who need music and movement to find peace, she built a practice where belonging matters as much as poses.

This vision grew into the Maine Afro Yoga Project: a multilingual, trauma-informed, culturally grounded space where communities can move, heal, and grow together. Here, yoga is more than postures—it is a practice of joy, resilience, and collective healing.

A lifelong student of the mind-body-spirit connection, I approach yoga as a practice that harmonizes physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

In June 2024, I completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training from the Portland Yoga Project, where we had thorough lessons and discussions on more than just the history and philosophy of yoga but also anti-racism & decolonization practices and queer competency. 

The vision that I seek to curate throughout my yoga practice and public offerings consists of hosting accessible, light-hearted, welcoming spaces where practitioners can establish a deeper connection with themselves and craft an internal center-peace that guides and nourishes one through the peaks and valleys of one's day and life.

In my classes, I welcome curiosity, self-compassion, and nourishing self-talk, encouraging students to find what feels sound and sustainable for their unique bodies. I hope students leave feeling grounded, empowered, and better attuned to their inner wisdom.

Outside the studio, I enjoy capturing moments behind a camera, keeping abreast of astrological transits, applying Feng Shui remedies to various environments, listening to or making music, immersing myself in nature, making fresh juices and longevity meals, reading, and writing!