Sheryl Lee Ralph‘s family is making their own mark and its in the name of wellness.
Ralph’s son and daughter—Etienne Maurice and Ivy Maurice, and Etienne’s cousin, Marley Ralph opened WalkGood, their own yoga studio in LA. Per a recent Instagram post regarding the ribbon cutting, the business officially opened its doors earlier this year.
Per LA List, the idea stemmed from the trio’s march they organized during 2020’s summer social justice reckoning in the of George Floyd’s murder. Inspired to encouragef mental wellness among the Black community, Etienne created a series of wellness events around the greater Los Angeles area, and soon after, launched the wellness nonprofit WalkGood LA. A part of its offering was weekly yoga sessions at a local park that normally drew in hundreds of people.
“Here we are, years later, a Black-owned organization, a Black-owned building trying to bring that same spirit of entrepreneurship, but with healing attached to it,” Etienne told LA List. “I think this is going to be the start of something that I’ve really envisioned for the city of L.A. to make some real change in this community.”
The shop celebrates the family’s Jamaican roots, with its walls brightly colored and peppered with pictures of the loving family.
“It reminds me of home, and for me, home is Los Angeles by the way of Jamaica,” Etienne said. “I believe that this is what we need to be investing in,” a yoga participant, Eira Schwyzer said. “Now I feel like I can go to a place that is for people like me, Afro-Indigenous Latino people, who need something to be able to go to, connect with our community, and focus on our mental and physical well-being. This is a place where we can elevate our community and inspire people to do the same.”
