At iShine Yoga & Wellness in Huntersville, the work of participants recently went beyond the mat – taking a stand for immigrant rights, and offered a glimpse into a growing movement that turns personal wellness into collective action.
On a recent chilly Friday, 71 people gathered for “Rooted in Solidarity: Breath, Movement and Community Care,” led by Charlotte yoga instructors Jess Bieber, Heather Boyer and Emily South. By the end of the evening, they had raised $4,000 for Carolina Migrant Network—making it one of the studio’s largest fundraisers to date.
The timing was not incidental.
Immigration enforcement is a defining issue in the national political climate, and the recent “Operation Charlotte’s Web” brought shifting federal immigration policies directly to the doorstep of communities across Mecklenburg County. Federal officials said the operation in November led to more than 425 arrests, but have provided limited details about those arrested.
Debates over cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration drew national attention, and the aftershocks continue to be felt.
Expanded and highly publicized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations have placed immigrant communities on edge across the United States. In North Carolina, advocates report ongoing detention and deportation proceedings that leave families navigating a complicated legal system for those without counsel.
Against this backdrop, a growing number of Charlotte-area wellness leaders are asking what responsibility they hold and how their spaces can be used for good.
Local boutique fitness studios, meditation circles, sound baths and herbal workshops have flourished over the past decade, mirroring trends in other major U.S. cities. In recent years, many have also been grappling with deeper questions about equity, access and social justice.
Rather than separating personal practice from public issues, events like the one in Huntersville reflect a growing belief that the two can coexist. Yoga instructors and wellness entrepreneurs have held donation-based classes benefiting local nonprofits and hosted mutual aid efforts and advocacy organizations. The approach reflects a shift in how some define care, expanding practices to include the broader community.
At iShine, that shift translated into a sold-out yoga class and thousands of dollars directed toward legal defense.
Carolina Migrant Network provides free legal representation to people held in immigration detention across North Carolina. For many detained individuals, there is no guaranteed right to government-appointed counsel. Attorneys must be secured privately or through nonprofit support — a barrier that can determine the outcome of a case.
For Carolina Migrant Network, the $4,000 raised will directly support its core work: representing detained immigrants at no cost to them. While immigration policy is debated in Washington, its consequences are felt in courtrooms and detention centers across North Carolina — and in neighborhoods throughout Charlotte. Legal representation can mean the difference between release and prolonged detention, or between remaining in the United States and deportation.
Bieber reflected on the evening afterward: “What a special night of love, connection and community. Neighbors helping neighbors. Thank you to everyone who donated, practiced, and supported this offering.”
The fundraiser illustrates how civic engagement is taking shape in places not traditionally associated with political action.
A yoga studio in Huntersville may seem far removed from immigration court, but it’s just one example of a community space that people already trust. As federal enforcement actions expand and their consequences ripple through North Carolina communities, residents are finding ways to respond within the spaces they already frequent – such as studios, gyms, and social wellness circles.
When a wellness studio leverages its network, its physical space and its economic power in service of social justice, it expands the definition of what community infrastructure can look like.
Queens University News Service stories are prepared by students in the James L. Knight School of Communication with supervision and editing from faculty and staff. The James L. Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte provides the news service in support of local community news.
