Healing Uptown with Yogiando NYC & Fourth of July Real Talk
What up, everyone! It’s Led Black and Octavio Blanco back for another episode of Uptown Voices. This week, we are shining a massive spotlight on community wellness, sitting down with the incredible Rosana Rodriguez, founder of Yogiando NYC.
After struggling with debilitating PTSD, severe physical pain, and a complete loss of hope, Rosana discovered the life-saving power of meditative yoga. But she didn't stop at her own recovery. Realizing that these essential wellness spaces were often out of reach for everyday people, she built the first fully bilingual, accessible yoga practice right here in Washington Heights. Rosana holds nothing back as she shares her powerful journey from feeling like "the living dead" to becoming a beacon of healing for our doñas, our elders, and our neighborhood—plus, she drops some major news about her return to the mat!
In the second half of the episode, we pivot to a raw, unfiltered Fourth of July reality check. On the 250th anniversary of the American experiment, we unpack the local "pothole politics" of NYC, the ongoing threats to working-class democracy, and why it's time to clean house in the political establishment.
Real people talking real shit. Spread love is the Uptown way!
🕒 Episode Chapters / Timestamps:
- 00:00 – Intro, surviving the heatwave, & Fourth of July opening thoughts.
- 02:09 – Welcoming Rosana Rodriguez: What is Yogiando NYC?
- 05:13 – Breaking down cultural stigmas: Bringing yoga into the church.
- 15:53 – "I was the living dead": Rosana opens up about her battle with PTSD and finding her purpose.
- 18:46 – Why you don't need to be "flexible" to heal: The power of Yin and meditative yoga.
- 21:22 – Creating a bilingual wellness space for the community.
- 23:21 – Major Announcements: Catch Rosana at Heights Meditation & Yoga and NOMAA!
- 26:01 – A full-circle moment: Giving back to the Washington Heights streets that raised her.
- 35:40 – Led and Octavio transition into a 250th Anniversary political reality check.
- 44:20 – The "twin genocides" of American history and the threat of authoritarianism.
- 51:30 – Unpacking "individual responsibility" when the working class is being defunded.
- 1:02:53 – Why the political establishment needs a wake-up call & the hope in local progressive wins.
- 1:12:16 – Holding leaders accountable on global conflicts, Gaza, and corporate interests.
- 1:30:24 – Closing thoughts: Highlighting local heroes and supporting the Uptown Voices movement.
🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned:
- Practice with Rosana: Follow her journey and sign up for classes on Instagram at @yogiandonyc.
- Heights Meditation and Yoga: Catch Rosana’s Sunday classes at 875 W 181st Street.
- Follow Us: Keep up with the podcast on Instagram at @uptownvoicespodcast and @uptowncollective.
- Support the Show: Uptown Voices is a fiscally sponsored project of the Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem. All donations are tax-deductible and help us keep bringing you these crucial, community-driven conversations.
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