The Brooklyn Wellness Club, a Black-woman-owned wellness studio in Bedford-Stuyvesant, is looking to raise money after the shed in the backyard collapsed due to the weight from the snow and ice from the January snowstorms.
In early February, owner Paris Alexandra posted a video to her Instagram account explaining the reasons for the fundraiser.
“This is our backyard, y’all take a look,” she said in the video. "This is what happened over the past week because of the weather. The ice was too heavy on the roof, so it totally collapsed.”
To repair everything, Alexandra hopes to raise about $5,000 through a GoFundMe campaign, which was created on Feb. 10. Since then, the studio has raised over $1,700.
The studio, located at 704 DeKalb Ave., serves as a space for entrepreneurs and those on their wellness journey to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The space offers group yoga classes, pilates, mindfulness workshops and other community programming for creative professionals.
The backyard at the studio is used for various programming, Alexandra told BK Reader. Since opening the space in 2023, she has used it for outdoor yoga and meditation sessions, and smaller kickbacks and gatherings for the community.
To resume programming, Alexandra is hoping to build a new shed, clean up the space and have it back up and running by the spring. She has already sourced contractors for the project so this doesn't happen again in harsh winter weather.
The backyard space means a lot to Alexander as it serves as a crucial space for Black and brown New Yorkers to come together.
"It means a lot to the community,” she said.
The extra expense to fix the backyard is not something the business can easily take on, Alexandra said. With other operating expenses like rent and electricity, the business cannot afford to pay for unexpected repairs.
Since posting the video, Alexandra said she has received support beyond financial donations and is grateful for those who have simply shown up.
“So many people have reached out to me and said, ‘I want to help. I want to support. If I need to shovel, I'll be there. If you want me to take some wood. I will,” said Alexandra. “And that is really what building community and equity is. That's really what it's about.”
Those who donate via GoFundMe can use their donation towards a future class, studio rental or event. As a thank you, the studio will also host community classes for those who donated and helped, she said.
Alexandra said she is always looking for local wellness practitioners, creatives and entrepreneurs to join The Brooklyn Wellness Club Collective, which grants them access to the space for coworking events and peer mentorship, amongst other things.
You can donate to the GoFundMe here.
