In a viral video posted Sept. 7, TikToker and equity and justice Ph.D. student Victoria Alexander (@victoriaalxndr) shares an instance where she was asked to give a keynote presentation before a hip-hop goat yoga session led by a white woman.
“Wanna learn about cultural appropriation and then go to hip-hop goat yoga aka DO some cultural appropriation??” her caption said.
@victoriaalxndr Wanna learn about cultural appropriation and then go to hip-hop goat yoga aka DO some cultural appropriation?? #DiversityandEquity #DEI #PublicSpeaker ♬ original sound – Victoria Alexander
Alexander explains that this is the exact reason why an entity must have intentionality behind its diversity and equity work. As she was on the call with the organization discussing her potential cultural appropriation keynote, the creator says she asked what they had planned before and after her slot at the event.
“They say ‘right after you, is yoga and we’re really excited about it,’” Alexander says. “That’s a yellow flag. That’s a pause, I’ll tell you why.”
The organization enthusiastically told her it will host “hip-hop goat yoga” at the conference, and Alexander, before reacting, asked who would be leading the session. The organization screen-shared an image of a white woman with a goat on her back, and the creator was not amused.
Once noticing her reaction, the organization asked if something was wrong.
“Yeah, a couple of things are just a little bit wrong. First of all, yoga is a Hindu practice and hip-hop is a Black cultural art form so I’m not so much loving that they’re being conflated and then instructed by an American white woman,” she says in the video.
Once Alexander gave her reasoning, she said it was clear by their expressions that the organization had not even considered that to be an issue. She says they had already contracted the yoga instructor out, but still requested Alexander take part in the keynote presentation.
“Unfortunately my values do not align with the goals and values of this program. Thank you so much for thinking of me,” she concludes. “And with that, I bid you good day.”
In the comments section, users shared their shock and disbelief.
“Wow…! Seriously… are they in reality?!?! Are the lights on????? Caucasity running rampant,” one user commented.
“‘We want you to teach us about cultural appropriation. The after we will do the exact opposite of your teachings,’” another said.
“You’re better than me, I would’ve taken the engagement but made the whole speech about hip hop goat yoga,” a third user commented.
Other users joked about the premise of the yoga session.
“Meanwhile, the goat trying to figure out how he got pulled into that mess,” one user commented.
“I was really hoping they were going to say that the goat was teaching it,” another said.
The Daily Dot reached out to Alexander via a contact form on her website.