Harness Cycle + Soul Yoga

​​​​​​Empowered movement, growth + community

We are raising funds on IFW to launch two new movement studios in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, OH. Both studios will be opening in a historic building called The Vitrolite, a neighborhood space to move, eat, gather and learn. 

Our journey

Anne and Ylonda met in 2017 during a rooftop yoga class in Ohio City. They have followed each other's journeys and supported each other as friends for years before now embarking on a new opportunity: opening sister movement studios within the same building.

Ylonda is stepping into opening her own space after 15 years as a yoga instructor and trainer. After working in a variety of yoga studios, Ylonda never felt quite at home and had a dream of creating an inclusive space for the community. She believes that inclusion leads to a strong, supportive community where we can align regardless of where we come from. She's hired a diverse, dynamic team of instructors of all backgrounds, all body types and all experiences to lead soulful yoga classes and events. 

Anne is launching a new indoor cycling studio after three years of being closed following the pandemic in March 2020. First opening her doors in 2013, she learned firsthand what it means to be a neighborhood anchor in the community she loves. After she closed her studio doors, Anne focused on supporting other small local business by launching the Don't Give Up the Ship grant fund with Ohio City Incorporated, provided free business coaching to neighborhood businesses and acquired a building to provide equity and ownership opportunities to brick & mortar storefronts. 

Why we're different

Our mission is to be a neighborhood anchor for our community. We commit to the intentional building of an inclusive workplace and movement space in which employees and patrons of all races & ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientation, age, religion, body type, and differing abilities, feel welcomed and safe.

Our mission & future plans

This project is part of a bigger vision to not only provide an inclusive space for community to connect, but will also provide women and minority led business owners a path to equity and ownership in the locations they help build. While we continue to see stagnant growth in the gender pay gap, (women are still only paid 83 cents on the dollar compared to men), the gender wealth gap is even more alarming (for every dollar a white man owns, women overall own 32 cents and Black and Latinx women just one cent). 

Your support will impact current and future projects and be a catalyst for narrowing the inequities women face as business owners and operators. 

Why crowdfunding

Our community is at the core of both studios, so we want to include the community we serve in our launch.  No matter where you are, when you contribute to this campaign, you're contributing to the type of empowered project you want to see in your community. Join us in kicking off the opening of both studios in spring 2023 by donating whatever you can or simply sharing this campaign with your network.  

Thank you so much for your support!

The team