Celebrating 19 Years of Gratitude in Action
Yoga Gives Back (YGB) will celebrate its 19th Anniversary Global Gala on Sunday, November 15, 2026. The event takes place at Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.
This year’s Gala honors extraordinary individuals and communities. Their dedication to compassion, education, philanthropy, and service reflects YGB’s mission. Together, they demonstrate how gratitude can inspire meaningful action.
At a time of growing division and violence, the celebration offers an important reminder. Compassion, unity, and collective action can create positive change.
This year’s honorees include Trudy Goodman, Jocelyn Solomon and Family, and Center for Yoga. Three Global Ambassadors will also receive recognition for their service. In addition, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, Consul General of India in Los Angeles, will attend as Special Guest.
2026 Leadership Award: Trudy Goodman
Yoga Gives Back will present its 2026 Leadership Award to Trudy Goodman. She is the founder of InsightLA and an internationally respected mindfulness teacher.
For decades, Trudy has cultivated compassion, awareness, and connection. Her work centers on Buddhist meditation and contemplative practice. As a longtime YGB Advisor and friend, she has generously shared her wisdom.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Trudy and her partner, Jack Kornfield, joined YGB. Together, they hosted online conversations and meditation sessions. These gatherings connected people across borders. They also raised support for women and children in India.
Today, Trudy’s teachings carry particular significance. Our world continues to face conflict and division. Her lifelong commitment to mindfulness reminds us that compassion requires action. Her wisdom inspires kindness, courage, and care.
2026 Impact Award: Jocelyn Solomon & Family
The 2026 Impact Award recognizes Jocelyn Solomon and Family. The honor celebrates three generations of women committed to giving back.
Jocelyn is a longtime yoga teacher and YGB Global Ambassador. She also served as a Board Member. Through fundraising, advocacy, and philanthropy, she has supported YGB’s mission.
Her commitment extends across generations. Together with her mother, Elizabeth Denison, and daughters Dylan and Luna, Jocelyn champions women’s empowerment and education.
Through the Denison Family Foundation, the family has helped expand educational opportunities for young women in India. Their personal involvement further strengthens this commitment.
Earlier this year, Jocelyn, Dylan, and Luna provided a $15,000 matching gift. The contribution supported YGB’s International Women’s Day campaign. Their generosity inspired supporters worldwide to double their impact.
Their recognition celebrates women supporting women across generations. It also demonstrates how family philanthropy can create lasting opportunities.
2026 Studio Award: Center for Yoga
Yoga Gives Back will honor Center for Yoga with its 2026 Studio Award. The institution is one of Los Angeles’s most historic yoga communities.
Founded in 1967, Center for Yoga holds a special place in YGB’s history. Nearly two decades ago, founder Kayoko Mitsumatsu shared a simple idea there.
She wanted to express gratitude to India, the birthplace of yoga. Her vision centered on giving back to underserved women and children.
With encouragement from teachers, students, and friends, that idea grew. It ultimately became Yoga Gives Back.
Since then, Center for Yoga has continued supporting YGB. The studio hosts fundraising events and engages its community. Honoring Center for Yoga celebrates YGB’s Los Angeles roots. It also recognizes yoga’s enduring power to inspire global change.
Celebrating Three Global Ambassadors of the Year
Yoga Gives Back will also recognize three exceptional Global Ambassadors. Their dedication to seva, or selfless service, has expanded YGB’s reach.
Beate Scholz combines yoga, meditation, chanting, kirtan, and sound healing. She creates fundraising events supporting women and children in India. Two YGB Seva Trips further deepened her commitment to these communities.
Kiyomi Takahashi is a Los Angeles-based yoga and meditation teacher. She has supported YGB through teaching, fundraising, and community engagement. Her work spans Los Angeles and Japan.
This year, Kiyomi ran the Los Angeles Marathon for YGB. She transformed a personal challenge into an act of service.
Gopala Amir Yaffa founded Rainbow Kids Yoga in Australia. He has played a critical role in creating Yoga Without Borders. The initiative is now an official YGB program.
Through Yoga Without Borders, children in India access yoga and movement. They also benefit from wellbeing practices. Meanwhile, YGB Ambassadors can volunteer and share their skills.
Together, these Ambassadors demonstrate yoga’s power beyond the mat. Their work fosters service, connection, and positive change across cultures.
Special Guest: Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, Consul General of India
Yoga Gives Back welcomes Dr. K. J. Srinivasa as Special Guest. He serves as Consul General of India in Los Angeles.
Dr. Srinivasa has expressed deep appreciation for YGB’s mission. He recognizes its commitment to empowering underserved women and children. He also shares its spirit of giving back to Mother India.
His participation reflects the ancient Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. The phrase means “The World Is One Family.”
This philosophy guides Yoga Gives Back’s growing global community. What began in Los Angeles now spans 32 countries. Supporters share gratitude for India’s gift of yoga. They also work together to expand educational and economic opportunities.
Yoga Gives Back: 19 Years of Global Impact
Founded in Los Angeles in 2007, Yoga Gives Back began with a simple belief:
For the cost of one yoga class, we can change a life.
Nearly two decades later, that vision continues to inspire. A global community of yoga teachers, students, and supporters has grown.
Today, YGB supports more than 3,500 women and children annually in India. Its community-led programs focus on education, economic empowerment, and wellbeing.
YGB works alongside trusted grassroots NGO partners. Together, they co-create, fund, monitor, and scale programs. These initiatives help women and young people build brighter futures.
The 19th Anniversary Global Gala celebrates this worldwide community. It will also raise critical funds for YGB’s mission. These contributions help sustain and expand its programs.
Ultimately, the Gala represents more than an evening of recognition. It celebrates people who transform gratitude into action. Their collective service creates opportunities and lasting change.
Join Yoga Gives Back for the 19th Anniversary Global Gala
The Yoga Gives Back 19th Anniversary Global Gala brings together a dedicated community. Guests include yoga teachers, philanthropists, business leaders, and Global Ambassadors.
The evening celebrates compassion, community, and service. It also supports YGB’s mission to empower women and children in India.
Event Details
- Event: Yoga Gives Back’s 19th Anniversary Global Gala
- Date: Sunday, November 15, 2026
- Reception: 5 – 6 pm Program: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
- Location: Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
- City: Los Angeles, California
For Gala information, tickets, and sponsorship opportunities, visit:
Yoga Gives Back 19th Anniversary Global Gala
