THE ATHLETE NEXT DOOR
HUMBLE WARRIOR
A Program That’s
Giving Back
Micah Cargin has been practicing yoga for
himself for almost a decade. However, with the
launch of his youth program, Humble Warrior,
he will be using his knowledge of this practice
to give back to the local community.
“I always knew I wanted to give back to the
community in some way. Giving back to those
in need is something my family engrained in me
from an early age,” states Cargin as he unrolls his
yoga mat onto the wooden floor at KMAC. We are
at the local museum to talk about the launch of
Humble Warrior, and to photograph him practicing
yoga in the beautiful space.
Humble Warrior is a program that will work with
community centers and organizations to introduce
youth in economically-depressed areas to yoga.
It will do this by creating a network of certified
yoga teachers with diverse backgrounds that
will serves as mentors to these children. Cargin
believes the diversity of this network is key to the
success of the program. in certain areas, because that is where the current
interest is. However, many of the people in living
in these places have never even been exposed to
yoga,” explains Cargin.
“Being a black male who practices yoga, I
believe I have a unique voice that can make a
real impact in urban areas and the parts of town
that many yoga studios may not ever think to host
classes in. Most of the yoga studios are clustered “Yoga has helped me be more aware of my
inner thoughts and emotions, and has also helped
me with how I process them. Practicing can give
these kids another outlet for processing their
own emotions.”
Photos and Story by Miranda McDonald
10 EXTOL SPORTS / MARCH 2018
Cargin believes introducing yoga to local youth
in these urban areas is important, because yoga
is not solely a physical activity. It also teaches
mindfulness and awareness.