We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dez Ihekweazu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dez , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
Well, my father passed when I was just 18 months old, so a lot of the weight fell on my mom. And she did her best to keep it together for my brothers and me. She was always working—ambitious, focused, determined to make sure we had what we needed. And even though that meant she wasn’t always physically present, she never hesitated to lean on family and community. Especially for me, being the youngest and the only girl, she made sure I was always surrounded by love, structure, and experience.
What she did right was expose me. I got my first passport at three years old. Before I was even ten, I was out here flying solo as an unaccompanied minor—traveling the world. Whether it was the U.S., the UK, or somewhere in Africa, she made sure I was seeing something bigger than my backyard. And that exposure? That changed everything for me. It taught me how to advocate for myself, how to observe and understand different types of people, and how to move with respect through different spaces and cultures.
She also poured legacy into me. She told me stories—real stories—about our family’s history, our strength, and the brilliance that runs through our bloodline. And that stuck with me. It made me proud. It made me certain that I come from greatness and I’m headed towards greatness. I learned early to speak power over my life, to pursue the things that spark my spirit, and to never dim my light just because the path looks different.
So yeah… what did my mom do right? She raised a bold, well-traveled, culturally fluent, purpose-driven woman—with the help of a village, yes—but it was her vision and tenacity that shaped the blueprint. And that blueprint still guides me in everything I do.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I was born and raised in Houston, Texas—specifically in Alief, a neighborhood known for its rich cultural diversity and international flavor. As a first-generation American with roots deeply connected to Nigeria and the Igbo tribe, I’ve always lived in a world where multiple identities coexist. Alief raised me, Sugar Land polished me, and Howard University sharpened me. I earned my degree in Sociology and Anthropology there, but my education—about people, culture, expression, and healing—has truly been lifelong.
From an early age, I’ve always been a performer. Whether I was on stage, behind the camera, or in front of it, the arts were my playground. Dance, music, movement, storytelling—I found myself in all of it. I’ve always used my body to express what words couldn’t quite hold. That connection to movement and feeling eventually led me to yoga—but not in the way I expected.
After experiencing a season of deep grief and personal loss, a friend invited me to a yoga class. What I thought would be just a casual workout turned into a spiritual homecoming. Yoga helped me return to a body I had spent years disconnecting from—whether due to body image issues, eating disorders, and the invisible weight of self-doubt. On the mat, I found stillness. Strength. And most importantly, truth.
Once I became certified to teach, I realized how powerful this work really is. Teaching yoga isn’t just guiding movement—it’s a responsibility. It means living with integrity, staying curious, and always remaining a student. Through my practice, I’ve created space not only for my own healing but for the healing of so many others. I’ve worked with people navigating grief, job loss, chronic illness, and major life transitions. My classes are known for being honest, compassionate, culturally relevant, and deeply affirming.
Today, I’m proud to wear many hats. I’m the Studio Manager of Luxe Yoga, one of the most exciting new studios to hit the scene in Houston. I mentor new and aspiring yoga teachers, helping them build confidence and community. I host healing retreats that invite folks to rest, reclaim, and reimagine their lives. And I’m currently developing a master-level program for anyone looking to deepen their yoga practice.
But that’s just one side of me. My creative spirit never left—it simply evolved. I’ve been featured in films, music videos, commercials, and I currently have projects streaming on Tubi. My next big goal is to bring yoga to television in a meaningful way, creating content that fuses health, wellness, and storytelling—especially for young people. I truly believe there’s a bridge between my two worlds, and when they meet, the impact will be undeniable.
If there’s one thing I want people to take away from my work, it’s this: when you learn to love yourself and honor your body, you become unstoppable. You move different. You speak different. You heal different. And as we say in my culture—you will never carry last.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
One of the most defining examples of my resilience came at the very beginning of my journey into the American yoga industry. When I stepped into this space, I didn’t look like the typical yoga teacher archetype that most people were used to seeing or accepting. I was a Black woman with natural hair, fuller-bodied, and—at the time—not the most athletic person in the room. But I understood the value of movement, healing, and embodiment. I knew why I was there.
American yoga, as it’s often glamorized, leans into a very curated aesthetic: thin, white, and flexible—both physically and socially. So, entering this world meant having to constantly earn my seat at the table. In my teacher training, I was met with curiosity, subtle apprehension, and, at times, an unspoken expectation to represent and explain all things Black. That wasn’t just a learning curve—it was emotional labor. And even now, years later, the number of Black women in yoga spaces—especially as teachers—is still slim in comparison.
When I graduated from my certification program, I didn’t walk straight into opportunity. I didn’t get hired right away. And if I’m honest, I didn’t feel fully prepared. Because what the programs don’t always teach you is this: You can memorize every pose in Sanskrit, read all the ancient texts, and understand anatomy backward—but none of that matters if you’re not living a life of a yogi.
So, I went inward. I committed to studying the Eight Limbs of Yoga, not just in theory but in practice. I worked on my discipline. I studied fasting, learned how to detach from unhealthy habits, and developed a deeper respect for stillness, silence, and soul work. I did what some call “shadow work”—dismantling the ego, shedding the need to prove, and sitting with the uncomfortable. I didn’t rush to teach—I became a student of life first.
And when I finally stepped into teaching publicly, the response was overwhelming. My classes filled quickly, and students—many of whom didn’t look like me—were surprised at how new I was to the scene. But that’s because I had done the unseen work. I had fortified myself in spirit, in practice, and in purpose.
Now, people come to me for guidance—not just for yoga, but for fitness goals, nutrition, discipline, and sustainable routines. People look to me for answers. And as a student of life, I will always study—so I can pass the test and help others pass theirs, too. I’ll be the one to show you my answers on the test of life—not to shortcut the work, but to make the journey lighter, more possible, more human.
Because at the end of the day, I’ve learned that most people—regardless of background—just want peace. Just want to feel good in their bodies. Just want to be seen and held. And I can offer that. My presence, my process, my resilience—that’s all part of the offering. That’s what made me who I am.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I think what’s helped me build my reputation in this space is the life I’ve lived. All of it. From my background as a performer to the neighborhood I grew up in, the early childhood travels, the family stories, the wins, the losses—they’ve all shaped me and informed how I show up.
My foundation in acting has been one of my greatest tools. It taught me how to think on my feet, how to read a room, and how to use my voice as an instrument. That translates directly into my teaching. In yoga, it’s not enough to simply call out poses—you have to guide, inspire, and paint pictures with your words. I’ve learned how to be colorful in my language so students stay present, so they feel like every moment on the mat matters. I don’t just act—I voice act, too. And I’ve become known for that. My inflection, my tone, the way I project—I use those tools to draw people in, to keep them grounded, to make them feel something.
But it’s more than just performance. It’s lived experience. My classes are rich with story and meaning because I pull from real-life moments—joyful, painful, and everything in between. I lace them into the lesson to create something deeply human and reflective. My love of music, art, and culture shows up in every playlist. You won’t hear Top 40 in my class—you’ll hear sounds that make your soul ache, quake, and your butt shake ways in that you didn’t know it could. Music that holds you. Music that reminds you of your higher self.
And most importantly—I care. I genuinely care about people. That’s why I studied sociology and anthropology. I want to understand human behavior, culture, needs, and desires so that I can be of service. When people come to my class, I believe they feel that. They feel seen, they feel safe, and they feel challenged in the best way.
At the heart of it all, I think people recognize that I’m not just teaching yoga. I’m building connection. I’m offering a space to return to yourself, to be reminded of your own power. And that’s what’s built my reputation—not just what I do, but how I do it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.luxe-yoga.com/meet-dez
- Instagram: @dezseasdiamonds
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adaeze.ihekweazu/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dez-ihekweazu-26390a137/
