Urban Sanctuary, Denver's only Black-owned yoga studio, is getting a makeover

Details: Nestled along Welton Street in Denver's historic Five Points, a neighborhood rich with Black history, the studio is located in the Douglass Undertaking Building, once operated in the early 1900s by the sons of abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

Context: Duncan, who was also the first Black female officer hired to the Fort Collins Police Services in 2003, opened the yoga space in 2016 with a mission in mind.

• The point of Urban Sanctuary is "so everyone — no matter how they show up — has a safe space to connect … in a way that feels good to them with their body and with others," Duncan tells us.

Driving the news: The studio is preparing to kick off a series of remodeling projects this summer using $250,000 in grants from Colorado History and the State Historical Fund.

• The money will support a complete "redo" of the building from the windows to the roof, which will mean temporarily moving some classes outside into the nearby courtyard as needed.

If you go: The studio offers more than 40 classes a week — from 6am to 8:30pm — including free yoga classes for communities of color, which sell out every week.

• Some of the more unique yoga classes are cannabis-friendly (21+), clothing-optional (you read that right) and aerial-enhanced.

💭 My thought bubble: Do yourself a favor and pop in — the space literally feels like a warm hug.

• Also, try to take a class with Ali if you can. I recently tried her Mars Body Weight Workout class, and even though it kicked my butt, I can't wait to return.