On a calm Saturday morning in Santa Monica, a group gathered at Beach Park 1 by Ocean Park Street, unrolling their yoga mats as the salty sea air filled their lungs and the warm sun stretched over the nearby beach, gently brushing against their skin. The city’s noise seemed to soften as Christina Scavuzzo spoke into her headset. Her voice was calm and steady as she invited the group to settle onto their mats and take a deep breath.
What began as a simple way for Scavuzzo to gain experience teaching quickly unfolded into Now Here, a wellness community dedicated to cultivating openness, awareness and connection through mind, body and spirit. She officially launched the project in February 2021, unaware that her small gatherings would evolve into a space for healing, self-care and collective well-being.
For Scavuzzo, community is at the heart of her mission. “I want people to first feel at home and completely connected to the entire experience from start to finish,” said Scavuzzo. “I want them to know that it is a judgment-free space, and that we accept you as you are. You can come with whatever you need to release, process, or address in your life—you can do that on the mat,” she said.
Two years later, Scavuzzo connected with Pauline Le and Sasha Remy, co-founders of 736 Studios in downtown Los Angeles, to create the Wellness Project. While Now Here provides an outdoor experience at a grassy park overlooking the ocean, the Wellness Project provides an earthy indoor sanctuary. Based at 736 Studios, the events stretch beyond movement and meditation, exploring creative expression and communityconnection which are fundamental to these workshops.
In January 2025 multiple devastating wildfires swept through the Los Angeles area, displacing tens of thousands and causing major destruction. The trauma and unimaginable loss left behind were felt throughout the city. In response, the Wellness Project founders saw an urgent need to support those affected. “Since there’s so much collective grief going on right now, we wanted people to have access to wellness and healing modalities,” Scavuzzo said. “We wanted to give back to those affected by the wildfires.” As a result, the Wellness Project was transitioned into a donation-based wellness series held every Saturday at 736 Studios. Whether it’s yoga, sound healing, meditation or moments of silence, these offerings became a way for the community to unite in support, healing, grieving and restoration. “We just realized that we can, and we need to, and we need to bring people together too, 100%,” she said.
“The funds raised will be donated to Community Aid Dena,” Scavuzzo said. “We want to ensure the money is going directly to families and communities in need.”
Community Aid Dena is an organization created to raise and organize support for Black families displaced by the Eaton Fire. Partnering with WalkGoodLA, Community Aid Dena focuses on rebuilding efforts in Altadena and Pasadena. The organization has helped more than 800 families raise $20 million, but the team’s work is not done yet.
“People are grateful and happy that we are holding space,” Scavuzzo said. Many have reached out to volunteer, offering to teach, assist with setup and capture content. The community is eager to support, uplift and give back.
This collective effort not only provides immediate relief but also fosters a sense of unity and resilience within the community.
Scavuzzo’s journey with yoga began as a personal practice, a way to deepen her connection to herself. “I started practicing yoga when I was 20 years old, and I wanted to start teaching at 25 because I felt really connected to my practice,” she said. “I felt like I could share tools and tips with my friends and my community.”
After earning her certification at 23, she began teaching yoga in Santa Monica’s parks at 25. “I started teaching for fun, just to see if others would love it as much as I did,” she said. What started as a small gathering quickly grew. “I saw how much the community needed it,” she said. Individuals continued to show up week after week, dedicating an hour just to recenter and reconnect with themselves. “Their commitment made me realize how much of a need there was for us to practice being more present, find tools to regulate our nervous system, de-stress, and be in a community environment that felt safe for people to flow into whenever they needed.”
She has seen firsthand how yoga and mindfulness transform people, not just emotionally but physically. “I notice when they come in, their shoulders are heavier,” Scavuzzo said. “Then when they leave, their faces are brighter, their shoulders are more relaxed. There’s this happiness, this bounciness.” She’s also observed the different ways people experience healing. “Some people want to talk, connect, and be with each other after class, while others are in a deeper stage of their personal journey and just want to be with themselves,” she said. Now Here and the Wellness Project hold space for individuals at any stage of their spiritual journey. “You can come to connect with others or simply to reconnect with yourself,” Scavuzzo said.
Inclusivity is a top priority for Scavuzzo. “As a Black woman in this space, my first priority is to create a safe environment for Black and Brown people, for minorities, to feel like they fit in,” she said. “It’s important to me to foster an inclusive, diverse space.” Being mixed race herself, she has seen how naturally her community attracts people from all backgrounds. “Ultimately, I want Black and Brown people to feel welcome the moment they walk in, but the bigger picture is that everybody needs this—we’re all connected, we’re all walking each other home.”
