The Hawaiʻi Yoga Prison Project was established by Louisa DiGrazia and developed with Tom DiGrazia and other Yoga School of Kailua teachers to bring the practice and discipline of Yoga to incarcerated men and women in Hawaiʻi.
For over three decades, Louisa and HYPP provided structured Yoga education at Oʻahu correctional facilities, including Hālawa Correctional Facility, Waiawa Correctional Facility and Oʻahu Community Correctional Center. As well as Yoga instruction at the Women’s Correctional and Juvenile Correctional facilities on Oʻahu.
Yoga School of Kailua/HYPP's State contract for these male correctional facilities services concluded in 2025 and was not renewed. DCR subsequently issued a new procurement for "Yoga Training and Trauma Informed Care for Male Incarcerated Individuals on Oʻahu." So, Louisa’s foundational and pioneering work teaching Yoga inside Oʻahu’s correctional facilities was discontinued.
HYPP is not currently a contracted provider to the Hawaiʻi Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
We retain this legacy history to acknowledge the teachers, incarcerated students and community members who participated in and helped develop the HYPP over its many years of service.
Yoga Gains A Place Behind Bars In Hawaii
Honolulu Civil Beat, December 20, 2018
PEACE IN PRISON
by Louisa Di Grazia
University of Hawaii Matsunaga Institute for Peace, Annual Report 1998/1999
Yoga Programs 'Inside' Adult Correctional Facilities Oahu, Hawai'i
Louisa (Lu) DiGrazia, Director (CEO), Yoga School of Kailua, Inc.
Commentary & Conclusions for Halawa Correctional Facility Yoga Class Survey
December 16, 2004
Testimonials from Participants in Prison Work
Inmates stretch interests with yoga
Honolulu Advertiser, Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Teaching kids to manage anger
Honolulu Advertiser, Sunday, January 21, 2001
Home Classes Tom's Class in Movement Teacher Training Pictures Testimonials
Philosophy and Qualities Commonly Asked Questions
Kinds of Yoga Eight Limbs of Yoga
Articles HYPP Legacy History
Yoga School of Kailua
email:
(808) 292-YOGA (9642)
www.YogaKailua.com