Systemic racism creates barriers to health and is a public health crisis. And as a member of the fitness and wellness community, I am responsible for taking active steps to works towards dismantling it, as well as recognizing ways I have been complicit in these systems on an individual, and professional level.

My goal with my business to include language, images, and partnerships that recognize the barriers to all the things, housing, jobs, wellness, health, education, that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and other marginalized identities face because of systemic oppression and racism. This will be a lifelong endeavor, ongoing onion peeling in the realm of self-awareness, reading, learning and action.

In late 2019, I knew I wanted to grow my online community. And I wanted that community to feel safe and supported. And I realized that none of my training as a physical therapist or as a personal trainer included the knowledge on how to achieve this. The next step for me was to be more knowledgable and I started learning and unlearning.

Learning and taking action are dually important. I found resources on how to do both by taking Foundations for Social Justice for FitPros with Dr. Teeom Williams. This was a great place to start, grow, build community, and create a foundation for the forever inside work that needs to be done in tandom when learning about social justice. Dr. Tee has so much knowledge, expertise, and is also incredibly fun and funny. It is a pleasure to learn with him and his community. The folks I have met in that community are part of my daily life now!

That’s why I keep learning with him! I also took Self-Awareness, and an Allyship class with Dr. Tee. It’s difficult to summarize the life changing experience of starting to unpeel your biases (from birth until now), discovering where they came from, and defining what your liberatory vision is. Eternally grateful, Dr. Tee!

Another great leader and teacher is Chrissy King. Her Diversity and Inclusion 101 webinar is helpful, and has great action steps built in for deepening your self-awareness. Chrissy’s presentation style is engaging and interactive, with a great combination of images, statistics, humor, and reflection time; she leverages all learning styles.

My perspective on this is that having a social justice practice is part of our wellness as people in the world.

And just like drinking water, you have to prioritize and plan it. Just like body moving and the foods that work for you and your family, everyone’s activism will look a little different. Your specific preferences and gifts will help shape your vision for the future.

Until every human has equitable access to resources, and can live and exist without fear of death, we are all less than living.