Fitness in Color

On this episode, I had the pleasure of hosting Ashley Mitchell who is a fitness instructor in Boston. Formally working for Orange Theory, Soul Cycle, and more recently Barry's Boot Camp.

We dive in and discuss:

• Ashley's childhood growing up in New Jersey
• Her journey to becoming a fitness instructor and her experiences in the fitness industry
• Her first experience with inequity and how that led to her discovering her activism, and
• Ashley's work with city youth through her nonprofit organization, The Courage Campaign

On this episode, I have the honor of hosting #1 New York Times Bestselling Author and America's leading scholar on Anti-racism research, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi.

We dive in on topics ranging from how Dr. Kendi balances his health and well-being in the midst of becoming one of the most influential people in America, the accessibility of running and fitness in communities of color, and on how brands and running organizations can contribute to diversifying and growing the sport of running in communities of color.

The grand jury news of Breonna Taylor's case broke just as our call was scheduled to start and so our time was cut short. We didn't get to all of my questions or get a chance to expand upon his thoughts and ideas, but his responses about the importance of policy change and brands reassessing their standards are powerful and worth unpacking.

Please visit www.morethanarun.org to register for our Virtual 5K and to help us meet our fundraising goal!

Join us LIVE at the 2020 Boston Marathon Expo. We dive in on topics ranging from understanding how to grow the sport of running, stigmas associated with running on Black and Brown communities, running accessibility, and how we can continue to use our voices for social change.

Panelist:

-Dominique Burton, Co-Founder and Chief Experience Officer at RUNGRL

-Aliese Lash, Captain of PIONEERS Run Crew

-Jarick Walker, Formally Nike Running

Welcome to the Fitness in Color Podcast. I'm your host Sid Baptista.

Join me on this journey to amplify black voices as we follow and highlight the experiences of People of Color in the Wellness and Fitness industry.

I interview leaders and entrepreneurs who tell inspiring stories of their journeys to where they are today and break down the steps for how the next generation can follow.

Alongside my guests, I dissect the inequities that the industry reflects and perpetuates while discovering how to tackle the issues of access, diversity, inclusivity, and intersectionality.

We are launching the first season in just a few weeks.

Please subscribe and follow our channel on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or whichever platform you use to listen to your favorite podcasts.