On Saturday April 7th, Sonja Herbert the founder of Black Girl Fit & Well in collaboration with The PILLARS curated an event called The State of The Healthy Black Girl. This event was centered around Black women, health and fitness. The panel guests were inspiring Black female fitness instructors/trainers in health and wellness. The panelist specialized in Pilates, Personal Training, Swimming, Spinning, Education and Fitness Consulting, and Holistic Nutrition. Every panelist discussed their stories of personal growth through fitness and explained how important fitness is in Black Women’s Culture and Health. The entire panel explained the importance of exercise and healthy eating because these habits can prolong life and allow everyone to live life to the fullest.
One of the panelist, Ms. Myrna Brady, stressed how important it is to wake up in the morning and take a moment for yourself. She explained that many people fail to realize that a healthy life starts with self-care. Furthermore, that it is crucial to learn to love yourself and embrace who you are through the process of self-care, because then you can truly live life to your highest potential. Ms. Myra suggested waking up in the morning and taking five minutes to tune into yourself. Another panelist, Ms. Crystal Williams, spoke about health care for Black Women. Ms. Crystal Williams shared about her battles with her eye-sight at the mere age of 20 and how this forced her to change her diet.
A major point of the discussion among the panelists was exercising in a way that is feasible to you. Some of us cannot afford gym memberships or don’t have the time in our hectic schedules to devote time to the gym. However, we can exercise in our house for a few minutes a day. There are exercise videos on YouTube that cater to individuals that cannot go to the gym and they focus on utilizing the body as a machine. It is important that everyone discover a technique that allows them to take care of themselves and live a healthy-full life.
After an uplifting and educational panel discussion all the women switched into comfortable attire and worked out for 30 -minutes in The PILLARS. This event shared how to live a healthier life, enjoy a workout and the chance to be encouraged by other women. Don’t worry, if you were unable to join us for this event because Sonja Herbert will be hosting another event within The PILLARS soon!
-Stephanie Camachoo, MSW Intern at The PILLARS
