Fitness in Color

Following and highlighting the experiences of people of color in the Wellness and Fitness industry. Host Sid Baptista interviews leaders and entrepreneurs who tell inspiring stories of their journeys to where they are today and how the next generation can follow. Alongside the interview guests, Sid dissects the inequities that the industry reflects and perpetuates while discovering how to tackle issues of access, diversity, and inclusivity.

#20 Diverse We Run w/ Carolyn Su 03/23/2021

#20 Diverse We Run w/ Carolyn Su Advocating for racial representation, equity, and inclusion in the running community. /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/18430700

#19 Wellness for ‘The Majority’ w/ Bri Thompson 03/16/2021

#19 Wellness for ‘The Majority’ w/ Bri Thompson Bringing premium wellness experiences to marginalized communities. /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/18336668

#18 Intentional Consumption w/ Chef Beanz 03/09/2021

#18 Intentional Consumption w/ Chef Beanz Be Intentional... about what you consume; mind, body, soul, and spirit /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/18246188

#17 StrongHer Girls w/ Sal Nakhlawi 03/02/2021

#17 StrongHer Girls w/ Sal Nakhlawi 'Girls are strong and we’re only getting StrongHER' /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/18152024

#16 Finish The Run w/ 223 Foundation (#RunWithMaud) 02/23/2021

#16 Finish The Run w/ 223 Foundation (#RunWithMaud) This is a heavy episode. /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/18050243

BONUS: BBC Newshour Radio Replay 02/22/2021

BONUS: BBC Newshour Radio Replay BBC Newshour freelance reporter Paige Sutherland joined two groups in Boston, MA who are working to normalize running and Black people enjoying nature. /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/18035561

#15 Normalizing Movement w/ Dr. Kenneth Nwosu 02/16/2021

#15 Normalizing Movement w/ Dr. Kenneth Nwosu 4% of Physical Therapists are People of Color. That number is even smaller for Men of color. /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17964521

#14 The War of Attrition w/ Aquil Abdullah 02/09/2021

#14 The War of Attrition w/ Aquil Abdullah The first African-American male to represent the US at the Summer Olympics in the sport of rowing. /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17877437

#13 "You Were Born To Rise" w/ Rebeckah Price 02/02/2021

#13 "You Were Born To Rise" w/ Rebeckah Price The first Black Woman in Canada to become a Nike Trainer /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17782943

#12 Break Barriers w/ Geoff Janey 01/26/2021

#12 Break Barriers w/ Geoff Janey "The overnight success is created by years of work" /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17691734

#11 Fierce Urgency of Now w/ Liz, Dre & Ashley 01/19/2021

#11 Fierce Urgency of Now w/ Liz, Dre & Ashley Is Health & Wellness accessible for communities of color in Boston? We tackle this question and many more with Boston-based fitness instructors , , and . Liz, Dre, and Ashley live in 3 different worlds when it comes to fitness in Boston and we dive in on what these experiences look like. This episode was originally recorded as a live panel discussion for the Fierce Urgency of Now Festival, a five-day series of events hosted by local businesses and organizations geared at highlighting the experiences, challenges, and opportunities for young professionals of color in our city with the ultimate goal of creating community. You can expect to hear the panel discuss: - The challenge of finding diverse fitness experiences - Thoughts on if Boston fitness is inclusive - How can we serve communities of color while trying to make a decent salary - Racism was declared a public health crisis in Boston, but what is Boston doing to get well? Connect with us: /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17601833

#10 Internal Motivation w/ Ruben Sança 01/12/2021

#10 Internal Motivation w/ Ruben Sança Running is a lifestyle, and Olympian Ruben Sança LIVES to run! Moving to the US from the Cape Verde Islands at the age of 13, Ruben loved to play soccer. He suffered from asthma as a kid but soon found himself running track for his middle school team. It wasn't until a friend convinced him to join his high school track team that he started to see a promising running career in his future. In this episode, Ruben recounts how a series of small decisions fueled by his internal motivation led him to represent his home country in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. You can expect to hear: - The difficulty in navigating a new country and a new language - What fuels Ruben's internal motivation - Why it's important to have mentorship and coaches that believe in you - How through consistency and determination Ruben finally achieved the success that he always saw in himself Connect with us: /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17512283

#09 Abandoning The Dream w/ Julian Pollard 01/05/2021

#09 Abandoning The Dream w/ Julian Pollard D1 College Football. 2x New England Golden Gloves Champion. Top 10 in USA. Undefeated Professional Career. On this episode, we follow the journey of undefeated professional boxer Julian Pollard who competed from 2009 to 2015. Julian began boxing after a successful college football career at Syracuse University, where he served as team captain. What started as a fitness hobby, quickly morphed into something more. Julian picked up the sport at an alarming rate. Within months, he was sparring and competing in local boxing tournaments, including the New England Golden Gloves. He represented Massachusetts and competed in the National Golden Gloves tournament in 2008 and 2012. He fought at the Super Heavyweight (250+) weight class and took home the bronze medal both times. We dive into his childhood as Julian opens up about how the death of his father affected him and pushed him to abandon the football plan for the dad plan. Today, Julian leads Team Pollard, an Adult and Youth BoxFit training and conditioning program, teaching boxing fundamentals, discipline, work ethic, and a “never quit mentality” Connect with us: /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17423420

Closing Out 2020 12/29/2020

Closing Out 2020 It's been a very interesting year, to say the least. I want to take this time to say THANK YOU for supporting the show and for supporting all of the work we have been doing. Please take this time to either catch up on previous episodes that you may have missed or write us a review! Happy Holidays and Merry Everything. See you in 2021 /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17354990

#08 Fighting to Maintain w/ Liz Rock 12/22/2020

#08 Fighting to Maintain w/ Liz Rock Achieving and maintaining weight loss can be a stress-inducing and mentally exhausting activity, especially during a pandemic. This week we are talking to my friend Liz Rock, a fitness instructor and run coach who embarks on this journey daily. We talk about her active battle with maintaining weight loss during quarantine and the effects that it has on her mental health. Liz also opens up about the constant external pressure she feels from society to maintain her weight loss although many think it is “harmless encouragement”. What you can expect to hear: - How Liz dealt with catching COVID-19 & pneumonia - How finding a running group changed and potentially even saved her life. - Finding a sibling via Facebook - Becoming a marathon runner with no experience - How to run 4 marathons in two years - How to understand and acknowledge the signs your body gives you to slow down or take a break - How changing your lifestyle can save your life This is a platform where we encourage and normalize fitness in POC communities. Please share this with a friend, it might LITERALLY save their life. Connect with us: /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17289365

#07 The Fit Therapist w/ Shannon Spaulding 12/15/2020

#07 The Fit Therapist w/ Shannon Spaulding COVID changed the way many of us workout. For our guest this week, it led her to doing pull ups at a light pole with a bike in between her legs. Yeah, New York City Blue bicycle in-between her legs! In this week’s episode, we are joined by Shannon Spaulding AKA The Fit Therapist. We chat about her journey to becoming an occupational therapist and how her love for fitness and health guides everything she does. We also chat about her experience as a cross-country runner and the lack of diversity within that space. Connect with us: /episode/index/show/fitnessincolor/id/17198027

#06 Showing Up With Our Whole Selves w/ Gavin Smith 12/08/2020

#06 Showing Up With Our Whole Selves w/ Gavin Smith

“Teach the youth to play Chess not Checkers, and coach them to be better than you!” - Gavin

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BONUS: Runners World Feature 11/25/2020

BONUS: Runners World Feature

Check out the Runners World feature:

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#05 Resilience Through Adversity w/ Claudia Thompson + TrailblazHers Run Co. 10/25/2020

#05 Resilience Through Adversity w/ Claudia Thompson + TrailblazHers Run Co.

On today’s episode we are using a different format. I originally planned to host Claudia Thompson to talk about her experiences as a Black woman running in and around Boston.

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#04 Aesthetics & Athletics w/ Ngozi Musa 10/16/2020

#04 Aesthetics & Athletics w/ Ngozi Musa

On this episode, I had the pleasure of hosting Ngozi Musa, a Speaker, Writer, Women's Empowerment Advocate, and Athlete. From a young age, Women in sport had been a large focus and source of enjoyment and empowerment for Ngozi. After being an athlete for 13 years and attending two all-girls high schools, Ngozi's mission is to inspire and empower women of all ages to recognize the power of their voice, their mind, and their story.

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#03 The Courage Campaign W/ Ashley Mitchell 10/09/2020

#03 The Courage Campaign W/ Ashley Mitchell

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.

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#02 More Than A Run W/ Dr. Ibram X. Kendi 09/25/2020

#02 More Than A Run W/ Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

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.

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#01 Live at the 2020 Boston Marathon Virtual Expo 09/22/2020

#01 Live at the 2020 Boston Marathon Virtual Expo

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.

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#00 Trailer - Fitness in Color 09/07/2020

#00 Trailer - Fitness in Color

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

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Fitness in Color

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