Conversations Create Action - Actions Create Change

The explosion of the Black Lives Matter movement earlier this year, and the attempted and continued dismantling of many of our rights, which were hard-fought (and won), reinforced the fact that equality is for all. It also raised the bar on how we, the people, react to these continued systemic attacks on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Those of us involved with The Pilates Initiative wanted to react in a way that was thoughtful, deliberate, meaningful, and in a way that promotes action and change.

To this end we have launched Conversations Create Action - Actions Create Change. Our first panel discussion was filmed in September and we are thankful to Pilates Anytime for giving a voice to our project. In this discussion, we bring together four individuals to talk about racism, biases, and how these things permeate our world and our Pilates profession. Our panelists represent a cross-section of the population. We are thankful for Shauntel Douglas to discuss the perspective of a person of color and a plus-size instructor, Marggi Vangeli, who discusses ageism and being an ‘older’ Pilates teacher, Adri Garcia discusses the perspective of a plus-size instructor, and Adrien Lawyer from the Transgender Resource Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico shares insights into the biases and hatred expressed to the transgender community. These four very different individuals shared thoughtful insight into honest and tangible ways for all of us to expand our minds and perspectives that will lead us to a new enlightened way of thinking and living. This video will be the first in a series of conversations that we hope will Create Action and Change!

Please join us in continuing this conversation and moving the needle on empathy, tolerance, respect, and action.