These Black Women Are Making Boston’s Fitness Scene More Inclusive
They want you to know that representation matters.
Heather White / Deanna Belleny / Ashley Mitchell / Portia Singh / Gianne Doherty / Photos provided
From dietitians to fitness instructors to clean beauty purveyors, these five black women are not only making waves in the Boston health and fitness scene, but they’re also starting some important dialogue regarding the way wellness is represented for all. If you don’t already know their names, get to know them now.
Heather White, CEO and founder of TrillFit
As the fearless leader of Trillfit, a hip-hop inspired dance cardio class, Heather White opened their brand new flagship studio in Mission Hill earlier this year, and she says they want fitness to be accessible to all communities. “It’s our duty to make wellness more inclusive and accessible because people’s lives literally depend on it,” she explains.
She goes on to point out that here in Boston there’s a 30-year life expectancy difference from Back Bay to Roxbury/North Dorchester. “Hire more diverse talent in your studios. Invest in your community. Ride the one bus from Dudley Square to Back Bay (it’s five miles) and see, really see, the disparity in access to wellness. Then do something about it.”
Deanna Belleny, co-founder of Diversify Dietetics
Did you know that 75 percent of registered dietitians are white? That’s according to the Commission on Dietetic Registration. It’s one of the reasons Deanna Belleny, a registered dietitian and program manager at Harvard Medical School, and her business partner Tamara Melton founded Diversify Dietetics, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the racial and ethnic diversity in the field of nutrition and dietetics.
“When it comes to wellness, diversity in representation helps on many levels,” she wrote in “8 Influencers Making the Wellness World More Inclusive,” a recent SELF article. “When people see others who they identify with meditating, or hiking, or even preparing a meal it can make them feel less alone in their own pursuits. It may inspire them to try a new activity or it can even challenge others in the wellness community to have a more inclusive mindset.”
Ashley Mitchell, Barry’s Bootcamp Instructor
Barry’s Bootcamp only has one African American instructor. Yep, that’s right. Only one. And her name is Ashley Mitchell. Previously a Soul Cycle and Orangetheory instructor, she has been teaching in the Red Room for two years now and says that this disconnect is what keeps people of color from trying a Barry’s class or hopping on a bike at Soul Cycle—because no one in the room, or leading the room, looks like them. “I think the more we can immerse ourselves in cultures other than our own, which extends farther than black or white, we develop a wider sense of empathy,” she says. “It creates a space that is more inclusive and eliminates this feeling of other that can exist.”
Portia Singh, Boss Chick Dance Workout Master Trainer
The disparity across racial lines in health care is something Portia Singh, a Master Trainer for the Boss Chick Dance Workout, is very aware of when she helps women of color start a workout plan or advocate for their health. She says the Boss Chick Dance Workout, which is a high-intensity dance class only for women set to hip-hop and Afro beat music, is a place for women to feel safe without feeling over sexualized by the way they’re moving their body.
“I was very happy to see that my classes [which are held at Women’s Fitness of Boston] not only attracts a diverse crowd but a huge crowd of African American women,” she says. “The key to diversifying our classes and fitness spaces is to market to that group of people. Don’t count them out. I would also encourage more people of color, who are qualified, to seek positions as instructors and to show that we have a presence in this community and aren’t just hidden.”
Gianne Doherty, founder of the WELL Summit, Well Insiders, and Organic Bath Co.
Gianne Doherty, founder of the WELL summit, a day for people to gather and learn how to live their best lives, seeks out the opinions of others and gives them a platform to be heard. Held in Boston last April, the WELL summit featured bloggers, professionals, and entrepreneurs and Doherty aims to create a platform that is representative of all body types, skin colors, and backgrounds.
“The biggest challenge is seeing ourselves represented in clean beauty and wellness,” Doherty told Madamenoire in an article released before the Boston summit last year. “I’m biracial—Irish American and Afro Caribbean—For those of us in decision-making positions in the green beauty and wellness space, it’s really crucial to ensure that diversity is represented in everything we do. From selecting our team members, to what we post on social media, we need to think about what we can do to represent women from all walks of life.”
Know someone else who’s making waves? Let us know!
