8. Where Are All the Black Pilates Instructors?! A Conversation with Sonja R. Herbert, the Founder of Black Girl Pilates

How many Black pilates instructors have you had? Personally, I've never felt totally represented in the pilates space. I've even had trouble re-entering the space because I felt uncomfortable as the only Black person in the room in the past. Today's guest, Sonja R. Herbert, had an experience that seemed divinely orchestrated so that she could bridge that gap. Her very first pilates instructor was Black and her peers in that space were as well. Because of that, Sonja was hyper aware of how few Black pilates instructors she was meeting outside of that environment. So Black Girl Pilates was born out of a real need to bring Black pilates instructors together. She intentionally created this space specific for Black instructors, not generally people of color. As a result, she's seeing Black women in the pilates space becoming more visible, more confident, and creating their own programs. So if you've ever felt pulled towards pilates but found yourself disappointed by the lack of representation, this episode is for you!In this episode, we're chatting about: Black Girl Pilates' origin storyRecent trends for pilates in the Black community and pilates as a wholeHow racism shows up in the pilates industry Why we need to create our own safe spaces A brief history on pilates Connect with Sonja: Black Girl Pilates InstagramSonja's InstagramBlack Girl Pilates websiteDon't forget to subscribe, rate and review if you enjoyed this episode. Let me know where you're listening from and what you'd like to hear more of! Connect with me: Tiktok Instagram