What: “Worldwide, we are experiencing a historic movement for racial justice, equity and representation globally. This movement has provided an opportunity to affect change in every industry, every workplace, on the streets and in our homes. It has allowed all of us to take a long, hard look at ourselves, our company cultures, and to start meaningful conversations. As a product of those conversations, LES MILLS, POUND and Piloxing have joined forces to continue this work on a greater scale. We believe that we have not done enough, that our industry has not done enough, and that it is time for meaningful, continual and irreversible change.
TOGETHER WE RISE is a virtual event dedicated to further educating ourselves and our communities in racial equity, amplifying impactful voices and stories, deconstructing the systems of oppression within the health and wellness industry, and uniting our collective communities around this movement.” – LES MILLS, POUND, PILOXING
**If you are interested in attending as a media partner, please contact Amrita Jhaveri, Director of Media + Events at POUND at amrita@poundfit.com
When: Wednesday, October 28, 8:30a PDT – 2:00p PDT
How: The event is donation-based, with proceeds going to Pretty Girls Sweat and Fit for Us – foundations committed to bringing wellness and fitness to areas historically excluded from education and opportunity.
Register here.
Who: Group X United, which includes Les Mills International, POUND and PILOXING
Schedule:
8:30a PDT – Opening statements
8:45a PDT – Equity in Fitness | presentation: Dynasti Hunt
9:15a PDT – PILOXING Workout
10:00a PDT – Anti-Racism Tools for Leaders, Educators and Entrepreneurs | panel: Kellie Wagner & Katrina Pilkington
10:45a PDT – POUND Workout
11:30a PDT – The Black Fitness Experience | panel: Ari Belgrave, Christina Rice, Percell Dugger
12:30p PDT – Our Collective Impact | panel
1:15p PDT – LES MILLS Workout
2:00p PDT – Closing statements
Together We Rise Presenters:
Event Moderator + Presenter – Dynasti Hunt, Founder, Equity in Fitness
Panelist – Ariel (Ari) Belgrave, Founder of Gym Hooky and Under Armour Athlete | @gymhooky
Panelist – Kellie Wagner, Founder of Collective DEI Lab | @kelliemwagner
Panelist – Christina Rice, Chief Experience Officer, Omnoire | @omnoire
Panelist – Katrina Pilkington, Wellness Educator, Imperfect Bias & Inclusion Guide | @fittycat_
Panelist – Percell Dugger, Founder of GOODWRK and Fit For Us | @good.wrk
Quotes:
“If there is any industry on Earth that must be dedicated to racial justice, equity and representation, it’s the fitness industry. We exist to help people – all people – lead healthier lives. And, true health is achieved inside a healthy culture,” said Diana Mills, Creative Director, Les Mills International. “This is a pivotal moment and we humbly and collectively rise together with POUND and PILOXING to launch this movement because it is a part of our work that is imperative if we are to create a fitter planet for all.”
“As fitness professionals, we know that the real change in the body happens through moments that are uncomfortable. As humans, we must remember, that real changes in society are no different – they are uncomfortable too,” said Kirsten Potenza, CEO and Co-Creator, POUND Fitness. “We exist within an industry that has failed our people and our communities, and it is time to do better and be better. It is our great honor to join forces with PILOXING and LES MILLS to bring awareness and accountability to the fight for racial equity in fitness.
“The events of this summer presented an opportunity for all of us to meet this moment, and to be the change. As a black woman and co-founder of PILOXING, that opportunity was also a responsibility to meet this moment on a much bigger scale,” said Natasha Bellroth
General Counsel & VP Business Affairs, PILOXING Academy, LLC. “I am incredibly grateful and proud to be a part of this alliance with Les Mills and POUND; a coalition that is unequivocally committed to racial equity in the fitness industry, and one that has been met with resounding support from our industry colleagues. I am equally proud of the consciousness-raising experience that we have created in ‘Together We Rise’. The greater impact that we will have on the industry, and in particular on the communities that have previously been underserved and underrepresented by our industry, has only begun. We missed here, we need to do better and the time to do that is now. In the words of Dr. Martin
About LES MILLS
A global leader in group fitness programming, Les Mills has been providing people with innovative ways to exercise for over 50 years. Les Mills is the creator of 20 science-backed group fitness programs, including BODYPUMP® (weights), BODYCOMBAT® (martial arts), RPM® (indoor cycling), LES MILLS GRIT® (30-minute high-intensity interval training) and the revolutionary immersive cycle experience, THE TRIP™. LES MILLS workouts are delivered by 140,000 certified instructors in 20,000 clubs across 100 countries and are available for at-home exercisers via the LES MILLS™ On Demand streaming platform. Every week, millions of people get fit with Les Mills. For more information, visit: www.lesmills.com/us
About POUND
POUND® is a workout revolution and lifestyle brand that aims to change minds before bodies and use beat and alternative movement to launch people to new heights of self-worth, happiness and human connection. Turning workouts into fitness concerts and music into movement, POUND® uses Ripstix®, lightly weighted exercise drumsticks, to transform drumming into a sweat dripping, full body workout. What started as two stix and an idea in Los Angeles in 2011 is now a global fitness family of over 24,000 instructors transforming lives in every corner of the world, with POUND Pros leading over 400,000 participants per week across 94 countries.
About PILOXING
Founded in 2009, Piloxing® is a women-owned global fitness company based in Los Angeles, USA. Piloxing provides group fitness classes in five different programs through training and certifying instructors to teach classes worldwide, as well as offering digital classes for those who don’t have any classes in their area, or simply prefer to work out in the comfort of their own home at a time of their choice. Their instructors offer classes in most US states, and 95+ countries worldwide, expanding regularly.
