Body Work
In September, we got together for a workshop and panel on imagining body-inclusivity in wellness at the JCC Harlem.
We began the day with a yoga class, taught by “curvy yogi” Angela Dawn. Angela led us through a refreshing and energizing flow, with modifications for all bodies, centering larger bodies. As Angela pointed out at the beginning of the class, most yoga classes treat thin bodies as the norm, so we were interested in disrupting and offering an alternative to that norm.
Angela Dawn
As a curvy woman, Angela Dawn often felt excluded from the larger conversation about health and fitness, even after managing and improving two autoimmune conditions with a healthy lifestyle and regular yoga practice. Angela encourages her students to build strength and stability in the bodies they inhabit at the moment, rather than waiting for some future perfected version of themselves that may or may not arrive. She holds space for you to explore your practice, wherever it leads you. All bodies, all sizes, all backgrounds. Your body is a yoga body and you are stronger than you know!
After moving with Angela, we took a quick snack and chat break, before beginning our panel discussion. We sipped flavored seltzers, and munched on kale chips thanks to the generous donations made by Spindrift and Rhythm Superfoods!
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“I WAS ALWAYS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO OVERLY PROVE MYSELF”
— LAURA DELARATO ON BEING AN ATHLETE
Our panelists for BODY WORK hailed from a variety of professions and backgrounds. We heard from ultra-runner and trained chef, Latoya Shauntay Snell; feminist educator and body image expert Melissa Fabello; cyclist and mental health warrior Kristina Rodriguez; and writer, video producer, nude art model, and body image activist Laura Delarato! Our panel was moderated by Body Politic team-member and JCC program manager Sabrina Bleich, who shared her own stories of navigating body image and fitness. Our panelists were amazing - vulnerable, honest, funny, and incredibly inspiring. We feel so lucky to have spent the day with them!
“IT MIGHT BE 700 YEARS FROM NOW, BUT I THINK THAT SOMEDAY WE WILL LOOK BACK ON TODAY, AND THE WAY WE TREATED FAT PEOPLE, AS A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION”
— MELISSA FABELLO