Courtney is an English instructor and Associate Dean of Advising at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH.  She's been teaching exercise classes since 2015 and creates affirming fitness spaces that center the experiences of fat people.  She's certified/licensed in many fitness programs including Spinning, Silver Sneakers, AEA (aquatics), and her personal favorite, Zumba and is currently writing a book Ain't I An Athlete? which reads racialized stereotypes of Black women's strength as integral to the development of American fitness culture.  In this episode, I talk to Courtney about the things she finds frustrating in the fitness industry.

Courtney’s Bio:

By day, Courtney is an English instructor and Associate Dean of Advising at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH. She's been teaching exercise classes since 2015 and creates affirming fitness spaces that center the experiences of fat people. She’s certified/licensed in many fitness programs including Spinning, Silver Sneakers, AEA (aquatics), and her personal favorite, Zumba and is currently writing a book Ain’t I An Athlete? which reads racialized stereotypes of Black women’s strength as integral to the development of American fitness culture. She used to be an English professor and has written a training guide which incorporates encouraging quotes from Black women’s literature. All of her classes are available for free!

In this episode we discuss:

what Courtney finds frustrating about the fitness industry and how she’s working to make change
the role of money in fitness, specifically the result of lack of generational wealth and opportunities among Black fitness professionals
the ways that fat phobia and healthism can show up in the Black health and wellness community
why it’s important to create spaces where fat Black folks can speak up and lead
how she uses fun and play in her approach to exercise and movement
Connect with Courtney on Instagram.
Read the transcript for this episode HERE.