Ten years ago, Malik Turley, founder of Hip Circle Empowerment Center, saw that many women had a tough time feeling comfortable at the gym. So she started teaching classes around the community. When her community of attendees grew, Malik wanted a space of her own to hold classes. She decided to open Hip Circle, an inclusive, judgement-free zone with classes varying from belly dancing to pilates, and kettlebell.

When she noticed that money impacted whether or not women could afford to go to the gym, she decided to transform Hip Circle Empowerment Center into a 501c3. This way, members could pay what they could afford while still having the ability to reach their fitness goals. However, Malik’s mission extends beyond that. Malik knows firsthand that women are powerful, and she wants them to leave each class feeling that way.

In this episode, we talked about Hip Circle’s ten-year anniversary as a fitness center. Malik gave us her perspective on meeting her goals for the center and what she looks forward to within the next decade. We also talked about how the pandemic has changed her audience and is helping her students attend classes. She also told us why Hip Circle’s instructors are named change instigators and how they’re hoping to make an impact on all their students. Lastly, we chat about the body positivity movement. This movement exploded in popularity during this past decade, and Malik shared her thoughts on what we can do to make true strides towards body acceptance.

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Zora Digital is a Chicago digital marketing agency. We help healthy lifestyle brands with a spirit of innovation navigate the digital landscape and create significant ROI.