Before joining the Solcana gym, I hated working out and saw it as a punishment for being fat. I didn’t want to be looked down upon while working out at a gym or working out in general so it was hard for me to stay consistent with any sort of workout routine. I also did not have any fat friends in my life or people not wrapped up in diet culture. This made me feel isolated and insecure about myself not to know there were other people my age who felt the way I did and experienced what I experienced as a fat person.

Enter Solcana.

I found out about Solcana from a Facebook ad picturing their Big Body Fitness class, now named simply, ‘Fat Fitness.’ I was so eager to join and make friends, I didn’t really think about the workouts I was signing up for. It seemed like the best community. I’m so glad I was right.

Since working out at Solcana, I have made so many friends which is priceless. I have a gym routine with which I. AM. CONSISTENT. I’ve become so much stronger and found so much empowerment when I’m at the gym it’s insane. Solcana coaches and members have healed my relationship to fitness and gyms in general.

I am fundraising because when I joined Solcana, I didn’t realize right away that I found the queer community I needed. I didn’t realize what I was missing out on until I had it. I’m fundraising for people to have access to the care they deserve. I believe in supporting Trans rights and that the Trans community deserves all the same resources and high level of care as anybody else.