movement & mental health
Happy May and Mental Health Awareness Month from EVERYBODY Gym! This month we’re touching on the connection between movement and mental health. We also reveal the meaning behind our new inside mural, a new mental health-focused film from one of our staff members, collective support for Gaza, and a few ways for folks to stay connected through our upcoming wellness, community and outdoor programming.
Happy May/Mental Health Awareness Month from EVERYBODY! There are so many unique ways we are supporting mental health this month (and every day), but I wanted to take a moment to share a few thoughts & highlights.
When we were bringing EVERYBODY to life, Co-Founder Lake Sharp and I bonded about having parents with mental health issues, and it has ALWAYS informed so much of what, why and how we do things at EVERYBODY. When my own Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease over a decade ago, I had to shift gears practically overnight to become her full-time caregiver. As anyone who has gone through this experience knows, caring for someone with a mental illness can become a full-time job of its own and takes a serious toll on the caregiver as well as the person with the disease.
Strength Class with Sonny on our outdoor patio.
MOVEMENT & MENTAL HEALTH
I now closely follow the research on dementia and there are many current studies that explicitly link loneliness, stress and depression to increased risk of dementia and other forms of mental illness. There is also an emerging body of hopeful scientific evidence that supports the fact that exercise and connection to community in younger and midlife years are two of the most important keys to avoiding dementia and mental illness in later life. This brings me personally a lot of hope, especially since my Dad is now also on his own end-of-life journey with dementia.
CONNECTION & COMMUNITY
Of course we know many members of our LGBTQIA+ community already face a dramatically increased risk of depression, anxiety and suicide. We always create programming with the idea that moving our bodies together in community is about so much more than simply getting our heart rates up and achieving better circulation, flexibility, and strength. It is about a sense of belonging, a real connection to your community, and having a safe place for you to explore and expand your own relationship to your body ON YOUR OWN TERMS.
Outdoor mural by artist Maria Pineres.
IRL SEROTONIN BOOST
You may have also noticed that our beautiful multi-colored camouflage outdoor mural has just graced our interior space, all thanks to incredible artist Maria Pineres, a local Mt. Washington resident and beloved member of our community. Maria was inspired to bring the beauty of her original outside mural into the gym and our hope is that these gorgeous colors and shapes energize your workout and fortify you for the many fights ahead. "Resist" is the title of her initial large outdoor mural on our patio, which she painted just after Trump's 2016 presidential election. "Resilience" is the theme behind this powerful and inspiring interior imagery that re-purposes military imagery for our use as a tapestry of solidarity, strength and resilience for the days before us and those yet to come. Maria also wanted to represent the many colors, textures and shapes of our community in a slightly more abstract form, playing on the idea of many different "skins" imbued with various shades of Camouflage. I hope this contributes to everyone's sense of well-being, support and collective strength. Come see what we’ve done with the place!
COLLECTIVE SUPPORT FOR GAZA
We also continue to do everything we can to support and amplify the call for a ceasefire in Gaza including donating membership proceeds to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund and donating supplies and resources to our local student groups including @oxyjvp at Occidental College organizing and protesting for divestment from Israel. The extremely critical work of demanding the safety of innocent Palestinians remains a top priority for us, as well as providing needed space for folks in our community to grieve, gather, restore & recharge between devastating emerging news, protests and local community actions.
We have been unsurprised yet extremely saddened to learn that many mainstream gyms have actually * fired * members of their staff for speaking out in support of Palestine. We remain very proud of our commitment to hold space for Palestinian solidarity with our collective reflection, grief, and calls to action. We continue to advocate for an immediate ceasefire and end to Israeli apartheid and genocidal Zionism. Knowing our tax dollars are going to fund a genocide is absolutely detrimental to all of our collective mental health, and we must continue to show up, speak out, and call out for divestment from Israel in whatever ways we can.
STAFF FEATURE
A shout out to our Wednesday Night Hot & Heavy Strength Class teacher and Personal Trainer Ames Miyako, who is currently producing and raising funds for a film centering mental health.
Checking Out is a short film about a queer date gone mentally ill, where no one is crazy and humor and hope prevail: When a really good date brings up really bad experiences from the past, Alex (played by Ames Miyako) has a dissociative episode at the worst possible moment: a first kiss with their really cute date Jess. Trapped inside the literal walls of their own psyche (which just so happens to look like the inside of a school gymnasium), Alex is challenged by “Cool Alex”, a past version of themselves, to crack the psychological code needed to get back into their body for that first kiss with Jess.
If you’d like to support this independently produced film written by Ames Miyako and directed by Ariel Zucker, consider making a tax deductible donation here!
WELLNESS, COMMUNITY AND OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING:
Looking for a little more movement, wellness or connecting with community outdoors? Join us for:
Monthly Sliding Scale drop-in Community Acupuncture w/ Ben Leventer.
New Monthly Sound Bath Series: High Vibes w/ Jordan Wolan starts May 31st at 6pm at out sister location, SIBLING.
EVERYBODY Swims! returns for the summer every first and third Sunday at Occidental College beginning June 2nd! All bodies welcome.
In addition to all our weekly on-site class programming, these special wellness and outdoor events are intended to add a little more to the mix to our affordable and accessible programming. We are proud to offer a wide range of opportunities for connection and health.
Sign up/ see our full schedule of offerings here!
HOMEBODY VIDEO ON DEMAND
FOR ALL THE HOMEBODIES:
I would be remiss not to mention HOMEBODY, our revolutionary Video-On-Demand library that continues to deliver all our radically inclusive programming to you wherever you are, whenever you need it. We understand for those who may face mental health issues, working out from home can be a vital way to access the services you need most when you need them most. Our full Video on Demand catalog is available to our gym members or available as a separate subscription.
VOD curious? Check it out here!
Beach Pilates returns in July!
Take good care this month and remember, self-care is key to community care! We all need to breathe in our own oxygen before giving it away to others.
Happy almost Summer!
Sam / EVERYBODY Co-Founder