Introducing Our Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Carlos!

As the events in June unfolded, on top of the anxiety-producing pandemic that left millions unemployed and many businesses in trouble, I didn’t know what to think. Many of you wouldn’t know me, but I am Elizabeth (E3), responsible for the safety and well-being of our FHITfam as the Human Resources Manager. The systemic racism in this country is horrifying, and the mass incarceration, poverty and lack of resources BIPOC communities face every day makes me very angry.

When we hosted our Strength Against Racism on Juneteenth, I was humbled and touched by the outpouring of support from our FHIXers, and felt compelled to continue driving the world toward positive, lasting change, so that was only the beginning. 

I’ve heard from many that actions must be taken in order to truly impact change. Actions, when the task ahead is daunting, seem impossible. At Fhitting Room, we are full of love. Heart is in our mission statement and all over our brand.

So, I thought about what love is, what heart is.
Love is caring for our fellow human. Heart is being brave enough to stand up against evil.
Love is trust. Heart is knowing that BIPOC communities can’t solve this problem alone.
Love is forgiveness. Heart is making reparations for crimes in our past.

Education matters; having the difficult conversations and learning from others is an essential part of ensuring a better future for all of our humans. Fhitting Room has an inclusive environment; you tell us every day. Unfortunately, many of our community do not feel included in the world. Like many organizations, we worked to establish things we can do to impact meaningful change in the world. Fhitting Room is committed to taking consistent, strong action. Education is important, yes, and we are also committed to being the change we wish to see in the world and providing long term support where it’s needed.

As you may remember, we shared resources, demographics, and sponsored an event to raise funds for the Black Lives Matter movement. Internally we have also committed to hiring a Diversity & Inclusion Officer and establishing a working group to help drive forward meaningful change. Our very own Carlos Davila, who you all know and love as a no-nonsense, get results FHITpro is also a Professor of Psychology and Sports Psychology who has a strong background in DI initiatives/research. 

In this role, Carlos will be leading our internal Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, focusing on action-oriented projects. He says, “Fitness is a space that plays such an important role from a biopsychosocial perspective that ensuring that everyone has access to these spaces and feels comfortable engaging in these spaces is so important! The intersectional issues that many BIPOC face when making decisions about their health and wellness make it a space that is often avoided, ignored, or denied. Making sure that the overarching positive by-products of fitness are accessible to all is a passion that I always have and will advocate for.“

Just last week, Carlos was published in Club Industry Magazine with an article about microaggressions. Carlos’ knowledge and heart make him an excellent FHIT to continue making an impact in our FHITfam in meaningful and game-changing ways. He says, “I can’t put into words how excited I am about being a member of this amazing group of humans that are looking to increase the level of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion within Fhitting Room! The possibility for genuine collaborations, mutually beneficial partnerships, and continued growth and evolution are aspects of this role that I am very excited about.” We couldn’t agree more.

We’d love to have ongoing involvement from our community; if you’re interested in future opportunities to partner with us on Diversity & Inclusion initiatives or support organizations we love, please let us know by emailing e3@fhittingroom.com.