Recognizing Racial Microaggressions and Creating an Inclusive Health and Fitness Space

Creating a fitness experience that’s welcoming to all

As a health and exercise professional, you are going to work with clients from a range of cultures, identities, and backgrounds. Learning about racial microaggressions and understanding how they can hinder interactions with distinct populations of people will help you create and sustain an inclusive environment while diversifying your clientele.

Led by Rory G James, MPH, Director of the Office of Student Diversity & Inclusion at Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, this video training will delve into how you can interrupt and intervene in situations where microaggressions are present by:

• Identifying assumptions, stereotypes, and preconceived notions about racial and ethnic groups
• Assessing the barriers to fitness and healthcare certain communities may experience
• Reflecting on how your organization, your coworkers, or even you may perpetuate certain beliefs and practices
• Proactively advocating for these groups

For health and exercise professionals, as well as fitness organizations looking to hire more Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), following the advice and guidelines in this course is a step toward being more race-conscious and acknowledging behavior and procedures that may be exclusive.

Upon completion, you will be able to:

• Recognize racial microaggressions and articulate why they are barriers to truly inclusive spaces
• Intervene or interrupt racial microaggressions when they occur
• Advocate for historically marginalized racial and ethnic populations in fitness and health settings