UliftU

Who has the war on drugs actually been against? As this chart shows, since the War on Drugs began in the 80s, the effect on incarceration, especially of Black men has skyrocketed. Black men and women are incarcerated at a rate of more than 5x that of white men and women. While these numbers continue to climb, violent crime has fallen 20% nationwide while the number of those incarcerated has risen by over 50%. Nonviolent drug offenses are filling prisons while little resources... are available upon release. We believe incarceration for drug crimes is often the result of the worst decision someone made in their life. It does not mean that individual doesn’t deserve an opportunity to contribute, in fact their motivation to do so is profound. Please support our program if you agree. #representationmatters #hireblackcoaches #socialjustice #lifteachother #philly #healthylifestyle

Because of the effects of incarceration, more than one of every six Black men who today should have been between the ages of 25-54 have disappeared from daily life. Those are brothers, uncles, friends and fathers. The importance of family is one of the main things that those who come home tell us was a driver for them to do right after leaving prison. We believe that people want to well and whole. And that means a family. Earlier this year, Coach Rodney (pictured here with pe...rmission) started his most important job - Dad. Rodney isn’t absent because he’s home, and now has been for the longest stretch of his adult life. That has led to him getting married to an amazing woman, becoming a father and working. When we consider the impact of long term incarceration relative to community instability - we need look no further than Rodney’s story of what is possible. Rodney’s story isn’t alone either, each father in our program is now walking the same path. Today, we wish a Happy Father’s Day to all those who are starting new families, re-connecting with their children and completing sentences so that they can begin their own process of becoming whole. We are stronger when we are together. #fathersday #representationmatters #onlycriedoncetypingthis #hireblackcoaches #lifteachother

Juneteenth is recognized for June 19th, 1865, when Union troops reached the end of Texas in Galveston, delivering the message that all enslaved people were to be free. The emancipation proclamation had been issued over 2 years earlier in 1863 and the 13th Amendment was passed on January 31st 1865. This is to say that even with a government mandate of legal status, it took years for all states to even acknowledge it. Not to mention the legacy of the act of slavery (which endur...es). Last year, in the wake of the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor - there was an outpouring of support for Black lives the likes of which hadn’t been seen since the 60s. A largely at-home audience became captivated. However, what has happened since? According to recent research conducted by The NY Times, white people are less supportive of Black Lives Matter than they were at the start of 2020. Let’s be clear - that means in general, support is not back to levels that preceded George Floyd’s death, they are lower (full podcast discussing these stats is in our bio from NPR). In less time than it took to enforce the status of ending enslavement in our country, we’ve already erased much of the traction that seemed possible last summer. Actions that came from being shocked by a murder. What will it take to get our collective attention again? All of this is to say that your actions matter. As a society, many have moved on, but YOU can take action. YOU can make small changes, enduring changes to create space for Black leadership and voices. You have power. Even as many will move on, we must remember that fact. Otherwise, we do little to commemorate a day of freedom. Let’s get to work. #representationmatters #hireblackcoaches #healthylifestyle #lifteachother #nonprofit #philly #blacklivesmatter

Podcast drop! Thanks to our friends at @warhorsebarbell for having us on last week! Full link to the show is in our bio. Check it out and hear more about our approach and what we’re working on in the fitness space. #representationmatters #hireblackcoaches #fitness #nonprofit #lifteachother #podcast #didntsweartoomuch

#Repost @uliftu News alert! Check out the feature story from CrossFit on Subversus Coach and UliftU Graduate - Rodney! The full link is in our bio. Keep it up Rodney, we’re proud to have you as part of our team! Thank you @crossfit for sharing Rodney’s story! @crossfittraining @crossfitaffiliates

News alert! Check out the feature story from CrossFit on Subversus Coach and UliftU Graduate - Rodney! The full link is in our bio. Keep it up Rodney, we’re proud to have you as part of our team! Thank you @crossfit for sharing Rodney’s story! @crossfittraining @crossfitaffiliates

In the past week, there has been a renewed discussion on how Black and white people are treated differently by the law and law enforcement. It’s important to know these stats as they show a sobering difference in what race means to how you are treated by the law. While the roots of these stats can be debated to a number of sources, the fact is that there are two Americas. Going forward, we’re going to start sharing more information and statistics, particularly around the connection between the War on Drugs and its role in fueling a massive spike in incarceration particularly for the BIPOC community. Knowing what is happening is the first step in creating a change.

In order to lead, one must first have an unyielding desire to learn. Coach Rodney working on his lesson tomorrow plans for the week.

Classroom time! Whether in prison or out, trainees in our program learn the same curriculum. Those returned home also earn $12.50/hour for this classroom time. Our organization also supports certification materials and costs to make the transition to working easier.... Often, we hear from guys inside that they started a personal training program, but we’re unable to complete it due to a lack of being able to pay for the certification process. We eliminate that barrier. Please help support or share this message today, thank you!

Q/A is back! There are lots of barriers facing returning citizens, but almost nothing more than the overall speed of life with technology. Imagine the role of technology in your life 10 years ago. Now, freeze that moment and picture being dropped in today’s world. That overwhelming feeling plays a big part in anxiety and stress, not to mention difficulty in getting a job.... For many of the individuals in our program via Federal Prison, that 10 year sentence is fairly average. What technology did you use 10 years ago? Imagine how that would change your life today if that was all you knew.

Classroom sessions! Our program balances weekly hours both in the classroom learning biomechanics, nutrition and programming but also working out in classes. Both are critical, you can’t learn it (and teach it to others) if you don’t do it. Our members also earn $12.50/hour for their time in the classroom. Here is Samir learning the ATP regeneration cycle and metabolic pathways in one our sessions. This is how we prepare the next generation of Coaches and leaders in the fight against chronic disease. #lifteachother #socialchange

Thank you to all our donors and supporters! Rodney is cranking away on thank you notes and we can’t tell you how much your donations mean to our program. Thank you for being a part of sustainable change.

In the past few days, I’ve had a number of meaningful discussions about race, equity and fitness. One thing really stood out. As a white man, I have to do more to talk with other white people about racism and steps to facilitate change. Black people already face a system that has never been fair or equitable and now often must add a burden to that of educating white people who have benefited from it. BIPOC voices must be amplified by my discussions. I don’t believe this means... don’t speak, rather listen but then amplify. I’ve been problematic myself in such conversations as well and something I am working to improve. Taking without supporting. If we white people desire the knowledge and experience of Black people in ways that benefit us - how can we literally and figuratively pay for that? Racist structures are not accidental. They are hard wired into American society. The white men who wrote the founding documents owned Black men and women. This means that the dismantling of such structures will also not be accidental or neat, but rather only possible through deliberate and accountable action. We must find sustainable actions and recommit when we expose the failures of those. Perfection is not realistic, however relentlessness is not optional. - Wylie

This is how we lift each other. Not just those who look like us or can afford it, but simply how we look around and see who needs a little strength. That’s how change happens.

One rep, job and life at a time. That’s how change happens.

Coach Rodney getting class ready for the deadlift! @subversusfitness

Vote!! Register to vote Just because you’ve been convicted of a felony doesn’t always mean you lose the right to vote. In fact, Iowa was the last state to end lifetime felony disenfranchisement for all offenses this year! Check out the laws in your state Then register to vote! #NationalVoterRegistrationDay

You know who is awesome? @issaruncrew In early June, Richard contacted us and said - we want to help, what can we do. No posting, no pretense - just get involved. Their running group raised $500 in support of our efforts! Thank you so much! Want to support our mission with innovative fundraisers? Message us! We also do group talks to help educate about the challenges of re-entry and barriers to public health and we’d love to connect!

unpaid internships One of the hurdles to getting started in any industry is experience. Especially in fitness, new and aspiring Coaches are often expected to give their time for free to learn the trade. This action places groups who have disposable income and time at a massive advantage to those who don’t have those advantages. Especially if you’re Black, this means not being able to gain quality experience. We don’t agree with that standard. Coaches in training with us ear...n $12.50/hour while in the classroom, training session and shadowing. If we want to foster diversity in Coaching and therefore accessibility of fitness, we have to examine Coach development. Certified Coaches start at $25/hour plus travel. No aspect of our program is given either as the only thing worse than not being paid is being insulted with a hollow handout. Being on-time, prepared and ready to engage are our standards. Value time and effort, no more free labor.

Samir getting after it in classes! Nice work! from Coach @morganvoz

What if you were only judged by the worst mistake you’ve ever made? What would that mean for your life? That’s the reality of the long term impact of our justice system and why programs to empower returning citizens are so important. Many of us on the outside are the beneficiaries of second, third... eighth chances. Many on the inside share Jesse’s story and want the opportunity to show a different future. That the past is part of your story, not your your future. We believe that drive, commitment and passion is how change happens and who better to lead that effort than those who have lost freedom and understood the importance of another chance. When we start new folks in our program, we ask why they are here. The answer is always, to help make things better. Last time we checked, we need more of that in the world.

White gym owners. Let’s talk. I’m Wylie - Founder of UliftU and a cisgender, white guy. I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia on a horse farm. I was born on 3rd base with a foot off the bag towards home plate. Now, I own a business, Subversus Fitness and if I had to peg my profession, like many in our space, I would say - health and wellness. If we own a business (which is a lot of work...), without purposeful action, it will start looking more like who we are, who we hire..., who are members and so on. None of us (I hope...) would say that they were in the business of white health and wellness, but if you didn’t know better and looked around - does that sound right? We need to be honest. It does. Being aware of that issue is the first step and many are coming around to that reality. Here’s the kicker. We want to help, we post to social media, we buy the t-shirt. We MEAN well. The reality is that if our well intentions don’t match our actions, they do not matter. One of the first action steps we can take as business owners is to hire Black coaches. Jobs matter. Representation matters. This isn’t a debate. We have to sit with, and be made uncomfortable by, this reality and recognize that inclusion will only go as far as the leaders (coaches) in our communities of fitness. Our responsibility is to level the playing field that we walked into already halfway home. Hiring practices. That we CAN do. One job means a hell of a lot more than all the posts, all the outrage, all the finger pointing at others. Showing up means creating a job, listening to and empowering (and NOT tokenizing) the Black community in the fitness space. I write this as flawed as anyone. I don’t do enough. If I did, if we all did, we wouldn’t need to write things like this. Change is our responsibility. Stop waiting. Accessibility is only possible with diversity and true health is only possible through deliberate leadership. It’s time.

Welcome Samir! Samir did his first session today, working with Coach Morgan @morganvoz for his on-ramp! We’re excited to have Samir join our program via our partnership with the Federal Re-Entry Court program. We haven’t had any new folks be able to join since the shut down so we’re as eager as Samir is to get things rolling again.... Stay tuned!

Right now, Philadelphia is being ripped apart by gun violence. Since May 23rd an average of 9 people are getting shot per day on weekends. 30 were shot last weekend, 5 at a rally to commemorate a death from gun violence . These shootings disproportionately affect Black youth. Both the violence and the incarceration from those actions. Both situations deprive life. Recently, when announcements were made cancelling sports and school in person, some commented about how the risk ...of COVID exposure at school was less dangerous than what faced kids in their home communities. Consider that for a moment. If you’re a kid and Black, a virus which has shut down the globe can be considered safer for your life. I listened to these words from First Lady Michelle Obama recently and it reminded me of what is so vital. We don’t have the option to care for some kids, but not others. Some humans, but not all. Going alone doesn’t work, our current situation demonstrates that. We all have an obligation to help ensure life and start where that is most perilous. We are working on our program response to do our part and will share more soon. In the meantime, we all must remember our common humanity and how it is not a a passive choice. There are no sidelines.