What is Zoombalicious and how is it making a difference for people of color in Pennsylvania?

• Aniya Faulcon
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Aniya Faulcon is The Spark Host/Producer for WITF. She has a passion for shining a light on unique people, experiences, and perspectives within the community.
  
  Previously she worked as the People and Social Trends Reporter/Video Anchor for LancasterOnline | LNPNews. During her time there, she created video packages, provided Facebook Live coverage at community events, and wrote data-driven stories with census data and feature stories on local leaders, non-profit organizations, events, and people with unique talents and experiences within Lancaster County.
  
  Aniya also worked at WMAR ABC 2 News as a Sales Assistant and at the AFRO American Newspapers as an Executive Assistant and Media correspondent. Aniya interned at WEAA Gospel Grace 88.9 and worked at her alma mater’s radio station, WWPJ at Point Park University, where she gained skills and a passion for radio.
  
  Aniya grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended the Baltimore School for the arts for high school with a concentration in acting. She continued to hone her skills and passion for storytelling and later graduated from Point Park University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Broadcast Reporting. Aniya is eager to continue her journey with storytelling in her role with WITF, as she aims to shed a light on real people and real stories within Pennsylvania in a variety of mediums.

 Bryan Majors

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

According to the CDC, 30% of black people are physically active outside of work but all other racial and ethnic groups are in need of more physical activity.

However, a local fitness program called Zoombalicious, that adds a twist to traditional Zumba, is fighting to make a difference.

Sandra Johnson and Charisse Grayer, founders of Zoombalicious, joined us on The Spark Wednesday to discuss their program and the importance of health and wellness and sisterhood for women of color.

Zoombalicious is different from traditional Zumba, as they mainly cater to black women and primarily use hip-hop dances and music instead of Latino and reggaetón music.

Johnson said, they’ve had people who were a part of their program that lost one hundred pounds and overcame the barriers to seeking a healthier lifestyle with the support of their program’s sisterhood.

“Women sometimes have conflict; we have disagreements… So it’s important that we try our best to uplift each other and stay within that sisterhood,” Grayer said. “Amongst us black women, with history and everything, we have to do it. We have to work a little bit harder amongst ourselves just because of history, triggers and trauma within our community. So sisterhood is very important for us to try to work on that and uplift each other.”