Hello and welcome to my Patreon!

My name is Ilya and I’m a non binary trans masculine person of color currently living in Charlotte, NC. I am the owner of Decolonizing Fitness, LLC. I’m a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant and Medical Exercise Coach with over 13 years of rehabilitative and functional training experience. I firmly believe fitness/movement can be reclaimed and utilized as a healing tool to help our most marginalized folx reconnect with their bodies in ways that feel supportive and liberating to them. My mission is to help make fitness more affirming and accessible to all bodies.
I am a social justice advocate and educator whose work centers healing justice & gender justice. I am also a freelance writer and have contributed to Every Day Feminism, Self Magazine , Mashable and AthleteAlly.
I have rallied for more than 13 years as a grass-roots community organizer.

I am currently a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Council for Atrium Care Systems , ASDAH and Board Member of the Charlotte Transgender Healthcare Group.
I assist in educating various healthcare providers on ways they can better service their transgender and gender non conforming patients. I have also helped to facilitate gender justice workshops, programs for fitness centers and faith based organizations.

As a black trans business owner living in the rural southeast U.S. it’s been very difficult funding and maintaining my work. Much of the populations I serve are cash poor and lack the resources to pay for the services I provide. I make as much as I can accessible to folks which has in turn caused me to be stretched very thin.  

Thankfully, my online community (YOU) moved in and helped the Decolonizing Fitness collective grow which has allowed for my business to stay afloat. My audience is filled with people who see a need and want to make a difference; I’m so appreciative of that. 

I created this Patreon so that I could consistently share all my beautiful visions, projects, collaborations, ideas, writings, research with you in a more sustainable way. So that we may begin watering seeds that have been planted pouring everything back into the communities who truly need it.

All of my work rest at the intersections of trans & body liberation, fat acceptance, disability, healing and racial justice. I need your help to get these things off the ground and I promise...you will gain access to some winderful resources.
 
Please help to sustain the work of some amazing Queer and Trans People of Color so that we can get one step closer to liberation in this lifetime.

If you feel moved to make a one time donation you can contribute to the cause HERE

If you’re not in the position to become a patron, no worries at all! Your support means the world to me and I’d be so happy to hear any feedback you could share in regards to my page.

I appreciate you!

Ilya