NEWS HERO OF THE MONTH
Jessica Sunier Redefines Fiłness ło be Inclusive BY ERIN BLOODGOOD
T
he health and fitness industry has been built to serve a certain type of person. “Health looks white. Health looks like straight teeth. Health looks thin … So, health has a look and if you don’t match that look, people judge on outside appearances and they’re going to assume you’re not healthy,” explains Jessica Sunier, Owner and Founder of the gym FitPower LLC. Sunier studied health and worked in various gyms, but she was tired of being in an industry that was focused on appearances and making money. So, in 2011, she started her own gym.
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FitPower was founded with one main goal: to help people be strong, no matter their body type. Sunier makes a point to label the gym as LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) friendly, and often says that any body is welcome. In its early days, the gym started with a few personal training clients, but has since developed into a powerlifting, jiu jitsu and judofocused facility located on Vliet Street.
Photo by Erin Bloodgood.
