Black History Month
Krystal Clark Shares What’s Behind Her Inspiring Energy
One of the most common criticisms of the fitness and wellness industries—and the communities they welcome—is that they are largely white. And while there is certainly a lot of truth to this, we think it overlooks an important fact: Diverse groups and individuals have participated in and played a major role in shaping fitness and wellness—both throughout history and in the present.
In honor of Black History Month, we’re celebrating Black voices throughout February, both in the larger fitness and wellness space and right here in our own barre3 community.
Krystal Clark is a woman with vision, energy, and hope. Krystal holds a leadership position at Vanderbilt University, is an active member on countless boards in the Nashville community, and in 2017, she became the first Black President of the Junior League of Nashville in its 96-year history.
On top of all of this, Krystal is a founding member of barre3 Nashville. She credits both barre3 Nashville and barre3 Brentwood (where she goes to class as well!) with helping her maintain her wellbeing throughout quarantine. Below, Krystal shares more about the work that fuels her, the first class that made her fall hard for barre3, and why one-woman dance parties are her current favorite way to experience joy.
B3 MAG: You’re a talented multi-hyphenate: Director of Employee Learning and Organizational Effectiveness in Vanderbilt University Human Resources, the founder of Equip To Thrive, a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and you hold multiple board positions. What inspired you to follow this professional trajectory?
KRYSTAL CLARK: It started with my love of college. As I became an older student, I was passionate about helping others learn how to navigate college and get involved. That interest grew as I began taking on leadership positions and participating in leadership development programs. I felt strongly that it was something I needed to do for the rest of my life. I need to be in a learning environment where I can mentor, educate, and coach others.
I’ve been an educator since birth. My mom will tell me stories of how I taught my stuffed animals every day. I’ve always been a reader and a learner, and I’ve always been eager to share what I learn with other people. All of that has led me to where I am now.
B3 MAG: How has your work shifted and been impacted by COVID?
KRYSTAL: As a result of the pandemic, I’ve focused on helping people build strong connections and a sense of belonging virtually. Because we’re not able to gather in a room together, I have to be very thoughtful about building effective engagement activities. It’s really about having shorter, more frequent and interactive touchpoints.
The university experience is so relational. Imagine being a first-year college student and all of a sudden you have to live alone because it’s no longer safe to have a roommate. On top of that, all the events we used to have, you can’t hold those anymore. It’s taken a lot of creativity, innovation, and intention to help people build these networks while being physically apart.
B3 MAG: You dedicate so much of yourself to your local community. How do you see yourself growing from all that you do?
KRYSTAL: There’s a sense of fulfillment that I get in seeing people come together, and I feel immense joy when someone tells me that my work helped them have a breakthrough. That, for me, is the ultimate level of dopamine. That’s what fuels me.
People have a belief in me that makes me quite emotional, and great things have come from that. I believe that you put your good out into the world and the good stuff comes back to you. I have time and talent, and as I’ve offered those, they’ve always come back to serve me in some positive way.
B3 MAG: You’re a founding member of barre3 Nashville! How did you first discover barre3 and what initially drew you to the community?
KRYSTAL: Before discovering and trying barre3, I went to another studio where I was fat-shamed. That experience made me think that barre was something that was only for people who looked like ballerinas already. That’s not me.
I found barre3 through the Junior League of Nashville, which I’ve been president of and am a current member of. We co-hosted an event with barre3 Nashville, and one of my friends was in charge of the committee putting on the event and she convinced me to come to class. I went, and honestly it was one of the hardest physical things I’d ever done in my life. I was lightheaded and almost passed out—I hadn’t moved like that in so long.
But after the class was finished, I immediately wanted to do it again. I felt accepted and very welcomed right from the beginning. I’m a size 16, curvy, dark-skinned, African American woman. I am not your model gym physique, but I didn’t feel any hesitation from anyone in that space about who I was and what I would bring to the table. Barre3 has taught me a lot of lessons: No one had ever told me that modifications were okay, or that I could take a break and come back. No one had ever talked me through how to breathe properly, but I’ve learned how important breathwork is for calming my body and mind.
The barre3 philosophy is drastically different from other fitness programs I’d experienced before, and that’s what drew me to it. Plus Holly, one of the owners of barre3 Nashville, is so magnetic, and all the instructors are lovely, friendly, and helpful. The community keeps me coming back.
B3 MAG: How has that feeling of community shifted or developed since COVID began? How has your practice shifted in the last year?
KRYSTAL: The livestream classes are great—they started right at the time when I was beginning to wonder when I would see my barre3 community again. You get into this routine where you’re seeing your barre3 friends every class, and when you don’t see them, you miss that. But it was so nice to be at home and to still be able to connect with people face-to-face.
Barre3 Nashville also ran a series of outdoor classes in the city’s Centennial Park every Sunday. That became a very consistent part of my life and something I looked forward to. We were out there in this beautiful park, in the fresh air, and surrounded by people you love. Having that each week helped center me and give me a sense of normalcy.
B3 MAG: 2020 was full of unpredictability, hardship, and so much change. What lessons did you take from last year? How are you letting these lessons influence what you’d like to invite more of into your life this year and what you’d like to let go of?
KRYSTAL: There were things in my life where I had to ask myself: If I didn’t have this opportunity right now, would I take it? Asking that question has helped me do an audit of my life and let go of things I didn’t feel connected to. The beauty of that practice is that I’m connected with the people I truly want to be connected with. This time has also reaffirmed for me that “no” is a powerful word, and I should use it without apology.
The other thing I’ve taken from this time is the realization that I’m okay being alone. I love my own company, and I’m truly never bored. Before COVID, I had a very full social calendar, and sometimes, you fill your life with so much that you forget the power and the beauty of just being with yourself. I’m never upset about that time I pour into myself.
B3 MAG: Amid national protests calling for racial justice, 2020 brought with it a significant call for the world to wake up to incredibly important truths, and it continues into this year. How are you doing throughout all of this?
KRYSTAL: None of this is new, and it’s been difficult. What happened with George Floyd was so visceral. Looking at that broke something in people, and unfortunately that’s what had to happen for them to see what was going on in the world.
Breonna Taylor had a deep and profound impact on me. She was a young, hard-working Black woman who was literally sleeping. Knowing that, I think about myself as a young, hard-working Black woman who sleeps alone in her home every night. I’ve been wrestling with a lot of anger. I try to always start from a place of compassion, listening, and understanding, but at this point in my life, I see that not knowing the realities of what’s happening in the world is chosen ignorance.
It seemed that every white person in America I knew reached out to me. I got all the emails and all the text messages. People were saying they were sorry. That they had no idea. When I knew that people really wanted to understand, I did my best to serve as an educator. That is not my responsibility, but it’s a choice that I make if I feel that these are people who are really invested in understanding and learning what’s going on.
It’s been an interesting process to see who of my connections are sticking to their allyship, activism, growth, and learning. Unfortunately, this has affected my relationships. If you are adamantly in favor of things that affect my ability to thrive in the world as a Black woman, we’re not going to have a relationship with each other. If you’re a friend, the baseline expectation is that you want me to do well in the world.
But I deeply believe that there are people who are waking up. I hate that it had to get to this point, but I do believe that this is a time when people are looking around and questioning what’s going on. Part of it is the fact that our regular lives have been interrupted, and this is what we’re paying attention to and what we’re talking about. It’s opening people up to the realities that Black people and people of color have been facing for hundreds of years.
B3 MAG: What are your strategies and practices for finding calm and getting grounded?
KRYSTAL: It’s all quite relentless. There’s no moment of rest, and that’s why I think something like barre3 is so important, because it’s a way that I find that inner peace. In addition to barre3, I play a lot of music and I dance a lot. I’m all about a good one-woman dance party. I’ll always have music on throughout the day—when I’m cleaning, when I’m working. That’s been a blessing for me.
I’m not a nature girl, but getting fresh air, taking a walk, and having those outdoor barre3 classes has been so good for my soul. Going for a walk around my neighborhood, taking a few deep breaths, putting on a good podcast or playlist—all of that has helped. My faith is also important to me, and when I need some calm, that’s where I go.
B3 MAG: What is something that you’re feeling hopeful about or looking forward to?
KRYSTAL: Hope is so critical. It gets you through the day. My hope is that at some point we can find a sense of political stability. I don’t know what that’s going to look like or what we’re going to have to do to get there as a people, but I do hope that day will come. That’s a big hope for me, and it’s something that causes a lot of unrest in my heart.
I hope too, that the people who have been awakened by what’s going on in the world continue to move forward in a positive direction. I am very hopeful for the work that I get to do in making the workplace better for people. I am hopeful that we can figure this vaccine thing out, and that we can get to a place where one day, we can be in rooms together without masks. I don’t know how long that will be, but I’m very hopeful about it.
Thank you Krystal! You can learn more about Krystal by heading to her website or follow her on Instagram for inspiration, education, and more.
Join the barre3 community by finding your local studio or try barre3 online free with a 15-day trial.
One of the most common criticisms of the fitness and wellness industries—and the communities they welcome—is that they are largely white. And while there is certainly a lot of truth to this, we think it overlooks an important fact: Diverse groups and individuals have participated in and played a major role in shaping fitness and wellness—both throughout history and in the present.
In honor of Black History Month, we’re celebrating Black voices throughout February, both in the larger fitness and wellness space and right here in our own barre3 community.
Krystal Clark is a woman with vision, energy, and hope. Krystal holds a leadership position at Vanderbilt University, is an active member on countless boards in the Nashville community, and in 2017, she became the first Black President of the Junior League of Nashville in its 96-year history.
On top of all of this, Krystal is a founding member of barre3 Nashville. She credits both barre3 Nashville and barre3 Brentwood (where she goes to class as well!) with helping her maintain her wellbeing throughout quarantine. Below, Krystal shares more about the work that fuels her, the first class that made her fall hard for barre3, and why one-woman dance parties are her current favorite way to experience joy.
B3 MAG: You’re a talented multi-hyphenate: Director of Employee Learning and Organizational Effectiveness in Vanderbilt University Human Resources, the founder of Equip To Thrive, a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and you hold multiple board positions. What inspired you to follow this professional trajectory?
KRYSTAL CLARK: It started with my love of college. As I became an older student, I was passionate about helping others learn how to navigate college and get involved. That interest grew as I began taking on leadership positions and participating in leadership development programs. I felt strongly that it was something I needed to do for the rest of my life. I need to be in a learning environment where I can mentor, educate, and coach others.
I’ve been an educator since birth. My mom will tell me stories of how I taught my stuffed animals every day. I’ve always been a reader and a learner, and I’ve always been eager to share what I learn with other people. All of that has led me to where I am now.
B3 MAG: How has your work shifted and been impacted by COVID?
KRYSTAL: As a result of the pandemic, I’ve focused on helping people build strong connections and a sense of belonging virtually. Because we’re not able to gather in a room together, I have to be very thoughtful about building effective engagement activities. It’s really about having shorter, more frequent and interactive touchpoints.
The university experience is so relational. Imagine being a first-year college student and all of a sudden you have to live alone because it’s no longer safe to have a roommate. On top of that, all the events we used to have, you can’t hold those anymore. It’s taken a lot of creativity, innovation, and intention to help people build these networks while being physically apart.
B3 MAG: You dedicate so much of yourself to your local community. How do you see yourself growing from all that you do?
KRYSTAL: There’s a sense of fulfillment that I get in seeing people come together, and I feel immense joy when someone tells me that my work helped them have a breakthrough. That, for me, is the ultimate level of dopamine. That’s what fuels me.
People have a belief in me that makes me quite emotional, and great things have come from that. I believe that you put your good out into the world and the good stuff comes back to you. I have time and talent, and as I’ve offered those, they’ve always come back to serve me in some positive way.
B3 MAG: You’re a founding member of barre3 Nashville! How did you first discover barre3 and what initially drew you to the community?
KRYSTAL: Before discovering and trying barre3, I went to another studio where I was fat-shamed. That experience made me think that barre was something that was only for people who looked like ballerinas already. That’s not me.
I found barre3 through the Junior League of Nashville, which I’ve been president of and am a current member of. We co-hosted an event with barre3 Nashville, and one of my friends was in charge of the committee putting on the event and she convinced me to come to class. I went, and honestly it was one of the hardest physical things I’d ever done in my life. I was lightheaded and almost passed out—I hadn’t moved like that in so long.
But after the class was finished, I immediately wanted to do it again. I felt accepted and very welcomed right from the beginning. I’m a size 16, curvy, dark-skinned, African American woman. I am not your model gym physique, but I didn’t feel any hesitation from anyone in that space about who I was and what I would bring to the table. Barre3 has taught me a lot of lessons: No one had ever told me that modifications were okay, or that I could take a break and come back. No one had ever talked me through how to breathe properly, but I’ve learned how important breathwork is for calming my body and mind.
The barre3 philosophy is drastically different from other fitness programs I’d experienced before, and that’s what drew me to it. Plus Holly, one of the owners of barre3 Nashville, is so magnetic, and all the instructors are lovely, friendly, and helpful. The community keeps me coming back.
B3 MAG: How has that feeling of community shifted or developed since COVID began? How has your practice shifted in the last year?
KRYSTAL: The livestream classes are great—they started right at the time when I was beginning to wonder when I would see my barre3 community again. You get into this routine where you’re seeing your barre3 friends every class, and when you don’t see them, you miss that. But it was so nice to be at home and to still be able to connect with people face-to-face.
Barre3 Nashville also ran a series of outdoor classes in the city’s Centennial Park every Sunday. That became a very consistent part of my life and something I looked forward to. We were out there in this beautiful park, in the fresh air, and surrounded by people you love. Having that each week helped center me and give me a sense of normalcy.
B3 MAG: 2020 was full of unpredictability, hardship, and so much change. What lessons did you take from last year? How are you letting these lessons influence what you’d like to invite more of into your life this year and what you’d like to let go of?
KRYSTAL: There were things in my life where I had to ask myself: If I didn’t have this opportunity right now, would I take it? Asking that question has helped me do an audit of my life and let go of things I didn’t feel connected to. The beauty of that practice is that I’m connected with the people I truly want to be connected with. This time has also reaffirmed for me that “no” is a powerful word, and I should use it without apology.
The other thing I’ve taken from this time is the realization that I’m okay being alone. I love my own company, and I’m truly never bored. Before COVID, I had a very full social calendar, and sometimes, you fill your life with so much that you forget the power and the beauty of just being with yourself. I’m never upset about that time I pour into myself.
B3 MAG: Amid national protests calling for racial justice, 2020 brought with it a significant call for the world to wake up to incredibly important truths, and it continues into this year. How are you doing throughout all of this?
KRYSTAL: None of this is new, and it’s been difficult. What happened with George Floyd was so visceral. Looking at that broke something in people, and unfortunately that’s what had to happen for them to see what was going on in the world.
Breonna Taylor had a deep and profound impact on me. She was a young, hard-working Black woman who was literally sleeping. Knowing that, I think about myself as a young, hard-working Black woman who sleeps alone in her home every night. I’ve been wrestling with a lot of anger. I try to always start from a place of compassion, listening, and understanding, but at this point in my life, I see that not knowing the realities of what’s happening in the world is chosen ignorance.
It seemed that every white person in America I knew reached out to me. I got all the emails and all the text messages. People were saying they were sorry. That they had no idea. When I knew that people really wanted to understand, I did my best to serve as an educator. That is not my responsibility, but it’s a choice that I make if I feel that these are people who are really invested in understanding and learning what’s going on.
It’s been an interesting process to see who of my connections are sticking to their allyship, activism, growth, and learning. Unfortunately, this has affected my relationships. If you are adamantly in favor of things that affect my ability to thrive in the world as a Black woman, we’re not going to have a relationship with each other. If you’re a friend, the baseline expectation is that you want me to do well in the world.
But I deeply believe that there are people who are waking up. I hate that it had to get to this point, but I do believe that this is a time when people are looking around and questioning what’s going on. Part of it is the fact that our regular lives have been interrupted, and this is what we’re paying attention to and what we’re talking about. It’s opening people up to the realities that Black people and people of color have been facing for hundreds of years.
B3 MAG: What are your strategies and practices for finding calm and getting grounded?
KRYSTAL: It’s all quite relentless. There’s no moment of rest, and that’s why I think something like barre3 is so important, because it’s a way that I find that inner peace. In addition to barre3, I play a lot of music and I dance a lot. I’m all about a good one-woman dance party. I’ll always have music on throughout the day—when I’m cleaning, when I’m working. That’s been a blessing for me.
I’m not a nature girl, but getting fresh air, taking a walk, and having those outdoor barre3 classes has been so good for my soul. Going for a walk around my neighborhood, taking a few deep breaths, putting on a good podcast or playlist—all of that has helped. My faith is also important to me, and when I need some calm, that’s where I go.
B3 MAG: What is something that you’re feeling hopeful about or looking forward to?
KRYSTAL: Hope is so critical. It gets you through the day. My hope is that at some point we can find a sense of political stability. I don’t know what that’s going to look like or what we’re going to have to do to get there as a people, but I do hope that day will come. That’s a big hope for me, and it’s something that causes a lot of unrest in my heart.
I hope too, that the people who have been awakened by what’s going on in the world continue to move forward in a positive direction. I am very hopeful for the work that I get to do in making the workplace better for people. I am hopeful that we can figure this vaccine thing out, and that we can get to a place where one day, we can be in rooms together without masks. I don’t know how long that will be, but I’m very hopeful about it.
Thank you Krystal! You can learn more about Krystal by heading to her website or follow her on Instagram for inspiration, education, and more.
Join the barre3 community by finding your local studio or try barre3 online free with a 15-day trial.
