Black History Month
Ready to talk diversity? Stephanie Jacques is here to help.
When you meet Stephanie Jacques, it’s impossible not to be drawn in immediately. First there’s her smile—warm, bright, and welcoming—and then there’s her energy—exuberant, genuine, and driven. This, you can tell right away, is a woman who cares deeply and who gets things done. So it’s no surprise that, when the Black Lives Matter movement blossomed a couple of years ago, Stephanie took it upon herself to bring the conversation to her community at barre3 Nashville. Read on to learn about how she got started with barre3, the resource she created to talk diversity and inclusivity with her studio team, and what she does to keep the conversation accessible to everyone.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us! I’d love to start with how you first got connected with barre3.
STEPHANIE: I moved to Nashville about four years ago, and I was looking for a workout, but I needed something that was light on my joints—at the time I had a lot of foot pain, and I had been overweight. I went to a class at barre3 Nashville and loved it. It was a hard workout, but it didn’t hurt my body.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Before long you went from client to team member. Is that when your practice really took off?
STEPHANIE: I started working Front Desk and helping in the Play Lounge, and I took class every day. I loved every aspect of it—the team, the class, the feeling I got afterward. I loved that the workout incorporated all the pieces I needed, especially the breathwork. That’s something I wasn’t getting in the workouts I’d done before. And I loved that it was an hour without judgment. I’d always finish feeling not just physically better but also mentally better. I’d never done a workout that left me feeling energized but calm at the same time.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: It sounds like you found your workout!
STEPHANIE: I did! I didn’t need another place to tell me to be skinny—the world already has that covered. And anyway, I wasn’t trying to be skinny—I love my curves. I was trying to be whole and healthy, and that’s what barre3 gives me. And yes, I got stronger legs too, but that’s not the point, at least not for me.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Let’s shift gears and talk about the diversity and inclusion work you’ve been doing for your studio community. How did you get started?
STEPHANIE: Nashville has a diversity of races, but it’s also very segregated. Holly (owner of barre3 Nashville) and I had been talking for a while about wanting to be more inclusive. One day in April of 2020, I told her I would love to put together something we could include in our studio newsletter. I had just started a podcast about diversity in the country music space, so I was already immersed in the subject. I knew a lot of our staff hadn’t been exposed to conversations around diversity, and I felt like I could get a conversation started that could help expand us.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Did you know right away what you wanted to include?
STEPHANIE: Well, I don’t really do things halfway, so I just dove right in. I knew from the start that I didn’t want to make it political. I wanted it to offer different ways to see Black culture, to show different viewpoints. A little news, a little entertainment, some books, that kind of thing. That way, the reader can choose what to explore further.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: What are some examples of things you include?
STEPHANIE: It’s a range of things each time. I do a few books, a podcast, maybe a black-owned fitness clothing brand, a quote. Not everyone is ready to commit to reading a book, but they can listen to a podcast. Or if they’d rather support diversity with their wallet, they can buy from a Black-owned brand. I try to include a balance in each newsletter, not just in the type of thing I’m recommending but also in the perspectives of what I’m recommending. For example, I might include a podcast that has some really strong viewpoints, and not everyone is ready for that, but they can skip the podcast and watch the movie I link to instead. I always end it with a thought for the month.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Different entry points—I love that. How has the response been so far?
STEPHANIE: I always mention in the newsletter that I’m here and open to having conversations about diversity and inclusion. People have reached out after reading the newsletter to ask for other authors, other books, sometimes just to have a conversation. I’m biracial—I grew up in a suburban white town in a diverse family but also attended both a traditional college and a HBCU—so I’ve been having these conversations for a long time.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: It sounds like you do a great job of making the topic approachable, no matter what point someone might be entering from.
STEPHANIE: I really want it to feel digestible. I want our studio to feel like a safe place for everyone, and that starts with open conversations. For me, the important thing is that we all keep learning, keep picking up new books, reading new articles. If I can help people do that, I want to. Barre3 is about wholeness, complete wellness. To me, that includes fostering these kinds of conversations and expanding the community.
Thank you so much, Stephanie!
To click through the links in barre3 Nashivlle’s newsletter, visit the attachment here. Learn more about barre3 Nashville here and follow them on Instagram.
When you meet Stephanie Jacques, it’s impossible not to be drawn in immediately. First there’s her smile—warm, bright, and welcoming—and then there’s her energy—exuberant, genuine, and driven. This, you can tell right away, is a woman who cares deeply and who gets things done. So it’s no surprise that, when the Black Lives Matter movement blossomed a couple of years ago, Stephanie took it upon herself to bring the conversation to her community at barre3 Nashville. Read on to learn about how she got started with barre3, the resource she created to talk diversity and inclusivity with her studio team, and what she does to keep the conversation accessible to everyone.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us! I’d love to start with how you first got connected with barre3.
STEPHANIE: I moved to Nashville about four years ago, and I was looking for a workout, but I needed something that was light on my joints—at the time I had a lot of foot pain, and I had been overweight. I went to a class at barre3 Nashville and loved it. It was a hard workout, but it didn’t hurt my body.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Before long you went from client to team member. Is that when your practice really took off?
STEPHANIE: I started working Front Desk and helping in the Play Lounge, and I took class every day. I loved every aspect of it—the team, the class, the feeling I got afterward. I loved that the workout incorporated all the pieces I needed, especially the breathwork. That’s something I wasn’t getting in the workouts I’d done before. And I loved that it was an hour without judgment. I’d always finish feeling not just physically better but also mentally better. I’d never done a workout that left me feeling energized but calm at the same time.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: It sounds like you found your workout!
STEPHANIE: I did! I didn’t need another place to tell me to be skinny—the world already has that covered. And anyway, I wasn’t trying to be skinny—I love my curves. I was trying to be whole and healthy, and that’s what barre3 gives me. And yes, I got stronger legs too, but that’s not the point, at least not for me.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Let’s shift gears and talk about the diversity and inclusion work you’ve been doing for your studio community. How did you get started?
STEPHANIE: Nashville has a diversity of races, but it’s also very segregated. Holly (owner of barre3 Nashville) and I had been talking for a while about wanting to be more inclusive. One day in April of 2020, I told her I would love to put together something we could include in our studio newsletter. I had just started a podcast about diversity in the country music space, so I was already immersed in the subject. I knew a lot of our staff hadn’t been exposed to conversations around diversity, and I felt like I could get a conversation started that could help expand us.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Did you know right away what you wanted to include?
STEPHANIE: Well, I don’t really do things halfway, so I just dove right in. I knew from the start that I didn’t want to make it political. I wanted it to offer different ways to see Black culture, to show different viewpoints. A little news, a little entertainment, some books, that kind of thing. That way, the reader can choose what to explore further.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: What are some examples of things you include?
STEPHANIE: It’s a range of things each time. I do a few books, a podcast, maybe a black-owned fitness clothing brand, a quote. Not everyone is ready to commit to reading a book, but they can listen to a podcast. Or if they’d rather support diversity with their wallet, they can buy from a Black-owned brand. I try to include a balance in each newsletter, not just in the type of thing I’m recommending but also in the perspectives of what I’m recommending. For example, I might include a podcast that has some really strong viewpoints, and not everyone is ready for that, but they can skip the podcast and watch the movie I link to instead. I always end it with a thought for the month.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: Different entry points—I love that. How has the response been so far?
STEPHANIE: I always mention in the newsletter that I’m here and open to having conversations about diversity and inclusion. People have reached out after reading the newsletter to ask for other authors, other books, sometimes just to have a conversation. I’m biracial—I grew up in a suburban white town in a diverse family but also attended both a traditional college and a HBCU—so I’ve been having these conversations for a long time.
BARRE3 MAGAZINE: It sounds like you do a great job of making the topic approachable, no matter what point someone might be entering from.
STEPHANIE: I really want it to feel digestible. I want our studio to feel like a safe place for everyone, and that starts with open conversations. For me, the important thing is that we all keep learning, keep picking up new books, reading new articles. If I can help people do that, I want to. Barre3 is about wholeness, complete wellness. To me, that includes fostering these kinds of conversations and expanding the community.
Thank you so much, Stephanie!
To click through the links in barre3 Nashivlle’s newsletter, visit the attachment here. Learn more about barre3 Nashville here and follow them on Instagram.
