Lateefah Fleming, an E-RYT500, RYS200 Yoga School owner and a veteran of the wellness, dance and yoga field, is the president and Chief Motivating Officer of empowerFit Wellness, LLC. empowerFit, a yoga, travel, dance and whole body experience, dedicated to empowering women, especially black women and women of color, to find their voice and use their voices to empower themselves and their communities. Lateefah helps women have a healthy relationship with their bodies and foster a deep love for themselves. Working locally and globally, Lateefah uses the power of dance, doula services, classes, workshops, appearances, partnerships with local businesses and international wellness retreats to build community and amplify voices.
Wanting to use her platform to do more than getting people fit, she takes representation, diversity, education and inclusion in the fitness and wellness space seriously and has seized on as many opportunities as she can to teach. She has given yoga, fitness, dance and wellness workshops, coached individuals on goal setting utilizing yoga and breathwork as part of the process, mentored many women in the wellness industry, taught Modern and Jazz dance at various middle and high schools, given many lectures and offered community classes in a variety of locations.
A dancer at heart, Lateefah has been dancing since she was 6 years old, beginning with West African dance and being a member of the children’s company at the LaRocque Bey School of African Dance in Harlem. She went on to take dance electives at Clark Atlanta University and City College of New York, where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree, and studied the Graham Technique with E. Denise Perry at Millenium Dance Company in Harlem, where she was also the Studio and Arts Manager. She also studied Jazz under Nancy Koch at Steps on Broadway. Along with these disciplines, Lateefah began studying Middle Eastern Dance, or bellydance, over 25 years ago.She went on to form her own dance company, Raqs La’Majali, and produce sold out dance shows called The Global Dance Party for 10 years at the legendary Mexicali Blues.
She has also been an Ambassador to Lululemon, one of the world’s leading athleisure brands, partnering with them on wellness challenges and supporting community endeavors. Understanding the importance of seeing a black woman in leadership has led Lateefah to continue to be active through her company and as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Under Soul:Unchained, the retreat and wellness arm of empowerfit Wellness, LLC, Lateefah has created and curated yoga retreat experiences of healing, power and pure excitement nationally and internationally. For Lateefah, exposing black women and wo.wn of color to various global cultures, cuisines and landscapes such as Morocco, Belize, Tanzania, Seychelles, The Maldives, Egypt, Senegal, Gambia, South Africa, Seychelles, Mexico, Cuba, Panama, The Catskills, France , Ghana, Costa Rica and Bermuda has been an honor.
Though she has run her company for the past 15 years, Lateefah has also been the Director of Dance and Fitness at leading facilities and organizations in the NYC area including Glenpointe Spa and Fitness in Teaneck, NJ, Clay Fitness NYC in Manhattan and the YWCA of Bergen County, as well as a dance teacher/ contractor with Center for Modern Dance, Man in Motion and Perry Studios. She is author of 3 books, her latest release being “Every BODY Can Do Yoga: Information and Instruction for Self Love, Body Acceptance, and Finding Your Voice Through an Ancient Practice ” found on Amazon.