Community initiative She’s Rooted hosted its first event, “Prayers & Pilates,” at the Solomon P. Ortiz Center on Aug. 20, featuring vendors and a guided Pilates class, with Church Unlimited present to take prayer requests and pray over the event attendees.
The event was announced on Instagram and TikTok on July 27, with the event initially supposed to take place at Cole Park. Attendees were required to RSVP.
Within 24 hours, She’s Rooted met a 500-person cap on RSVPs, prompting a venue change from Cole Park to the Ortiz Center in order to accommodate the new group size.
Flash forward to the event itself: a multitude of vendors arrived to sell their merchandise. Drip Matcha Bar, Chosen Chains Permanent Jewelry, Dulce Sips & Sweets, Gifted by Monique, Kole with the Flow, Stellar Health, Highline Pilates, Olive Branch Co., Simply Cruz Collectives, Bonitas Cositas and Pose & Party Co.
“Working an event like Prayers & Pilates feels very fulfilling, honestly. It feels like that breath of fresh air,” said Drip Matcha Bar owner Angel Ruiz. “You work a lot of events, but you never get to see where people are giving back. A lot of love is poured into this event.”
The Pilates class was led by Nicaya Johnson of Pilateswithkai. She had four assistants to help all 150 women, as some had never taken a Pilates class before.
“In my eyes, I think it was successful, because I tried my best to give everything to God,” said Johnson. “I’m just so grateful for these particular women that God had ordained for us to be in She’s Rooted together.”
The event itself brought out women of all walks of life and all ages to move their bodies and pray together.
“You can just feel all the weight lift off your shoulders and your body’s just relaxed after,” said participant Zoe Urrea. “It was amazing to come together with a whole bunch of women and just pray, get together, and work out,” added her friend Imperia Garza.
Arwen Scafidi is the founder and coordinator of She’s Rooted, who is also the news editor for the Foghorn News.
Scafidi created the program after researching on TikTok and Instagram and seeing a huge demand for a place for women in Christ to meet and be in fellowship.
“Overall, I feel like the event went amazingly well for the first event I’ve ever hosted,” Scafidi said of the event.
“I founded the group She’s Rooted to bring communities of women together and help the women in our community in any way that I am able to. I have always been very strong in my faith, but now more than ever, and I have a passion to share it with others.”
“This event is the first of many more to come and I plan to partner with nonprofits and organizations in the community to help show the women in the Coastal Bend, that we are all here for everyone.”
