Activism

Women’s History Month Spotlight: Oakland Rising—Arts & Wellness Are Rebuilding Community

Through global scholarships and training, the Collective is helping break cycles of intergenerational poverty—supporting maternal health, empowering youth, and keeping elders active and connected.

Published

4 months ago

April 10, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo Credit: (left) Tonya Marie Amos, founder of Aspire Pilates Center (right) Wren Amos, project manager of Grown Women Dance Collective. Photo by Jonathan ‘Fitness’ Jones.

By Post Staff

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we honor women whose leadership is transforming communities.

In Oakland, one such leader is Tonya Marie Amos—a dancer, entrepreneur, and visionary using arts and wellness to drive social change.

Amos began her journey in 2006 with Aspire Pilates Center in Concord at a time when wellness spaces were largely inaccessible to many communities. After a 15-year professional dance career and a life-changing injury, she experienced firsthand the healing power of movement—and recognized the urgent need to make it accessible to all.

In 2009, she expanded her mission by founding the Grown Women Dance Collective, blending performing arts, wellness, and social justice to uplift underserved communities. Her work has since earned numerous honors, yet her focus remains clear: impact over recognition.

A Model Rooted in Giving Back.

After relocating to West Oakland in 2023, Amos redefined her business model—100% of proceeds from Aspire Pilates Center now fund nonprofit programs. These initiatives provide scholarships to over 280 students across 12 countries, train Black and Brown wellness leaders, and deliver community-based healing programs.

“This isn’t charity—it’s reinvestment,” Amos says. “Every dollar goes back into the community.”

Healing, Empowerment & Economic Change

At the core of her work is a powerful belief: movement changes lives.

Students who enter her programs often experience not only physical healing, but renewed confidence, purpose, and opportunity.

Amos also reframes wellness as a social justice issue. Chronic pain—especially back pain—disproportionately impacts marginalized communities and is a leading cause of job loss. By training individuals as wellness professionals, her programs create pathways to income, stability, and generational change.

“It’s a ripple effect,” she explains. “You heal one person—they uplift a family. That family strengthens a community.”

Breaking Barriers, Building Legacy

Through global scholarships and training, the Collective is helping break cycles of intergenerational poverty—supporting maternal health, empowering youth, and keeping elders active and connected.

Now firmly rooted in Oakland, Amos is building a legacy grounded in equity, culture, and care.

“There can be no revolution if people are in pain—and no revolution without artists,” she says.

Why It Matters

During Women’s History Month, Amos’ work reminded us that women-led, purpose-driven leadership can reshape systems and restore communities.

Her advice to the next generation: Stay focused. Stay consistent. Surround yourself with people who believe in your vision—and never give up.

Aspire Pilates Center is located at 494 Ninth St. in Oakland. To support, call 925-680-4400 or learn more, visit: https://www.grownwomendance.org

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Oakland Post: Week of July 22 – 28, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 22 – 28, 2026

Published

2 days ago

July 27, 2026

Oakland Post

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Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant Plans Bay Area Farmers Market Initiative

Published

1 week ago

July 18, 2026

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Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant displays watermelons from her Sacramento farm at the Temescal Festival in Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas.

In her 80s and still actively working as an agricultural engineer, Effie Gant continues to break barriers in urban farming and community leadership.

The certified USDA grower and respected urban farmer, based in South Sacramento, was recently spotted vending at the Freedom Farmers’ Market by the Temescal Street Fair on Saturday, July 11, where she proudly displayed dozens of sweet, juicy watermelons.

Festivalgoers gathered not only to purchase her produce but also to enjoy activities like the popular watermelon-eating contest. Yet beyond the festive atmosphere, Gant has a larger vision.

Gant is now setting her sights on the Bay Area, where she plans to launch a farmers’ market to increase access to fresh, locally grown food.

Known for her leadership in sustainable agriculture and food justice, she brings decades of hands-on experience and community advocacy to regions where food access remains inconsistent.

She has built a strong reputation through her work with Meadowview Urban Farm and the Yisrael Family Urban Farm, cultivating crops such as watermelons, honeydew melons, and collard greens. Her approach emphasizes sustainability, education, and empowering residents to grow their own food, even in small urban spaces.

As a USDA-certified grower, Gant blends technical expertise with grassroots engagement to combat food insecurity.

Beyond farming, Gant serves as CEO and President of Highways to Hedges, a nonprofit focused on environmental justice and community development. She is also president of the Hampton Station Neighborhood Association and board chairman for HHCORE, where she advocates for safety, equity, and economic opportunity.

Her proposed farmers market will connect small-scale farmers with urban communities while elevating Black farmers and other underrepresented growers.

“I want to teach the next generation about farming and how lucrative it can be,” Gant said. “You don’t need hundreds of acres. You can start with one acre or even your backyard.”Gant also noted her involvement in a collective of farmers who supply produce through government-supported programs.

“We operate as a team, and we all benefit,” she said.

Through workshops, speaking engagements, and hands-on training, Gant and her organization continue to educate communities about agriculture and food justice. Her market initiative will emphasize affordability, cultural relevance, and nutrition education.

Her broader work includes creating edible forests in partnership with Soil Born Farms, planting fruit trees directly in neighborhoods to expand food access. As a mentor with the Center of Expertise on Food Justice and Health Equity, Gant remains a leading voice in building sustainable and resilient food systems.

Gant says she welcomes the community to join her in creating a new farmer’s market.

“Farming is essential to life,” she said. “I want to train as many people as I can to use food and farming as a tool for empowerment, health, and long-term change.”