BYU-Hawaii’s Educational Outreach held a women’s health fair and expo on May 6 in the Aloha Center Ballroom to promote businesses owned and operated by women and fitness classes.
The expo was scheduled at the beginning of May in part to celebrate Mother’s Day and provide a one-stop shopping place for people to purchase Mother’s Day gifts, according to organizers of the event.
Emily Nelson, co-founder of High Fitness, said she traveled from Utah to introduce her fitness company at the expo and teach a segment of her fitness class. According to the company’s website, “High Fitness is a hardcore, fun fitness class that incorporates aerobic interval training with music you love and intense easy-to-follow fitness choreography.”
The event was also filled with vendors selling clothes, jewelry, makeup, essential oils, and other lifestyle products. One of the most popular brands being sold was the clothing line, LulaRoe. Vendors Siki Ikakoula and Leilani Freitas said they were excited to be promoting LulaRoe and informing other women about the brand.
Ikakoula said it has been so rewarding to sell LulaRoe as she watches women of all sizes, personalities, and backgrounds find something they love. “LulaRoe truly has something for everyone. The company’s motto is ‘Where fashion meets comfort,’ and I can truly attest to that. All of the articles of clothing that I choose to sell can be comfortably worn by students on the go and busy moms,” she said.
Another LulaRoe seller, Jordyn Robinson, said she came all the way from Ewa Beach to sell at the health fair. “It is always exciting to share the brand with new women who haven’t heard of it before. I love LulaRoe because it is modest, affordable, and so comfortable,” she said.
Educational Outreach also provided free infused water for people to enjoy after the exercise classes. Educational Outreach Coordinator Jacob Nihipali said they wanted to provide those in attendance with something unique, tasty, and healthy to drink after their workouts.
“We spent a few weeks testing out different flavors and narrowed it down to six from 30,” said Nihipali. “Our final flavors were [combinations of] orange and ginger; watermelon and basil; tangerine, cucumber and strawberry; strawberry, orange and mint; lemon and mint; and lime mint.”
Instructors Minerva Uyehara, Haylee Lambe, and Z Yadao were able to each spend one hour teaching a segment of one of their classes and introduce what they do to those in attendance.
Uyehara, a Zumba instructor, teaches a class every Monday at 6 p.m. in the Old Gym Dance Studio. She said Zumba is great for people of all ages and abilities because it’s gentle on the joints, a good cardio workout, and fun and interactive.
Lambe, a yoga instructor, said she has been teaching yoga for four years and practicing for six years. Lambe teaches Ashtanga style yoga. “I love instructing my own yoga classes because as an instructor I am able to share my passion for yoga and help everyone find how yoga can fit into their life. I am a firm believer that yoga is for everyone.”
Yadao, a stability ball instructor, said she loved the opportunity she had to teach her class at the fitness fair. “It feels so empowering being surrounded by women who all have a passion for fitness. I love teaching and it makes it even better for me when my students are enthusiastic and friendly. I’ve seen nothing less than that through working with Educational Outreach.”
Writer: Alyssa Odom