We had the good fortune of connecting with Luisa Fonseca and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Luisa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The community came first and the lack of representation for people such as myself is what initially started it all. There was only about a handful of instructors that resembled me and I really wanted to allow other like me to embrace the practice that embraced me back.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m currently in a launching/growth period. I have an apartment management job that I consider my “day job” but really because I have a flexible schedule there, a lot of my CGMY work shares the day time. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come with making connections with people who want to invest in themselves along with me. I’m excited to be in a place where launching a membership for my community is coming soon. It has taken a lot of classes and practice to feel confident enough that what im doing is worth sharing. Your own inner critic can be the first and last thing to halt your process. Do not listen! It isn’t always easy, however, once you realize that you will always have emotions throughout your process.. you learn to just do those things with those feelings. I’ve learned to fall and fail. I’ve learned that failing is a lesson in itself and it’s immensely valuable to experience that. I want people to know that just like we fail in experiences, or fall in a class – we can keep trying. We can move mountains within ourselves. CGMY came from a place where I myself was not confident, did not feel strong and most days felt out of place. Today, CGMY is here for those who want to feel powerful within themselves and are meeting themselves on their mat. Those lessons come off the mat and into your life. It’s a real blessing.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely take them for an early morning beach hike at Point Dume to start. They have the best views of the seals and a breath taking sight of the ocean. After that, beach day! It’s one of my favorite things to do because it’s low-key and taking in the sun makes me very happy. I like bringing snacks or ordering door dash to the beach to give a dasher an experience. We’d definitely have to hit the Reel Inn Malibu the next day after roller skating the boardwalk towards Santa Monica Pier and after our delicious meal, we hit the Getty Villa. There’s just something about a great gallery that can bring you chills and their gardens! Gorgeous. Midweek I’d suggest a road trip. One of my favorite things to do is open my maps on my phone and look for a city I want to visit. Maybe Ojai, Solvang or even Santa Barbara. Sometimes I just like driving PCH towards OC or take in those beautiful Mulholland views. A for sure place in the valley to eat is the Tacos Reyes truck on Sherman way/Woodley- they’re the best tacos in the Valley in my opinion! They’re awesome after hanging out at my local gay bar, Cfrenz in Reseda. They’re Kiki Karaoke Thursday nights is so fun and welcoming and on Sundays they do a free BBQ as a thank you. I personally think it’s the most fun when you can experience new places and try different foods. You meet new people and it’s beautiful to see how similar we all are by the experiences we enjoy together.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Firstly, I’d like to thank the curvygirlmeetsyoga (CGMY) community for supporting me throughout these past years. The people who inspired me to live this journey such as Valerie, Jessica, Jessamyn and so many more. My family for always celebrating every mile stone. And my partner, Aj because she’s my #1 hype person, tech support and anything else I need a hand with – she’s ready to drop everything to help me figure anything out. A big THANK YOU to all the beautiful people in my corner whom I spaced on mentioning. I would be here without all of you.

Instagram: Curvygirlmeetsyoga

Youtube: Www.youtube.com/CurvyGirlMeetsYoga

Other: Tiktok-crvygirlmeetsyoga

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.