Star of TLC’s “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” and body-positive activist Whitney Way Thore will spend March 30 leading an afternoon fitness class, and in the evening, she will continue the conversation about body image.
Thore will host her “Werk With Whitney” dance class at 12:30 p.m. in the Belk Gym. Special guests include KISS 95.1, UNC Charlotte Panhellenic Association, the Epsilon Phi Chapter of the Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority, the Iota Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and the Alpha Lambda Chapter of Chi Upsilon Sigma Sorority.
Her evening talk “No Body Shame” will begin at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 30, in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall, as part of the Forty-Niner Forum speaker series. A meet-and-greet will follow in the Cone Center’s After Hours. This event is free and open to the public.
"The Forty-Niner Forum Speakers Series student committee suggested bringing Thore to discuss an issue that affects many college-aged students: body image,” said Nadia Campbell, assistant director for the Center for Leadership Development. “Her presence in the fitness, positivist and health arenas provided a platform for her 'No Body Shame' campaign, which makes her a relatable, inspirational and authentic leader in our society.”
Thore has made it her mission to empower women and men of all ages, sizes and ethnicities to be unapologetically themselves. Her viral YouTube video series “A Fat Girl Dancing” cast her into the spotlight and sparked a global conversation about body image. As a body-positive activist and self-love advocate, she founded the No Body Shame Campaign to help men and women of every variety love and live their lives free of shame.
Forty-Niner Forum, housed in the Center for Leadership Development, is tasked with gauging the interests of the UNC Charlotte community and providing dynamic, diverse and engaging speakers that enhance personal growth and provide leadership education.
For more information, visit Forty-Niner Forum.