Dear Friends of MINE,

Last night, we celebrated our third Strength Embodied graduation—our fourth if you include our pilot program—and it felt like the perfect moment to sit down this morning, rocking chair and coffee in hand, and write to all of you.

First, I want to share how proud I am of our organization. We are a mosaic of individuals, each of you contributing your unique piece to form something strong, vibrant, and healing. If you’re reading this, you are an essential part of that mosaic.

This most recent cohort was especially meaningful. It was our first class to graduate with 100% completion. Many participants were referred through Sanctuary for Families, Safe Horizon, and the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. This year, we also expanded our reach through The Empowered Survivor Network, as well as referrals from community members and past graduates.

One of the most powerful moments from last night came as participants shared how the Strength Embodied program has impacted their lives. One graduate,  told us how she discovered what it meant to feel “strong in your body,” it was when her elderly mother slipped out of the bed and onto the floor. By using proper lifting techniques that she learned from her trainer, she was able to lift her elderly parent safely from the floor—something she never imagined she could do.

For the first time, we invited a keynote speaker: “Vickie,” a 2024 graduate and member of our Community Advisory Council.  With nearly 40 people in the room, her words wrapped the graduates in a warm, protective cocoon—survivor to survivor—as she shared her story and reminded them that movement can be a path to restoration, reconnection, reclamation, and thriving. This is my favorite part of our work: stepping back and watching those we serve, lead.

Our trainer network continues to grow, allowing us to serve participants not only in Manhattan, but now in the Bronx and Brooklyn as well. A special thank-you to Jah Washington at Harlem Kettlebell Club for the many trainer connections that helped us better support clients in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx.

We asked our graduates and trainers a simple question: Did MINE’s Strength Embodied program meet your expectations? The overwhelming majority told us that we exceeded them. We’ll share more detailed data in our upcoming annual report, but I couldn’t resist sharing that highlight with you now.

One of the accomplishments I am most excited about is the number of participants stepping into leadership roles within our organization. This year, we launched our Community Advisory Committee—a stipend-funded group of three past graduates who represent MINE at open houses, community events, and in trainer education. Their insights are invaluable, and their voices strengthen our programs every day.

Our Virtual Social Support Group grew as well. With the help of three new volunteers—Susanne Reisenbichler, Kalilah Kramer, and Amelia Wagenknecht—this group met twice a week during the nine-week Strength Embodied program. Their goal was to create a supportive, peer-to-peer space to explore behavior change, healing practices, and personal resilience. Their contributions have deeply enriched this program.

Several trainers also took inspiring initiative to host their own community events this year:

• Melisa Forbes and Dean Cross Fit organized a deadlifting fundraiser in Brooklyn, raising $800 for MINE.

• Isabella Flores hosted a free kickboxing class for past and present participants.

• Anne-Marie Imbornone led a two-day virtual nutrition workshop.

We also experienced important transitions within our Board of Directors. We extend heartfelt gratitude to Carmen Guzman and Andrew Schaeffer, two of our founding board members, who stepped down this year after years of dedicated service. As we expanded board capacity, we welcomed three extraordinary new members—Katrina Massey, Dr. Felicia Rosario, and Eva Peña. Their leadership, lived experience, and advocacy are already shaping our future.

I want to acknowledge the continued commitment of our long-serving board members—many of whom have been with us for more than four years. We also experienced a shift in officer roles: Francine Delgado-Lugo will step into the Treasurer role after serving as Board Chair since our inception, and we are honored to share that Katrina Massey will become our new Board Chair. It has long been my dream to see a graduate step into this level of leadership—someone deeply connected to our mission and uniquely equipped to guide our future. That dream is now coming true.

This year also brought two exciting milestones. Last month, we were awarded a $10,000 grant from the Chrysanta Foundation. Most recently, our new Trauma-Informed Fundamentals course—This latest version was developed by Dr. Felicia Rosario and me, with contributions from Amelia Wagenknecht—became an approved continuing education provider through AFAA and NASM. Personal trainers need CEUs to maintain certification, and they can now earn them through our course. This will allow us to offer the course for a fee and create a new, sustainable revenue stream for Strength Embodied.

It has certainly been a year of growth.

As I reflect on everything we have accomplished, my hope is that you, too, feel a sense of pride. You made this possible. You helped us grow, deepen our leadership, strengthen our community, and expand our impact—thoughtfully and sustainably.

Thank you to our donors, employees, volunteers, trainers, graduates, and community partners. You make this work possible. You make it meaningful. And you make it matter.

Let’s bring on 2026—together.

With gratitude,

Dianna Scotece

Executive Director, MINE