Latina empowers New Mexicans through Pilates in Albuquerque [Video]

THE MEXICAN IS BEAUTIFUL. I FEEL REALLY PROUD THAT I’M PUTTING YOU KNOW, MY WORK THERE FOR THE PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT MESSAGE FROM AN ALBUQUERQUE WOMAN WHO MOVED TO THE U.S. TO BETTER HER LIFE IS NOW DOING THE SAME FOR OTHERS AS WE CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. DARLENE MELENDEZ SHOWS US HOW SHE EMPOWERS NEW MEXICANS EVERY DAY. INHALE, FLEX. FLEX. INSIDE THIS COZY STUDIO. EXHALE A GROUP SHARES AN EVENING RITUAL. WE’RE BENDING THE KNEE TEN TIMES. ONE HOUR OF PILATES, GUIDED BY LOURDES AVITIA. I’M THE OWNER AND INSTRUCTOR OF EMPOWER PILATES STUDIO. SHE HAS HAD HER STUDIO FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT TODAY STARTED HER PILATES JOURNEY DECADES AGO, I DISCOVERED PILATES 20 YEARS AGO, GOING TO THROUGH DEPRESSION AS A PERSONAL TRAINER. SHE WAS NO STRANGER TO WORKING OUT, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS EXERCISE. PILATES IS A MENTAL WORKOUT AND …