Catherine Parish

Connect What fuels your passion for health and fitness?

Health and fitness fuel my passion because they bring me back to myself. I grew up an athlete, but for years I chased an image instead of my own truth. When I stopped doing it for others and started showing up for me, everything changed. Fitness became self-trust, confidence, and freedom. It reminds me that strength comes from honoring who you are and choosing yourself, every day.

What’s your favorite way to train or stay fit?

My favorite way to train is mixing strength and cardio classes, running, and moving at home however my body wants, sometimes just turning on music and dancing it out. I love training in ways that make me feel powerful, strong, playful, and free. What matters most to me now is joy, mental clarity, discipline, and staying connected to my body so fitness supports my life, not the other way around.

What would you do with $20,000?

I would use the $20,000 to expand work I’m actively pursuing. I serve on the committee of the East Coast Cherokees and am preparing to present a proposal for a Cherokee Film Division, which requires resources to move forward. I would also continue deepening my craft and staying committed to lifelong growth as an artist. Creating opportunities for underrepresented voices and supporting other creatives reflects how I live my values in practice, not just in theory.