In a compelling presentation for the Psi Beta & Psychology Club Speaker Series, Inner City Weightlifting (ICW) founder Jon Feinman, alongside program participants Tiyreek MacFee and Daiquan Rice, shared how a unique approach to physical fitness is reshaping lives and challenging systemic inequities.
Feinman's journey began during his AmeriCorps service. During this time, he was discouraged from interacting with gang members but gave way to a profound realization:
“I saw people who loved each other,” Feinman recalled.
This experience forced him to confront his own biases and recognize how he had unconsciously perpetuated systemic inequities.
Drawing from his background in personal training, Feinman established ICW in 2010. What started as a pilot program centered around weightlifting evolved into something far more significant. He quickly realized that while the weights brought people in, the core of the program was community.
ICW operates as a workforce development initiative, providing participants with personal training certifications and employment opportunities in their gyms. This model offers economic mobility to individuals impacted by mass incarceration, systemic racism and gun violence.
Since opening its first gym in 2012, ICW has expanded to four locations in Boston and one in Chicago, with plans to establish facilities in Baltimore and St. Louis.
"We think of ourselves as a social justice organization," Feinman noted. "It's about flipping the power dynamic and recognizing the positive impact our people can have on society."
Program participant Tiyreek MacFee, who joined last year and recently completed his first certification, shared how ICW's unique approach sets it apart.
"It was different from other programs that tell you to stay away from your friends. ICW encourages you to bring your people with you," MacFee said. "It kept me out of jail and away from negativity."
Daiquan Rice, a member since 2017, emphasized the rewarding nature of his work as a trainer. "I like to know I’m helping to motivate people, especially when you start seeing their progress," he reflected.
The program's success extends beyond the gym walls, with trainers securing job opportunities through their client connections. This network effect demonstrates how changing moral beliefs can lead to concrete actions, breaking down societal barriers and challenging preconceived notions.
"Policy change alone isn't enough," Feinman emphasized. "We need moral change, and that happens when people get out of their echo chambers and connect with each other."
Through the simple act of lifting weights together, ICW is building bridges across social divides, proving that understanding and empathy can happen anywhere. Their work shows the power of community and the transformative potential of giving people the tools to shape their own futures.
For more information on ICW, visit innercityweightlifting.org or check out the recent feature on Channel 5 News.