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Connections
A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.
Connections

'Beyond the fitness:' Local trainer changes lives

By Evan Dawson,
Megan Mack, Julie Williams
Published February 3, 2026 at 4:39 PM EST
Three people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman at left has short blonde hair and is wearing glasses and a red turtleneck; a woman at center has long dark hair and is wearing a pink tie-dyed sweatshirt; a man at right has short dark hair and is wearing a navy sweater with a wide grey stripe across the chest and sleeves.
1 of 5  — Racquel Stephen and Brianna Cromartie with host Evan Dawson on "Connections"
Racquel Stephen and Brianna Cromartie with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Tuesday, February 3, 2026
David Griffin / WXXI News
Brianna Cromartie owns her own fitness center at 1900 South Avenue, Ste 760, where she trains more than 200 women about health and wellness.
2 of 5  — Cromartie Fitness.jpg
Brianna Cromartie owns her own fitness center at 1900 South Avenue, Ste 760, where she trains more than 200 women about health and wellness.
Racquel Stephen / WXXI News
Brianna Cromartie owns her own fitness center at 1900 South Avenue, Ste 760, where she trains more than 200 women about health and wellness.
3 of 5  — Cromartie Fitness.jpg
Brianna Cromartie owns her own fitness center at 1900 South Avenue, Ste 760, where she trains more than 200 women about health and wellness.
Racquel Stephen / WXXI News
Brianna Cromartie owns her own fitness center at 1900 South Avenue, Ste 760, where she trains more than 200 women about health and wellness.
4 of 5  — Cromartie Fitness.jpg
Brianna Cromartie owns her own fitness center at 1900 South Avenue, Ste 760, where she trains more than 200 women about health and wellness.
Racquel Stephen / WXXI News
Brianna Cromartie owns her own fitness center at 1900 South Avenue, Ste 760, where she trains more than 200 women about health and wellness.
5 of 5  — Cromartie Fitness.jpg
Brianna Cromartie owns her own fitness center at 1900 South Avenue, Ste 760, where she trains more than 200 women about health and wellness.
Racquel Stephen / WXXI News
WXXI News

Throughout the month of February, WXXI News' Racquel Stephen is highlighting Black community members whose work may be under the radar but is making a big difference.

First in the series is an award-winning personal trainer who is changing lives, one gym session at a time.

We meet Brianna Cromartie, owner of Cromartie Fitness. She shares her story, her approach to her work, and we explore the impact it has had across the community.

This conversation is part of WXXI's celebration of Black History Month.

In studio:

Connections
Evan Dawson
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
See stories by Evan Dawson
Megan Mack
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
See stories by Megan Mack
Julie Williams
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.
See stories by Julie Williams