A temporary shift in programming
Latina Sweat Project plans to leave its studio at 1601 S. Morgan St. by Sept. 30 after the building’s owner sold the property earlier this year. The organization had hoped to purchase the building, but the owner selected another buyer, according to Block Club Chicago.
A late-August town hall resulted in a unanimous decision to leave the studio and resume a pop-up model while the nonprofit searches for another permanent location in Pilsen, Block Club Chicago reported. The group plans to work with other Southwest Side nonprofits, with programming scheduled at the Chicago Arts Department, 12 Chicago Public Schools and three city libraries.
The organization’s reach
Latina Sweat Project has offered low-cost yoga and strength training on the Southwest Side since 2022 through sliding-scale memberships, free community events and mutual-aid sessions. The nonprofit says it has reached more than 100,000 people since its founding and serves more than 5,000 students across Chicago each month.
Its 2025 Impact Wrapped report says monthly class offerings grew from 25 in January 2025 to 55 in May, 100 in September and 240 in December. The report also lists 45 newly certified yoga instructors and more than 100 corporate and community collaborations. The organization’s website says it is nearly 100 teachers strong.
Plans for a future Pilsen location
Latina Sweat Project is considering city grants and tax-increment financing and is seeking corporate sponsors for its next phase. Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez’s office is helping the group identify grant opportunities, according to Block Club Chicago. The nonprofit also plans to hold a Sept. 25 gala at MCA Chicago.
What TIF funding could support
City records show the 907-acre Pilsen Industrial Corridor TIF is intended to support land preparation, rehabilitation and public and private investment in local institutional uses, along with job-training programs, according to the Chicago Department of Planning and Development. A proposed $830 million amended Pilsen TIF budget would prioritize potential spending on public works, building rehabilitation, affordable housing construction, land acquisition and site preparation, job training, day care services and relocation costs, according to the department. Those priorities provide context for the nonprofit’s financing plans but do not represent a confirmed award.
The organization’s materials say a new Pilsen home is expected to open in early 2027, a timeline also reported by Block Club Chicago. Until then, Latina Sweat Project says pop-up classes and partnerships will allow it to continue offering accessible wellness programming on the Southwest Side.
