Our Mission
Our Objective
Our objective at Women Are Warriors is to help every woman thrive beyond her hardship. We provide the tools for financial independence, mental wellness, and physical strength. We envision women stepping into a new chapter, fully empowered as warriors, with a strong sense of identity and purpose. Through fitness, education, and community, we guide them to start fresh, reclaim their power, and live their life’s full potential. They are warriors—strong, independent, and unstoppable.
Women Are Warriors is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing survivors of domestic violence and abuse to the forefront, as well as supporting women and families currently facing these hardships. We provide free fitness, yoga, and wellness services within women’s shelters, offering a safe space for both healing and empowerment. By reconnecting women and their families to their bodies and minds, we foster confidence and a sense of control over their futures. Beyond healing, we offer education and pathways into the fitness industry, sponsoring women to become certified fitness professionals whether it is yoga & Pilates instructors, personal trainers, instructors, nutritionists and wellness professionals. Our mission is to break cycles of hardship by building self-worth, providing tools for new careers, and creating a community where every woman—whether a survivor or still fighting—can rise as a warrior, stronger than ever before
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women”
Maya Angelou How it all started
The Foundation
The foundation began with small, accessible yoga, Pilates, and fitness classes for women in the community facing domestic violence. These free sessions, combined with dance and wellness, created a safe space where women could reconnect with their strength. From these modest beginnings, Nora Laitinen saw a vision for something greater—a movement built on the belief that when women feel strong in their bodies, they feel strong in their minds. This vision grew into a foundation dedicated to helping women recognize their inherent power—empowering them to rebuild their lives, support their families, and stand as examples of resilience. Women Are Warriors is a testament to the fact that, through fitness, wellness, and mental health, we tap into a boundless strength—we are capable, we are independent, and we are unstoppable.
Founder Nora Laitinen
As the founder of Women Are Warriors, Nora Laitinen is a certified personal trainer, Pilates, and yoga instructor, and a former professional dancer from Finland. As a survivor of domestic violence, this journey is profoundly personal. She found her strength, identity, and healing through fitness, wellness, and mental health practices. Now, through Women Are Warriors, she is dedicated to empowering other women on the same path—to rediscover their inner warrior, to recognize the strength within themselves. Her objective is to remind every woman of the true power they hold—to uplift themselves, their families, and the world.