Mara Santilli Title: Contributor Education: Fordham University, Communication and Media Studies, Italian Studies Mara Santilli is a freelance journalist reporting on health and wellness and how social and political systems influence the well-being of certain groups, including but not limited to Black and brown communities, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. In her writing and editing work, she strives to provide adequate, compassionate space to the issues affecting these communities. Her editorial work has appeared in publications such as Shape, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, InStyle, Glamour, Refinery29, and more. In addition, she’s worked on content for wellness brands, including Parsley Health and Cora.She’s a graduate of Fordham University with a degree in Communication and Media Studies as well as Italian Studies. Outside of writing, she enjoys traveling (especially to Italy), singing, dancing, musical theatre, and playing guitar and piano. About Shape Shape is an award-winning digital fitness, wellness, and beauty destination that offers inclusive, trusted, and empowering expert-led guidance and advice for anyone at any point in their wellness journey. Our library of more than 11,000 stories reaches more than 7 million readers monthly who want to prioritize their health, have fun, and lead an active lifestyle while also cutting through the noise of quick fixes and unvetted fads.