Cindy E. Farrar on Black History Month: A Time to Honor and Remember Those Who Came Before Us

February is Black History Month, a time to acknowledge, celebrate, and recognize the contributions of Black Americans across history.

As part of AMTA’s celebration of this month, we interviewed Cindy E. Farrar, AMTA National President, and the first Black President of any national massage association. We discussed Cindy’s journey through the massage profession, her tenure as National President, and her perspective, as a Black woman, on Black History Month.

Finding Her Calling

Cindy’s path to massage therapy actually began in corporate America. While working there, she experienced chronic stress and pain and ended up seeing a chiropractor for relief. This practitioner was committed to educating clients about the body which sparked a genuine interest for Cindy, leading her to help at health fairs and further develop her understanding of whole-person care.

When she received her first massage, Cindy knew what she was destined to do. The effect was instantaneous; she called up the massage therapist who had given her that life-changing massage to see how she could become a massage therapist herself. Mere months later, Cindy was in school, setting the foundation for a thriving career in massage therapy that would ultimately lead her to become AMTA National President, even if she couldn’t yet see it.

From the start, Cindy also had a vision of opening a wellness center. Beginning as a cooperative amongst six colleagues, Massage Associates of Atlanta has been serving the community for twenty-seven years: “It is a community (of massage therapists and wellness practitioners) within the community.”

Cindy’s Career Focuses on Community

Cindy consistently emphasized the importance of community across every role she has held—as a massage therapist, wellness center owner, CE provider, volunteer, and AMTA National President. As she puts it, “it’s always been about the community.”

When asked about one of her proudest moments as a massage therapist, Cindy points to the wellness center and what it has allowed her to offer the community.  She acknowledges how the best business practices are not always what best serves clients and the community, yet she remains committed to prioritizing people over the practice. That commitment is reflected throughout her office, where thank you letters from local charities line the entryway —visible reminders to both Cindy and her clients of what the wellness center stands for.

Cindy’s dedication to community also extends into education. As Assistant Director of Education at Atlanta School of Massage, she taught in a classroom setting for several years and valued the opportunity to plant seeds for future therapists. Eventually, she transitioned to providing Continuing Education (CE), recognizing a need to support and elevate the work therapists were already doing. Through CE, she focused on topics that were often less focused on—ones that can help foster healthier relationships between therapists and their clients, colleagues, and themselves. Across her work as a practitioner, business owner, and educator, nourishing community has always been central. As Cindy simply says, “Community is who I am.”

AMTA Presidency: I Am Because We Are

Cindy has seen many AMTA Presidents come and go during her twenty-four years with the association. However, she maintains that there really is no way to appreciate the intensity of the role until you are there.  She states that becoming AMTA President has been, “amazingly rewarding and affirming,” and that, while leadership has always come very naturally to her, that it has been essential to keep her motto, “I Am Because We Are” at the forefront of everything she does as President.

Cindy also notes the perspective change she had when she became President, that she can “see the whole puzzle now and has a clear view of how we, AMTA, fits into the whole of the profession as well as leads the profession.” She states that she is “proudest of AMTA” for our mindful, responsible leadership within the profession.

Black History Month: A Time to Remember

Cindy appreciates having a designated month to celebrate and honor those who have come before and shine a light on the importance of remembering our history with awareness so as not to repeat it. But for her, the meaning is present every day. In many ways, for Cindy, Black History Month is just another month as she is intentional to always recognize and acknowledge the meaning.

As the first Black President of AMTA, Cindy feels it means the profession has grown significantly since she began in 1997. Cindy remembers being one of a few people of color in the profession, and while she was warmly welcomed at all the AMTA events, the lack of diversity in the population influenced what she thought was possible. Nonetheless, Cindy became increasingly involved and eventually joined the National Board—an accomplishment that inspired other Black massage therapists, who felt affirmed by her position within the organization.

The significance of her presidency is not lost, and Cindy is quite aware of the responsibility she has, not only for herself and the AMTA community, but for other Black massage therapists who have a new sense of what is possible. She feels that her presidency speaks loudly for AMTA and our growth as an association. For Cindy, belonging is a felt sense as well as a lived experience,  “AMTA literally is a place where I belong, not only from a membership perspective, but a community perspective.”

Looking to the Future

As Cindy reflects on her career, she looks to the future as well. When asked what she hopes to see for the profession, Cindy noted:

“I’m excited to see the complexion of the profession become more diverse and more inclusive in a way that not only affords the profession itself to grow, but also then allows our diverse community to be able to identify with massage therapists.”

Beyond expanding diversity in the profession, Cindy hopes to make massage therapy more accessible and better integrated into health care. At the heart of these goals is her strong commitment to her communities and to making a positive impact on the people around her.

Cindy is also looking forward to transition into the advisor role as Immediate Past President, after which she hopes to focus on some of her other passions—like inspirational speaking, coaching, writing, and painting. Ideally, Cindy would like to take everything she has learned thus far in life, her guiding principles, and develop other parts of her identity. She is a firm believer that things happen when and how it will serve the best possible outcome (even if we don’t see or feel it at the time). While it will be sad to move on from the AMTA National Board, she is excited for what comes next.