Generation Z, or Gen Z, stands out for their outspoken nature, innovation, and drive for change — they are true game changers. Early Gen Z individuals have Pluto in Sagittarius, which drives them to seek transformation and challenge the status quo, and Uranus in Aquarius, which fuels their forward-thinking mindset and desire for innovation.
Freeport resident and Sacred Heart Academy alum Catherine Hardwick embodies these two generational qualities. Hardwick demonstrates the spirit of entrepreneurship, another Gen Z hallmark. At just 14, she launched her first makeup business, marking her initial journey into entrepreneurship. She ran the business for a few years until the coronavirus epidemic hit the States, prompting her to pivot quickly to nails and launch Kittys Klaws. Her fast thinking during the global pandemic paid off; she has since amassed a staggering 40K+ followers.
Like any entrepreneur, Hardwick constantly generates new ideas. She later launched her event-planning company, Krafted Moments, where she crafts intimate nights for clients and hosts immersive experiences for her followers, birthing “A Pilates Party by Kitty.” That single intimate night sparked the expansion of her Long Island-based empire.
Hardwick grew tired of her appearance and decided to change it. “I started my weight loss journey in 2025; I lost over 30 pounds by eating healthy and doing Pilates. I do have PCOS, so it was a little harder for me,” she explains. Hardwick tells the Press that her friend invited her to a hot Pilates class; she loved it and never stopped attending.
PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal disorder affecting 10-13% of women. Typically, symptoms include menstrual symptoms, hyperandrogenism and metabolic issues like obesity.
She refused to let her diagnosis determine how she would feel or look. “I realized I couldn’t just work out to see the results I want … so when I combined the low-intensity workouts with eating healthy, I fell in love with it.” As “A Pilates Party By Kitty” boomed and her passion for hosting events grew, she decided to open her own studio — and now, here we are.
With KŌRE, located in Baldwin, Hardwick has made Black History here on Long Island. KŌRE is the first and only Black-owned mat Pilates studio in the county. The location was intentional: “I wanted to be in my neighborhood … I wanted to keep it local; we don’t have anything like this in Baldwin.” Accessibility is her mission.
She hopes her customers leave the studio feeling “like included, like family, and like they got a good workout.” She’s hoping to break the stigma that Pilates is only for women: “We want men in the Pilates space, and they are welcome at KŌRE.”
Hardwick is currently working on a meal plan based on the non-inflammatory diet, which she credits with her weight-loss transformation. She wants her customers to get the full results, including changing their diet.
KŌRE is located at 1297 Grand Avenue in Baldwin. You can book a course on korematpilates.com. For updates, follow Hardwick’s Pilates journey on Instagram at @korebykitty.
