By Nika | Founder of GYM IN A BOX® L.A.
You guys know how it goes — my dear friend Chris Cuomo and I often talk on and off the record. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t. That’s the beauty of authentic conversation, and I know you appreciate that honesty because you tell me all the time.
Chris and I? We’re not just TV friends. This is real. We challenge each other. We call each other out. And we always show up when it matters. I demand a lot — especially from those I care about — because I know they can handle it. And when the world is burning and the voiceless are being ignored, I expect my friends with power to speak UP. If that makes me intense, so be it.
But let me be clear:
I don’t let anyone come for my people. Ever.
I’m loyal to the bone. I’ll go to war for the ones I love. And yes — only I get to kick their ass when needed.
It’s called earned access, baby.
🌿
What I love most about my friendship with Chris is that it’s rooted in truth. We’re not afraid to disagree. We don’t sugarcoat. We hold each other accountable — not to win an argument, but to become better. That’s rare these days.
And yes, I’m fiercely protective of my circle. When I care about someone, I go all in. So don’t even think about talking bad about my friends — I won’t allow it. I’m loyal, I’m emotional, and I’ll fight for what’s right.
The world needs more honest conversations between people who love each other. That’s what we have.
And that’s what I’ll always protect.
My friendship with Chris Cuomo is one of those rare, real ones. We don’t just agree for the sake of peace — we push each other to grow, to think deeper, to do better. That’s what makes it powerful. I’m deeply emotional when it comes to things that impact my life, my team, my friends — and when someone like Chris, who I love and respect, has a platform big enough to create change, you better believe I expect him to use it. Sometimes that means our conversations get heated. And that’s a good thing. Because it’s honest — and in a world full of curated BS, truth is everything.
Just because someone is famous — or brilliant — doesn’t mean you always have to nod along. That said, I agree with Chris about 99% of the time. He’s not only a deeply experienced journalist, he’s also a trained attorney and one of the sharpest minds in media today.
That’s why yesterday I was a bit surprised. I felt Chris wasn’t going hard enough on the truth about ICE and America’s immigration hypocrisy.
But today? He delivered. On so many levels - as usual he did not disappoint.
Tone shifted. Facts hit. And yes — he set the record straight.
Here’s the clip from his conversation with Rep. Tom Suozzi on NewsNation, where he finally said what needed to be said:
Chris said it loud and clear: Congress needs to come together.
Yes, Rep. Suozzi is right. But you already know — I didn’t just point out the problem in last week’s Substack.
I also gave you the solution.
✅ THE SIMPLE FIX (IF THEY ACTUALLY CARED TO FIX IT)
🔹 Grant legal status to undocumented workers who’ve been here 10+ years, have no criminal record, and pay taxes.
🔹 Deport actual criminals — the real “bad hombres” — and let ICE focus resources where they belong.
🔹 Create an affordable path to citizenship for essential workers, caregivers, and entrepreneurs.
🔹 Lower outrageous legal fees for skilled immigrants (because let’s be real — $750/hour for an immigration lawyer is a joke).
🔹 Crack down on corporate exploitation, not hardworking immigrants.
This isn’t “radical.”
It’s rational.
It would cut bureaucracy, reduce fear, increase public safety, and pour billions into tax revenue.
ICE should protect borders and remove dangerous individuals, not terrorize families, children, and field workers — many of whom are the reason this country still functions.
This isn’t about left vs. right.
It’s about right vs. wrong.
We have millions of undocumented people already here. They’re working hard. They’re paying taxes. They’re not asking for a handout — they’re asking for a shot at the same dream we legally bought into.
Let them contribute.
Let them stay.
Let them live without fear.
Let’s not forget: almost 15 million Americans marched in the “No Kings” protests — the largest protest in U.S. history — many of them standing exactly for this issue.
We should listen.
Let’s also remind all the MAGA folks out there:
You’re immigrants, too.
It doesn’t matter which generation.
Your ancestors came here for a better life — just like these folks.
💡 AMERICA DOESN’T HAVE AN IMMIGRATION PROBLEM.
IT HAS A POLITICAL PROBLEM.
Both parties are guilty. They use immigrants as pawns in a chess game of soundbites and votes — while quietly letting businesses profit off their labor.
Meanwhile, our fields, restaurants, construction sites, care homes, and warehouses rely on undocumented workers to stay afloat.
They’re not “taking your job.”
They’re doing the work you won’t.
It’s exploitation masked as patriotism.
And it needs to stop.
💥 Dear Mr. Trump: You Want to “Build Back Manufacturing”?
You’ll need immigrants to do it.
You can’t rebuild the American economy without labor. And right now — we don’t have enough of it.
Especially not the kind of skilled, reliable workforce you’ll need to compete with China.
Instead of fixing the system, Trump-era tariffs just made imports more expensive and deepened the problem — all while waving the “America First” flag that conveniently ignored the realities of actual labor shortages.
🛑 So what now?
Let’s stop pretending this is complicated.
Let’s act like adults, admit the truth, and fix the damn system.
For good.
And for everyone who’s still afraid to say it out loud:
I just did. So go ahead, share it.
We’re in this together — and truth is the first step to justice.
💬 Final Word
Thank you, my beloved friend Chris Cuomo, for using your platform to elevate the real conversation and give immigrants the voice they deserve. AND FOR KEEPING UP WITH ME HAHA 😝 You didn’t have to — but you did. And that’s leadership and makes you the great human you are and I always want you to be‼️
And let me say this — my friendship with Chris Cuomo is the real deal. It’s not performative, it’s authentic — because we constantly push each other to be our best, to grow, to learn, and to show up for what matters. We challenge one another, we support one another, and we have each other’s backs. Always.
And yes — I get emotional, especially when something affects the people I love — my family, my team, my friends, my life. When someone as important and impactful as Chris has a platform that can actually move the needle and shift the narrative — you better believe I hold him to the highest standard.
Because I know what he’s capable of. I expect greatness from those I love. That’s where the passion comes from. And sometimes, it gets heated between us — because it’s real. And in a world full of fake smiles and curated personas, that kind of honesty is everything. Just like Chris said himself at the top of this clip — we need more truth.
But let me also make something very clear:
I won’t tolerate anyone speaking badly about my friends — not now, not ever. I’m a lioness. I protect my people.
Only I get to kick their ass when necessary — and only because I love them.
✨ P.S. Want to support while sculpting smarter?
Use code CC10 at checkout on GYMINABOX.LA for 10% off — Chris Cuomo’s exclusive code.
Because real friends lift each other… and sometimes your abs too. 💥
Happy Friday. 🖤
Stay loud. Stay real. LOVE FIERCELY
REBEL - REVOLT-RESIST — NIKA
🖤
Share this post