I run for social justice. I am an RRCA Certified Coach for people traditionally excluded from running spaces.
And I bring running to spaces historically excluded by the running community.
Until recently, I was known as an expert in social entrepreneurship, using business as a vehicle for social good. For the last seven years, I have run a podcast called Social Entrepreneur. We tell positive stories from underrepresented voices, focused on solutions. I wrote a best-selling book on the topic and went out on the speaking circuit. And, I have mentored hundreds of aspiring social entrepreneurs on their business strategies.
But, over the last year, something shifted for me. I knew it was time to turn the page. I wasn’t sure what the next chapter would look like. However, I knew two truths about myself.
These two concepts, running and social justice, came together while I was out on a run in October 2022. I was listening to the audio version of Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn’t Built for Us by Alison Mariella Désir. In the book, she used the phrase, “Running as an act of social justice.” It stunned me. I stopped mid-run, grabbed my phone, and wrote a note in Google Keep. That phrase, “running as an act of social justice,” kept bouncing around in my head. I knew it was, for me, the perfect combination. I just did not know what that would look like.
So, I became a Road Runner’s Club of America (RRCA) Certified Running Coach. I began to offer coaching services to those who are usually excluded from the running space. Around the same time, I was presented with an opportunity to coach runners for Mile in My Shoes. We bring running to homeless shelters, addiction recovery programs, and re-entry centers.
So, if you are someone who feels like you don’t fit the ideal model of a runner, I’m here for you. That’s what I do.
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