2.23 - Run for Ahmaud Arbery #FinishTheRun
I woke up this morning.
Ahmaud Arbery did not.
I am White and 32 years old.
Ahmaud Arbery was Black and 25 years old.
I had the privilege of going for a run this morning.
Ahmaud Arbery could not.
I ran in the dark, by myself, without fear, and a White runner moved to the other side of the sidewalk to make room for me before our paths crossed.
Ahmaud Arbery ran in the daylight, and was chased down, shot and murdered by White men in a pickup truck.
I stood at the river’s edge on an ice-covered sidewalk to take photos.
Ahmaud Arbery lies beneath frozen ground.
Today is 2.23 - It has been a year since the racial terror lynching of Ahmaud Arbery.
Today, many across the nation will run 2.23 miles in honor of Ahmaud Arbery’s life - stolen because he dared to run while Black.
Akeem Baker, one of Ahmaud Arbery’s best friends said, “I used to run for health reasons. Now I run for a sense of therapy, as if I am chasing some sort of freedom."
During a recent live discussion hosted by The Run Collective on running and racism -
Rozalynn S. Frazier quoted a running survey that showed that only 2% White people didn’t feel safe running, while 39% Black people didn’t feel safe running.
Dr. Simran Jeet Singh described, “Running as an act of resistance” for challenging people’s stereotypes. “Part of what I love about running, for me, there is a justice element to it by showing up and doing something I love.”
As you step out into the world today, especially if you are White, consider just HOW MUCH privilege you have.
Challenge yourself to question the space you take up, who you make eye contact with, the internal narrative that plays out when someone different than you walks or runs by, and remember that…
Being outside, being out in nature, being out exploring a city…
Is something that every Black person should have access to, and should be able to feel safe doing - whether together or solo.
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A few of the resources mentioned are below, along with a newly released video episode from NPR’s Code Switch called How Running's White Origins Led To The Dangers Of 'Running While Black'
The Run Collective’s vision is to make the world a safer place to recreate through awareness, education, discussion, activism—this is a movement.
Outside Voices Podcast: Outside Voices to celebrate and amplify Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ folks, and others who redefine outdoorsy.
The Voice-Tribune: The Luxury and Challenge of Public Spaces
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About: Josh Miller is a queer changemaker, public speaker, photographer, and outdoor explorer. He is the owner of Josh Miller Ventures and the co-founder + CEO of IDEAS xLab—an organization that uses the art of storytelling and community collaboration to impact public health. Miller’s work has been featured by The New York Times, the Aspen Institute, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He is a Soros Equality Fellow, received the 2022 Nonprofit Visionary Leader Award from Louisville Business First, and was selected for Business Equality Magazine’s Forty LGBTQ+ Leaders under 40 and Louisville Business First's Forty under 40. Miller is a two-time TEDx speaker and has been described as a "force in our community.” He holds an MBA from Indiana University and an undergraduate degree from Bellarmine University. Previously, he served as an advisor to the Derby Diversity & Business Summit and co-chair for the Louisville Health advisory board’s communications committee.