05/07/2020
I am so saddened by this and if you haven't heard about it yet- you will now as it is finally being covered by major outlets. Join the running community to honor Ahmaud on his bday.
I don't have the adequate words really but as the mother of four boys- all who are white, I don't know the fear that my friends with black sons may feel when their son is out running around. I just read this post from my friend Nat and want to share it because she feels this on a level I never will and I honestly just feel like her words speak to this better than I ever could:
Here is her post: :
Dear Ahmaud, Posting your picture on my feed is the very least I can do. It was YOUR RIGHT TO LIVE. Some really ignorant, horrible people took that right away from you. The tears sting hot on my face because your blood was red just like the millions of people in this country. I promise, we will bring your injustice to light. Words cannot express how I feel... You went on a RUN and never came home.
I am a mother. My son is 13 years old and he is black. He loves to run. Every run he goes on, myself or Jerold are with him. Not out of fear, but we love running with him. Guess what? One of these days he WILL go on a run by himself just like the millions of other black male runners in this world and I do not want him to run in fear.
This is bu****it America. This needs to stop. it doesn't matter what color your skin is, as a fellow runner we ALL need to take a stand.
Running publications - you are being heavily pressured right now and rightly so. We need to see normal black and brown distance runners in your pages. We shouldn't have to be a running CELEBRITY to grace your pages. Don't you see? There are normal Americans of color who like to run long distance. It needs to be normalized. It won't solve everything, but it's a START.
Also, as a runner that was FEATURED IN THE RUNNER'S WORLD safety issue, I ask you to dedicate some pages (or hell, the whole issue) to running long distance in this country WHILE BEING BLACK.