Running While Black
Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built for Us
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Running While Black
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Narrated by:
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Alison Mariella Désir
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Written by:
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Alison Mariella Désir
About this listen
A searing exposé on the whiteness of running, a supposedly egalitarian sport, and a call to reimagine the industry
“Runners know that running brings us to ourselves. But for Black people, the simple act of running has never been so simple. It is a declaration of the right to move through the world. If running is claiming public space, why, then, does it feel like a negotiation?”
Running saved Alison Désir’s life. At rock bottom and searching for meaning and structure, Désir started marathon training, finding that it vastly improved both her physical and mental health. Yet as she became involved in the community and learned its history, she realized that the sport was largely built with white people in mind.
Running While Black draws on Désir’s experience as an endurance athlete, activist, and mental health advocate to explore why the seemingly simple, human act of long distance running for exercise and health has never been truly open to Black people. Weaving historical context—from the first recreational running boom to the horrific murder of Ahmaud Arbery—together with her own story of growth in the sport, Désir unpacks how we got here and advocates for a world where everyone is free to safely experience the life-changing power of movement.
As America reckons with its history of white supremacy across major institutions, Désir argues that, as a litmus test for an inclusive society, the fitness industry has the opportunity to lead the charge—fulfilling its promise of empowerment.
©2022 Alison Mariella Désir (P)2022 Penguin AudioCritic Reviews
“Running While Black speaks directly to the anguish Black runners live with while running through a white supremacist world. Alison provides readers a behind-the-scenes view of what it is to be Black and a runner: constantly minimized, removed, and erased altogether. Her writing is thought-provoking and provides readers with inspiration to enact change.”—Alysia Montaño, Olympian and six-time USA Outdoor Track and Field 800-meter winner
“In Running While Black, Désir deftly weaves together family histories, Black history, and Black running history to produce a powerful narrative of personal discovery. The quest to belong, to exhale, and to be free resounds off these pages. The act of running while Black is both freeing and risky; it is the breath and the gasp for air. This aptly named book invites us into that contradiction. Désir's journey—and her words—demonstrate the work of carving out space, of building community, challenging racism, and disrupting whitewashed industries. It compels us to lace up and join her on the road.”—Amira Rose Davis, Professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas-Austin, author of Can’t Eat a Medal and cohost of the podcast Burn It All Down
“Running While Black by Alison Mariella Désir is a must read for anyone interested in running, the power of sport, racism, and mental health. She skillfully weaves the history of running with the reality of racism and racial restrictions in America while demonstrating how transformative running could be. Reading this book should encourage everyone to support running for everyone.”—Richard Lapchick, PhD, human rights activist, author, founder of the Institute for Sport and Social Justice, and director of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport