{"product_id":"running-while-black-isbn-9780593418628","title":"Running While Black","description":"\u003cb\u003eA searing exposé \u003cb\u003eon the whiteness of running,\u003c\/b\u003e a supposedly egalitarian sport, and a call to reimagine the industry\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e“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?”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e 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. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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.“The stories (and histories) Désir weaves together are captivating, eye-opening, and often even uncomfortable in their raw honesty and personal perspective. For fellow Black folks, \u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e provides a way to feel seen and understood. For non-Black people, this book offers a window into a world they will never experience and an opportunity to inspire empathy and action.” —\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSELF\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eMagazine\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003c\/i\u003eBest Books of 2022\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e 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.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eAlysia Montaño\u003c\/b\u003e, Olympian and six-time USA Outdoor Track and Field 800-meter winner\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In \u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e, 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.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eAmira Rose Davis\u003c\/b\u003e, Professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas-Austin, author of \u003ci\u003eCan’t Eat a Medal \u003c\/i\u003eand cohost of the podcast \u003ci\u003eBurn It All Down\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Alison has been an amazing advocate and champion for diversity and holistic wellness in our sport. In \u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e, Alison challenges us to acknowledge the significant obstacles to the concept of freedom of running for Black people and encourages us to pursue the powerful goals of a truly safe and inclusive sport. Alison’s personal journey, combined with her community and historical perspectives, are great vehicles for all of us to become more informed and empowered.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eMeb Keflezighi\u003c\/b\u003e, four-time Olympian and author of \u003ci\u003e26 Marathons\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMeb for Mortals\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e shattered the ideals in which, for three decades, I held the sport in high regard for its inclusiveness. Luckily, every page inspired me to use the running stage to support a safer space for all to participate. Then maybe an entire nation could follow.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eDeena Kastor\u003c\/b\u003e, Olympic medalist and \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eLet Your Mind Run\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Alison’s stories are vibrant and uplifting, leaving readers empowered to make real change in the running industry. This groundbreaking book is a must read for everyone, whether they run or not!”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eAlexi Pappas\u003c\/b\u003e, Olympian, filmmaker, actor, and author of \u003ci\u003eBravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Make no mistake, this book, this extraordinary account, will trigger those who have always had the privilege of an idyllic, nonracialized experience with the ‘universal, accessible’ sport of running. If this is you, I urge you to open the book, lean into the discomfort that will certainly come, and do some important learning and reflection about what could actually reenergize the sport of running as the most inclusive, welcoming, and diverse sport it has the potential to be.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eMirna Valerio\u003c\/b\u003e, ultrarunner and author of \u003ci\u003eA Beautiful Work in Progress\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I grew up as a competitive runner, and I truly believed that running was for everyone. But in reading \u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e, I was startled and saddened to realize just how false that narrative was. Alison Mariella Désir weaves the eye-opening history of running in the United States and her experience as a Black woman throughout the book. History I have never heard, history that changes the stories I have been fed since I was a young girl. It makes me look at my beloved sport with a new lens, and it breaks my heart. The first step for all runners should be to read \u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eKara Goucher\u003c\/b\u003e, two-time Olympian and author of \u003ci\u003eStrong: A Runner’s Guide to Boosting Confidence and Becoming the Best Version of You\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Run. Buy this book and read it as fast as you can. And then, like your favorite running loop, go over it repeatedly. It is monumental in its importance. Riveting in her[CC1] [DT2]  story and style, Alison Mariella Désir challenges and inspires us to think deeply and play our part in a better, truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive sport and society.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eMary Wittenberg\u003c\/b\u003e, former president and CEO of New York Road Runners, and president of League One Volleyball\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “With the propulsion and investigation of a detective novel and the soul-tingling honesty of a great memoir, \u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e will keep you turning pages until the wee hours, unraveling everything you thought you knew. If sport has ever been your teacher, if you call yourself a runner, if you believe in the power of running to unite us—you simply must read this book.” \u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eLauren Fleshman\u003c\/b\u003e, professional runner and author of \u003ci\u003eGood for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man's World\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e 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.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eRichard Lapchick\u003c\/b\u003e, 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\u003cb\u003eAlison Mariella Désir\u003c\/b\u003e is an endurance athlete, activist, and mental health advocate. Currently cochair of the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, a Run Happy Advocate for Brooks Running, and an athlete adviser for Oiselle, Désir is the founder of Harlem Run, a New York City–based running movement; Run 4 All Women, an organization that fundraises for social justice–focused nonprofits; and the Meaning Thru Movement tour, a speaking series featuring mental health experts and fitness professionals. A graduate of Columbia University with her bachelor’s and two master’s degrees, including a master of education in counseling psychology, Désir has been published in \u003ci\u003eOutside\u003c\/i\u003e magazine and contributed the foreword for \u003ci\u003eRunning Is My Therapy\u003c\/i\u003e by Scott Douglas. \u003ci\u003eRunning While Black\u003c\/i\u003e is her first book. Désir currently lives outside of Seattle with her son, Kouri Henri, and partner, Amir Muhammad Figueroa.","brand":"Portfolio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304045957349,"sku":"NP9780593418628","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593418628.jpg?v=1767735992","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/running-while-black-isbn-9780593418628","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}