AC: I hoped to gain new connections and better insight into what it means to be a woman of color in your space, whether it's in your work industry or your community…And I did. It was amazing to connect with community influencers and game changers in the running industry.
The retreat featured two different panels, and just listening to the stories of what we, as women of color, go through was pretty intense. Hearing how women have been treated and how they’ve been glossed over, in the workplace and in the running community, was sad. There were a lot of tears.
In the running industry, women of color are looked at differently than our counterparts. When you’re on the job, sometimes you’re not heard. Sometimes people use microaggressions. Sometimes when I teach yoga, I am asked if I’m really the teacher. Sometimes there are side-eyes and comments. During the retreat, we learned how to use our voice as a tool, to be courageous and stand united.