Running and nonprofit consulting might seem like a weird mashup, but in my experience, creativity and movement are deeply intertwined. Communications and design demand a constant flow of new ideas, and for me, movement is often the key that unlocks that creative well.
Whether I’m writing content for social media or a website, designing visuals for an email campaign, or laying out a complex report, creativity and curiosity are at the heart of my process. And, for me, movement helps ideas flow. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve hit a creative block only to think of breakthrough idea while out on a trail run.
I love running, and love supporting other people as they develop a love for running, too, but all types of movement can help us fuel creativity: Walking, hiking, rolling, dancing, yoga. Our bodies and our minds are connected and moving our bodies helps spark new ideas, creative solutions, and rekindle our curiosity.
All that said, it’s important to acknowledge the privilege I have to move freely in most spaces, a privilege not afforded to everyone. Alison Mariella Désir’s book Running While Black highlights the challenges that Black runners, in particular, face, reminding us that the freedom of movement is not equally shared.
This inequity, and the fight against it, connects my work in nonprofits and running on a deeper level. Because the work for social justice and pushing back against white supremacy doesn’t end when we put on our running shoes. It’s why I’m so committed to working with organizations and runners who share those values, while striving to create and support spaces in both the nonprofit and running world that disrupt racism and white supremacy.
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