Running with Purpose athlete advocateS
the Intersection of running and advocacy
Meet our Athlete Advocate team!
#RunningForJustice x #RunningWithPurpose
Together we will use Running as
A PLATFORM FOR ACTION and cultivating community in a meaningful way.
We hope to elevate the heart work of our Athlete Advocates. If you’re an individual with a platform or a company that wants to be in this heart work of justice, equity, diversity, access, safety, and inclusion - we have incredible voices that you can amplify. We are here to establish relationships with partners, organizations, and companies, to work collectively to a shared common goal and future those who have felt oppressed, harmed by the systems and tactics of the running industry, the unheard, and where all bodies, are respected, visible, protected and heard. We will be able to learn from each other’s lived experience and create a support system for each other to safely and successfully do this heart work for not only ourselves, but for our community and the next generations.
We are running with purpose. We are running for justice. We are running in prayer. We are running for healing. We are running for community. We are running for the safety of our communities.
2023 - 2024 Athlete Advocates
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers. Arkansas Diné + Mexican
Being an Athlete Advocate brings even more purpose to running for me and adds to my 'why'. I am grateful to have an opportunity to use running as a way to advocate for causes that are important to me and to have the support of Rising Hearts.
I work as a program evaluator in a community health setting. My work is centered on improving community programs and prioritizing the culture and needs of the community.
Cal Calamia (they/he) is a transmasculine marathoner, inclusivity activist, educator, model, influencer, and poet often running on Ohlone lands in the Bay Area, CA. They have instigated the introduction of non-binary divisions and other inclusivity initiatives in road races across the globe, winning 1st in the New York City Marathon's division and taking 2nd place at the Chicago and Boston Marathons. Cal is also the founder of non-binary+ run club and 2 Hot 4 Hoodies, as well as a graduate of the MFA in Creative Writing program at the University of San Francisco. Cal is committed to increasing trans and non-binary visibility and elevating joy for all athletes.
Being an Athlete Advocate helps me stay grounded in not only excelling in my running career, but drawing attention to issues of community and equity in order to make the running world safer and more celebratory of all athletes. Space for kinship and shared learning, healing, and problem-solving with talented and passionate Athlete Advocates is a joy, an honor, and a necessity. This is a community that offers me hope and energy to keep moving forward.
My name is Phil and I'm a marathoner and ultramarathoner blessed to be running on Tongva lands across the roads and trails of Southern California. I’m also a liver cancer survivor and liver transplant recipient through living organ donation from my friend Mark. Since my transplant in 2019, I’ve run 6 marathons including the Boston Marathon twice and have completed 5 ultra marathons including the 2023 Black Canyon 100K. I also attempted to complete the 2023 Leadville 100 but made the decision to drop after 50 miles due to a safety risk.
As grateful as I am for the ability to continue running, I’ve been incredibly blessed to help bring some attention to the cancer and organ transplant community. I’ve had the great fortune to join the board of directors for the Brave Like Gabe Foundation founded by the late Gabe Grunewald to advocate for rare cancer research and empower people to stay physically active despite their diagnosis. I’ve also supported the American Liver Foundation and Chris Klug Foundation to help bring awareness to the liver disease and organ transplant communities. Also, as an Asian American runner, I’ve been intentional in occupying space in trail and ultra events to raise the volume level for more inclusion for people of color in an otherwise white dominated field.
Being an Athlete Advocate entirely aligns with what’s been so important to me since I received my new chance at life. No race or event is worthwhile for me to participate in if it doesn’t give me an opportunity to give back to the under represented communities that don’t have the means or capabilities to join in. As an Athlete Advocate it's a privilege to help extend this sidewalk we journey on to bring more equity to the running community and empower so many more to share their inspiring voices through story.
A Black trail runner out of Colorado. I am passionate about helping make the trails and outdoors more diverse and inclusive for BIPOC. Everyone deserves to feel safe and seen in the outdoors. I have been a co-leader at several trail retreats and have volunteered at more trail races than I can count over the years. Being an Athlete Advocate will provide an opportunity to continue to push for diverse representation within the sport of trail running. And the safety of all people of color in outdoor spaces.
I'm a high school math teacher, DEI director of my running team and mom to my 2 year old boy.
Being an Athlete Advocate to me means using my platform and experience to help bring awareness to important causes centered around inclusivity. I enjoy organizing and being a part of community events that are about more than running as an individual sport. As an Athlete Advocate, I would like to learn how to better support underrepresented groups personally as well as through my running team.
Jocelyn is an ultra marathoner (50 miler) and a 113th marathon finisher.
She's currently training for her first 100 miler and has been using running as a way to advocate for women, girls and Dreamers for the years. She advocates for representation of BIPOC in races, more period products in races and human rights when it comes to immigration issues.
She is also the youngest woman and Latina to run 100 marathons.
