Running while Black : finding freedom in a sport that wasn't built for us / Alison Mariella Désir.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Désir, Alison Mariella, author.

Contributor:

Tom Monahan Memorial Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Running--United States--History.

Running.

African Americans--Social conditions.

African Americans.

Runners (Sports)--United States.

Runners (Sports).

Running--United States--Psychological aspects.

Racism in sports--United States.

Racism in sports.

Running--Psychological aspects.

United States.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

263 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Portfolio / Penguin, [2022]

Summary:

"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"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: Part 1

1. The Only

2. White Space

3. Belonging

4. Lost

5. A Marathoner

Part 2

6. Outside

7. A Place for Us

8. Reframing

9. Purpose

10. Puzzle Pieces

11. Meaning Thru Movement

12. We Were There

13. Inclusion/Exclusion

Part 3

14. Life and Death

15. Confronting Whiteness

16. Running While Black

17. The Unbearable Whiteness of Running

18. Doing the Work

19. Endurance

20. Everything Is Connected

21. Reimagining the Run.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Tom Monahan Memorial Fund.

Other Format:

Online version: Désir, Alison Mariella. Running while Black

ISBN:

9780593418628

059341862X

OCLC:

1333435549

Publisher Number:

99991949243