Hello and welcome to the first edition of the Social Sport Newsletter! In just a few days, it will be March again. So welcome, also, to ~March again~ Looking back on March of 2020 feels haunting; the early-spring calm like a red curtain before the play begins. To me, it also feels bittersweet. March of 2020 was the start of so much pain for this country, and for this world. And yet, it was also the start of the Social Sport Podcast. So much has changed in 12 months. On a personal level, I started an MFA program, moved back to the East Coast, and released 51 episodes of the Social Sport Podcast.
On a world level, we learned. We learned to feel pain harder than ever before. We learned to sit with ourselves longer than ever before. I would like to think we learned to listen deeper than ever before, too. We learned to listen to those most impacted by the pandemic, and to those most marginalized in this world. We learned that when we listen to Black women, they can save an entire country (we are not pros at this listening thing; we have a long way to go).
There is a poem by spoken-word poet, Sarah Kay, where she addresses the students to whom she teaches poetry. “Listen!” she says. “Listen to one another like you know you are scholars. Artists. Scientists. Athletes. Musicians. Like you know you will be the ones to shape this world.” And I think that, above all else, Social Sport teaches me to listen. It teaches me to take a moment and hear the people around me—to really hear them. To hear them as scholars, artists, scientists, athletes, and musicians; as the people who will shape this world. Because they are.
All of this listening might sound useful. But then, I am walking down a New York City street and I pass an old man in a corduroy hat, and I am overwhelmed by a story that I do not know. I want to sit him down and ask him about his hat, about his childhood, and about the hope he sees in this world. I want to sit down with every person I pass on the street and listen to their stories. I am overwhelmed by the potential for stories. Now before this gets too weird, I better just say THANK YOU. Because that’s what I really want to say: thank you for listening to Social Sport, for subscribing to this newsletter, and for letting me be overwhelmed with stories. I cannot wait to learn from countless more.
Podcast episodes of the past month
Aliya Tyus-Barnwell, founder of Ride Upgrades, on redefining the word “cyclist” and breaking down barriers to entry in biking.
Deep dive: One of the barriers to entry we discuss in this episode is the commodification of cycling. The fact is impossible to deny—cycling is an expensive sport. It’s also a sport with a high value placed on fashion and comfort. A few weeks after this episode aired, Aliya started a column on the popular VeloNews called Kit Critic. Her goal? “Everyone should be able to ride while looking and feeling good. [A cycling] kit can be stylish, easy to wear, and within budget – the magical triangle.” Follow along to learn how cyclists of all socioeconomic backgrounds can find a sense of belonging (and style!) in this sport.
Zoë Rom, writer, journalist, and Associate Editor of Trail Runner Magazine, on climate change and environmental justice.
Deep dive: Besides being one of the kindest humans I know, Zoë is also a talented storyteller doing crucial work in the environmental justice and outdoor recreation space. She recently wrote, “A Trail Runner’s Guide to Environmental Justice,” which is a must-read for any outdoor enthusiast. A small excerpt: “Historically, the United States has systematically segregated and excluded people of color from public lands and other natural places where one might recreate or trail run. From the Civilian Conservation Corps to the National Park System, the nation’s public lands have been bastions of legalized and institutionalized racism.” Read more here.
Heather Caplan, anti-diet dietician, on weight-stigma in sports and beyond.
Deep dive: I love the work Heather has been doing with Weight Inclusive Nutrition and Dietetics (WIND). This movement is important for athletes and non-athletes alike. Heather is opening conversation on how fat-phobia and weight-stigma harm larger-bodied folx, especially when they seek medical care. If you want to learn more about this topic, I found Michael Hobbes’s 2018 HuffPost article, “Everything You Know about Obesity is Wrong” to be particularly eye-opening.
Grayson Murphy and David Roche
Deep-dive: In this episode, we come to many conclusions. First: David and Grayson make the best cheer-squad. For real, if you need someone to remind you that you rock, call these two. Second: environmentalism needs to center people and justice. David is doing crucial pro bono work with the Inuit Circumpolar Council to ensure that Inuit voices guide environmental policy in the Arctic Circle.
Towards the end of the conversation, Grayson brings up another environmental justice-related topic: gendered access to natural resources and recreation. This topic makes me think a lot about female farmers—women grow half of the world’s food, and lead the way in sustainable agriculture practices, but are seldom paid for their agricultural work. The topic of women’s leading roles in sustainable agriculture is something I have done research on, but that doesn’t easily tie back to sport. That being said, if you know an athlete doing important work in sustainable ag., let me know! I would love to feature them.
Announcements and Actions
Sign up for the Let Noor Run Virtual 5k before Wednesday, March 31st. The #LetNoorRun movement was founded by high school runner, Noor Alexandria Abukaram, to fight prejudice in sports. Abukaram was disqualified by the Ohio High School Athletic Association after her coach failed to apply for a waiver for her to run with hijab. Proceeds from this virtual 5k will go to the House of Innovation, a community space that celebrates diversity and collaboration.
Chris Mosier’s transathlete.com is a comprehensive resource that compiles information on trans inclusion in athletics. The “Take Action” tool includes information on bills that prevent trans athletes from participating, as well as emails, links, and scrips to use for contacting lawmakers.
You can now pre-order performance streetwear apparel from PYNRS, founded by Social Sport guest, Sidney Baptista. PYNRS champions community, culture, and diversity. By pre-ordering, you’ll help PYNRS build an e-commerce site while supporting an innovative Black-owned business.
Social Sport guest Coffey, Power Malu, and the entire NYC Running to Protest crew have tapped into the incomparable power of movement as protest. This past weekend, they ran for gun violence prevention and Black Lives Matter. Despite the cold, they drew quite the (masked) crowd. As Coffey said in our interview, “we will always be running to protest; trying to shine a light on what’s wrong.” Join them next month if you’re in the NYC area.
On Tuesday, 2.23 Foundation held their virtual #FinishTheRun, in honor of Ahamaud Arbery. Money from the virtual run went to a scholarship fund that provides young, Black people the opportunity to pursue careers related to social justice. You can still donate to support the crucial work of 2.23 Foundation.
Wildwood Running and Strong Runner Chicks (SRC) have joined forces to launch a mentorship program for young, female athletes. This 6-month program will connect middle and high school female runners with women who were once in their shoes. I was lucky to serve as a virtual counselor and lead a break-out room for the Wildwood Running girls camp in January. I can tell you first-hand that Wildwood and SRC are doing crucial work for young athletes. Spread the word!
Fill out this survey to help OUTrun create change in the running community. OUTrun is an organization dedicated to promoting more active inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community within running. Its leadership includes Social Sport guests Addie Bracy and Therese Haiss.
This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. It is crucial to increase conversation on how eating disorders impact athletic communities. It is, perhaps, even more crucial to increase conversation on eating disorders’ diverse array of victims: people of ALL body sizes, genders, sexualities, races, ethnicities and genders. This post contains statistics and resources on eating disorders in athletes. During Episodes 43-47 of the podcast, we focused entirely on this topic.
If you’re not familiar with 5 Calls, it is one of the easiest ways to make an impact on national and local politics. If you are someone who is often overwhelmed by everything wrong with this country (hand raise! me! me! pick me!), this site boils it down to the most pressing issues and how to influence your representatives on each one.
What I am writing
In this article for Trail Runner Magazine, I explore how adopting a plant-based diet for environmental reasons could trigger disordered eating.
Lafontaine Nutrition recently shared an article I wrote over a year ago, for the Lane 9 Project blog. This article examines what I consider the “epidemic of eating disorders in women’s distance running,” and my personal experience which an eating disorder as a college athlete. I have learned a lot since writing this article. Most importantly, eating disorders do not only affect white, small-bodied, cis-gender women. Like I said above, it is crucial that we make resources for detection and care accessible ALL athletes.
What I am reading
The Warmth of Other Suns: the Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson. Damn. If you haven’t read this book, you need to. It is as much of an epic as any epic I have ever read. Wilkerson’s comprehensive research on the Great Migration, and how she weaves it all into narrative nonfiction, blows my mind on every page.
I am a huge fan of anything Kiese Laymon writes. I read Heavy twice in 2020. It’s an incredible memoir on growing up Black and bookish in an academic household, family violence, male eating disorders, bodies, language, and what it means to write an American memoir. I recently read his book of essays, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, which is another great representation of Laymon’s work on similar topics.
I am a sucker for a good YA novel. Elizabeth Acavedo has a way of unpacking emotion in a beautiful, lyrical way, that is also accessible to young people. In Clap When you Land, she does this again, while exploring loss, sisterhood, family bonds, and Dominican culture.
Nate Marshall’s collection of poems, Finna, is a punching celebration of Black vernacular, and an exploration of gendered language, pop culture, families, and home.
What I am obsessed with
Hallelujah by Haim has been on repeat.
Anything for Selena Podcast by Maria Garcia. It’s all about slain Mexican-American pop star Selena Quintanilla, belonging in America, Latinx identity, race, class, queerness, and body politics. So much here!!
iCarly is on Netflix?! Okay, hear me out! This is my youth—the part of my youth when I wore neon braces, and donned pink and green converse with peace signs on them. I was not cool. But iCarly was so cool. I have already re-watched the first few episodes whilst basking in nostalgia. YES, there are some problematic gender norms and stereotypes in this show. And YES, I am all for unpacking those! But I also want to enjoy the show that brought awkward, neon-braces and converse-clad Emma so much joy. Also, can we talk about how creative the writers of iCarly were? I mean, pear instead of apple products? Come on!
Tahini. Literally on everything. 1 staple recipe——Tahini-cardomom green smoothie bowl——1 handful kale or spinach; 1 scoop protein powder (I use FEM); 1 BIG spoonful tahini (for all you measurers, that’s 1.5ish tablespoons); 1 teaspoon cardamom; 1 frozen banana, chopped; 1/2 cup milk of choice (I use oat milk). Blend it up, top with granola, and dig in.
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Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for Monday’s episode of the Social Sport Podcast!
Stay sporty & keep resisting,
Emma