Social Sport

Savanah and Dallas Erdahl are the co-founders of OPE Running, which was born from a desire for ethically and sustainably-made running apparel that doesn't compromise on style and fun. Savannah and Dallas combined their passions to create OPE! Savannah's background is in apparel, previously a seamstress for a local designer, while designing and sewing as much as she could in her free time. Dallas is an avid runner with a deep love for the sport.

All of OPE's garments are made by HAND by Savannah, out of dead stock and recycled materials, in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Discussed in this episode:

--The snowball effect of sustainability

--The True Cost documentary

--Issues with sustainability in the fashion industry

--The difference between dead-stock and recycled fabrics

--The saying “ope” and "Minnesota-speak"

--Artiken and Miir partnerships

--The Brave like Gabe Foundation

--“If you’re getting a t-shirt for five dollars, that cost is coming from somewhere. Someone is paying for that—the environment is paying for it, or people are paying for it with their labor. You’re not magically getting a five dollar shirt. Someone has to deal with the consequences. We want to see other brands own up to that cost.” -Dallas Erdahl

--“One of the greatest challenges for me was to be taken seriously in an industry that’s generally run by older, White men.” -Savannah Erdahl

--Follow OPE on Instagram 

-–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

Rahaf Khatib is a stay-at-home mom of 3; 11x marathon and 25x half marathon runner, 2x Sprint triathlete; First Syrian to Complete the Abbott World Marathon Majors; and was a top ten finalist in the 2015 Runners World cover search contest. Rahaf made headlines when she graced the cover of Women’s Running Magazine in October of 2016 as the first hijabi to appear on the cover of a fitness magazine. Rahaf has fundraised $16,000 for Syrian refugees, $6,000 for Brain Cancer in honor of her dear father, and $10,000 for Palestinian refugees in Jerusalem. Rahaf has been published in magazines such as Strong Fitness Magazine, Runners World,New Balance’s fall catalog, New York marathon catalog,  Times Weekly and Women’s Health Magazine. Rahaf co-created the Adidas hijab, was voted “Best health and Fitness account” by Buzzfeed news, and coached Girls on the Run in Michigan. She is a Level 1 RRCA certified Running Coach as well as a TED X speaker.

Discussed in this episode:

-- Post-partum depression

--Ending stereotypes of covered Muslim American women

--The burden of unpaid labor on BIPOC women

--Syrian American Rescue Network

--Persevering in the face of hate

--Rahaf’s Ramadan Challenge with Runkeeper

--Quote: “I always say, if you organize your life around your passion, you can turn your passion into your story, and then turn your story into something bigger and something that matters. This is a quote that I live by, and my passion is shattering stereotypes about us, [covered Muslim American women],” -Rahaf Khatib

--Follow Rahaf on Instagram 

-–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running. Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

Wildwood Running, launched in 2020, aims to empower female runners in mind and body through leadership, confidence, relationships, and resiliency. It was founded by Robyn McGillis and Marie Davis Markham.  

Robyn McGillis was a competitive Track and Field and Cross Country runner at the high school and collegiate level. Competing for University of California (UC), San Diego, she was a national qualifier in the 800m and the mile relay. In 2000, Robyn completed her MBA at the University of Oregon. Robyn joined Central Catholic as an assistant Cross Country coach for the girls' team in 2013 and became the head coach in the fall of 2014. In 2014, Robyn led the RAMS to the Girls Cross Country District Championship and their first ever state meet berth. Robyn is also the current girls' distance coach for Track and Field beginning in 2014.  Robyn was named Mt. Hood Conference Women's "Coach of the Year" in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Robyn and her husband Jeff live in North Portland and have two kids, Ella and Nate. 

Marie Davis Markham has been running since an early age. She competed for the University of Oregon and ran post collegiately for the Nike Farm Team. After over a decade away from competitive running she joined her alma mater, Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon as an assistant Cross Country & Track & Field coach. She soon began important conversations called Girls Talk with high school girls around being strong in mind and body. In 2020 she co-founded Wildwood Running with Robyn McGillis. Together they are striving to support, teach & empower young girl distance runners and their coaches to be happy and healthy runners while focusing on being a whole person. 

Discussed in this episode: 

--Leadership Workshop 

--Changes in high school running culture 

--Mentorship program by Wildwood and Strong Runner Chicks 

--Girls Talk 

--Advice for coaches on bringing up hard topics with high school runners 

--Shop Wildwood swag

--McFarland USA 

--The Long Green Line 

--“When people have the confidence to understand who they are, and the belief that they’re important and they matter, then they can make change in the world. I think sport does that for a lot of people.”-Marie Davis Markham 

--“Success looks different for everybody. [Running] doesn’t have to be one-size fits all model. Otherwise, unhealthy behaviors come in that can impact your mental and physical health down the line.” -Robyn McGillis 

--Follow Wildwood on Instagram 

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running. Go to operunning.com and use code SOCIALSPORT for 15% off your order.

CW: This episode mentions eating disorders, psychological abuse, and attempted suicide 

Rosie Cruz has exhibited immense strength and bravery in sharing her story, and the entire story of psychological abuse, enabled disordered eating, and physical and emotional harm in the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Cross Country and Track programs. This story is not new. We’ve heard it before. It carries different names every time—Nike Oregon Project, Wesleyan University, University of Arizona, etc. There is a problem in the sport of distance running, and especially in the NCAA. Only through strong voices like Rosie's can we push for systemic change.   

Rosie is a Division I cross country and track runner for Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is a senior studying Political Science and Women's Studies, and currently works as a legislative aide for Colorado State Representative, Lindsey Daugherty. Rosie is passionate about running, politics, social justice, and being outdoors.

Discussed in this episode:

--Rosie's open letter about abuse in LMU program, March 26th

--Rosie's open letter to the NCAA, March 27th 

--32:04: the term "ghost pains" and minimizing women's pain

--35:05: social media stalking and manipulation 

--44:50: “When you talk about abuse, people don’t believe you unless you have bruises on you. I have had to go through these stories time and time again and people are still justifying [the abuse]. Because psychological abuse isn’t a thing that you can see; it’s something you carry with you.”

--49:07: "The one thing I want from this is a community of people who can envision change, demand it, and keep pushing the sport in the right direction.”

--54:02: Systemic problems within the structure of the NCAA

--Follow Rosie: Instagram, Twitter

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Women's History Month, Black History Month, International Women's Day, Earth Day, you know: those "holidays." For lack of a better term, we call these days and months "social media holidays." After all, they carry heavy social media presences. And in the first ever episode of Cut to the Chase with Emma and Kamilah, we unpack them. We go beyond the mirror selfies and iPhone panoramas. We ask: What are the pros and cons of these holidays? How do they connect to sports? What do they represent for folks of marginalized identities? And where do they fall short? 

Discussed in this episode:  

--National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Women's History Month, Black History Month, International Women's Day, Earth Day, Trans Visibility Day. Note: in the episode, Emma said Earth Day is coming up on April 2nd; she meant April 22nd! 

--11:41: how identity affects the ways in which we engage with these holidays 

--14:38: what were these holidays before Instagram?

--20:32: March Madness and Women's History Month 

--24:17: marketing ploys or good values? 

--27:18: social media as a tool for activism 

--29:48: GOAT and gendered athlete titles 

--36:45 celebrating NGWSD while recognizing the inequality that still exists 

--46:00 calls to action --VICE article, "12 Environmental Justice Organizations," 

--NYTimes article “She Wants to Kill the Girlboss”

--Follow Kamilah, Follow Emma 

–-Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–-Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Indra Hayre is a Vancouver local, born and raised in the suburbs but has spent her adult life in the city and its' mountains. She works full time for Arc'teryx and is a freelance Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and Model on the side. She advocates for diversity and inclusion in all aspects of life, and in 2020, founded Inclu-SKI-vity. 

Through Inclu-SKI-vity, she elevates the voices of traditionally marginalized groups in the snow sport community through sharing interviews.  Additionally, she creates programming geared to breaking down barriers to entry for marginalized folx, focusing on creating psychological safety and subsidizing costs.

Discussed in this episode:

--6:20: the ski community was built upon wealth and money

--Psychological safety 

--12:35: Financial barriers to entry in skiing

--Good gear auction 

--Colour the Trails 

--Indigenous Women Outdoors 

--16:47: gender and race power dynamics in sport industries (ski shops, bike shops, etc.)

--20:13: the beginning of inclu-SKI-vity

--BIWOC (black, indigenous, and women of color)

--34:25: straddling THE line between balance and burnout

--37:08: merging diversity and inclusion work with modeling

--How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa

Quotes:

--“I would have never thought that I wasn’t good at these things until people questioned, or were surprised by, my ability. Because I was a woman, or because I was a woman of color, they unconsciously assumed my ability level and then were surprised when I surpassed that low bar they set for me. I don’t think I ever thought I wasn’t good at these things, or that I couldn’t be good, until people were surprised by my presence and the way I took up space.”

--“I never want other young Indian kids to not think that they’re beautiful, or to think that they don’t belong somewhere. I don’t want them to think that the hair on their arms is a flaw. I want them to move through life a lot easier than I did, and I think a lot of that comes down to representation.”

--Follow Indra

--Follow Include-SKI-vity

–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

*This episode is sponsored by OPE Running, an ethical running apparel company. Use code SOCIALSPORT at checkout to receive 15% off your order. 

Andy Kucer is the Executive Director of Students Run Philly Style and a passionate advocate for empowering youth through running and mentorship. He is also on the board of directors for the Philadelphia Distance Run (PDR).

C.C. Téllez is an openly lesbian distance runner from La Paz, Bolivia, currently living in Philadelphia. She is the founder of Lez Run Running Club, the Co-Race Director of the Philly Pride Run, ambassador for Athlete Ally and 261Fearless, and Associate Director of LGBTQ+ Programming for Students Run Philly Style. 

The Philadelphia Distance Run (PDR) is a historically iconic race, for amateur and elite runners alike. It was a mainstay on the Philadelphia streets from 1978 to 2009, until it changed hands and name. In fall of 2021, it is back and better than ever. The return of the PDR will include free bibs for low-income runners, having non-binary prize money match male and female prize money, and prioritizing minority owned vendors. 

Discussed in this episode: 

--Runners World article about Students Run Philly Style

--Critical mentoring: a Practical Guide by Torie Weiston-Serdan

--C.C.'s first episode on Social Sport

--Caster Semenya

Quotes: 

--"

Mary Lytle (she/they) is the co-founder of Radical Adventure Riders (RAR), a queer cat mom, visual artist, organizer, and adventure cyclist based in Portland, OR. She is passionate about using her skills as an illustrator to represent and connect cycling communities. Mary’s desire to connect the community around bicycles stems from their days of running a small hot dog stand on the Little Miami Bike Trail in Loveland, Ohio and feeding the cyclocross community at regional events. While design is Mary’s main gig, she enjoys working part-time for small independent brands that focus on creative design in the cycling industry. She currently works for SIM Works USA. On her days off, she loves to fuel herself with vegan snacks while meandering dirt roads in the PNW with friends.

Founded in 2017, Radical Adventure Riders (RAR) mission is moving towards enhancing gender inclusivity and racial equity in the bicycle and outdoor adventure scene. RAR does this by providing connection, education, resources, and support for the community and industry.

Discussed in this episode:

--Multnomah people, original inhabitants of Portland, Oregon

--Fakequity

--13:00: discrimination in the cycling industry 

--17:21: the pros and cons of labels 

--Renee hutchens on social sport podcast

--Annual Get Rad be Radical publication, edited by Molly Sugar

--History of WTFN-B illustrated poster 

--RAR Gravel program

--Cycling Industry Pledge (CIP)

--Guiding Principles of Disability Justice on Sins Invalid Blog, created with consultation and guidance from Mary Ann Thomas and Izzy Sederbaum

--SJ Brooks scholarship

--34:34: moving beyond gender binary in art

Quote:

“We’re ready to change with the (adventure sport) community. The community is always changing. We want to hear from them and grow with them, and we’re ready for feedback. We still have a lot of work to do to represent more gender identities and lift up more BIPOC voices. So we want to see what comes next, and what else is needed in the community, as we move forward.”

--Follow RAR: Instagram 

--Follow Mary: @maryroselytle @maryroselytleart

–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter

Dinée Dorame is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and a self-identified running nerd. She was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM (on Tiwa ancestral lands). She graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies in 2015 and worked as an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale for three years before moving back to New Mexico. She currently works as the Associate Director of College Horizons, a national college access program providing admission and financial aid workshops for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian high school students and families. Most recently, she became the founder, host, and producer of the Grounded Podcast, which explores the connection of running, community, land, and culture.  

Discussed in this episode:

--Tiwa ancestral lands

--Lenape ancestral lands

--Dinée's personal essay in Runner's World

--Safety as physical, mental, and spiritual

--Underrepresentation of Native students in higher education

--18:58: The importance of running in Navajo traditions

--23:23: what running means to Dinée

--Leroy Silva on Grounded Podcast

--36:45: food sovereignty and sports nutrition 

--Starla Garcia on Social Sport Podcast

43:46: what Dinée has learned from hosting Grounded Podcast

--Runners World article featuring Dinée, by Taylor Dutch

--57:00: Dinée and I geek out over Gilmore girls and pitch a podcasters' Gilmore Girls trivia tournament

Quotes: 

--"Storytelling is a cultural value for me as a Navajo person. How can I help other people tell their story? How can I tell my story? Because I’m also a native woman, and I’m worthy of that space. And how can I help my dad, my mom, and my family tell their story?”

--“For me [sports podcasting] is about being myself.  I definitely use words like activist or feminist or environmentalist, but I try to avoid them, to be honest. Because for me, those are things that are baked into my own values. As a native person, I’m just taught to be community- minded. If you’re community-minded, you’re always thinking: if someone is giving something to me, what am I giving to them?”

--"I go for a run and I know exactly where I am. I remember who I am and whose land I am grateful to be on at that time. And I can be with so many members of my family, both who are here, and who have passed on. For me, that’s what makes [running] so powerful.”

--Follow Dinée on Instagram

--Follow Grounded Podcast on Instagram 

–Follow Social Sport: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter 

–Subscribe to the Social Sport Newsletter