ACTIVISM WHILE RUNNING RUN FOR JUSTICE 2020

The 2020 Run for Justice unity run was brought to you by The Running Edge and Overthrow NYC. But this run was not just NYC based as runs were also held virtually and physically in other states and countries. Coach Ashley Toussaint, founder of The Running Edge, led folks in Miami, Florida on a historic tour through various neighborhoods rich in Black culture and history, while Jason Fulford and fellow Bridge Runner/Overthrow NYC member Powermalu led the NYC run crews starting in Gowanus at Nicholas Naquan Heyward Jr. Park and finishing at Fort Greene Park. Nicholas Naquan Heyward Jr. Park is named after the 13-year old Black boy murdered by an NYPD officer who mistook the youth’s toy rifle for a real one in the hallways of Gowanus Houses in 1994.

Jason (J Sole) Fulford continues to keep the memory of his cousin Eric Garner alive as he fights each day for justice. Garner was also killed by the hands of the NYPD on July 17th 2014 gasping the words “I Can’t Breathe.” Activism speaks loudly in the run community and it definitely showed on this day as we saw unbridled unity throughout the run community.

Photos by RCS Images

Fellow run brother Ashley (Coach) Toussaint led runners on a tour through the streets of Miami, educating us (as he always does on group runs) on the story of Arthur McDuffie, fatally beaten by the hands of the Miami police in 1979. The acquittal of those cops 40 years ago spurred the “McDuffie Riots” and became a symbol of the city’s struggles with race relations. There’s a theme to everything we’ve seen and it’s been happening for centuries and decades as social injustice against Black people continues to run rampant in law enforcement. The goal of these runs is to continue to bring attention and insight to these issues.

Coach Toussaint leading the Miami Run Crew

To give you an idea of how far this unity run reached, Run for Justice 2020 held runs in various states and countries leading to such a wonderful and large turnout.