RIDC Champion Highlight: Chinatown Runners
By Amy DiTommaso
An RIDC Champion is someone who is actively doing the work of the mission and vision of our organization and is a living example of the goals we have.
Our next champion is Chinatown Runners founder Victoria Lo. Chinatown Runners was created in response to the xenophobia that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and based on a desire to bring positivity back to Asian American communities. Chinatown Runners has grown to be a thriving run club that partners with other groups to bring more and more people into East Asian communities. This is another reminder that a common goal of movement can have a positive impact on the people in the spaces you are moving in and through. (photo credit: Alan Tam)
Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC): Please tell us how and when Chinatown Runners came to be.
Victoria Lo (VL): I started Chinatown Runners in March of 2021, but the idea came earlier, after an evening in late February when I had read news about another Asian citizen being attacked in Manhattan Chinatown in broad daylight. I’d been doomscrolling and reading so much news about racist attacks against East Asians in America due to xenophobic rhetoric surrounding COVID-19 and wanted to do something to contribute back to these communities. So I turned to running because it’s always been a conduit for human connection, and I felt that creating a movement centered around bringing people back to Asian neighborhoods and businesses was a way to make these places feel more lived-in, less abandoned, and more seen and protected.
RIDC: What do you find most inspiring about your group?
VL: Every single person who shows up for one of my pop-up runs inspires me to be a better community organizer and a better athlete. When I create events, I feel responsible for curating an experience that is safe and inclusive for runners from all walks of life and every level of athletic capability. Every person who shows up is trusting me with their time and energy, and that is the most valuable gift any person can give to another, so I take their participation incredibly seriously and am grateful for folks who continue to show up and believe in the movement.
RIDC: Where do you see successes and/or areas in need of improvement in the fitness industry when it comes to the inclusion of the AAPI community?
VL: There’s always been a level of superficial or optics-oriented “inclusivity” but I’d love to see the commercial fitness industry actually do more than cast a few AAPI models for campaigns during Lunar New Year or AAPI Heritage Month. The AAPI diaspora exists all year round, and we deserve to be celebrated alongside all the other BIPOC athletes in equal measure. We’re seeing a fundamental shift in who graces magazine covers and what stories are being shared, but to me that’s just the bare minimum. What else can we do to reach out to communities on a deeper level and connect and educate them on the importance of movement as it pertains to our health? And how can we connect entire communities to movement in a way that feels authentic and not for the sake of selling more product? These are the questions that float around in my head and what I’d like brands to consider.
RIDC: In a video produced by Brooks, you mention having a goal of gaining national and international support. How far and wide have you seen the impact of the creation of Chinatown Runners reach?
VL: In our first year, we had support from sister cities in Europe, Indonesia, and also throughout the United States. My hope is that people will continue to discover Chinatown Runners and be inspired to either organize their own pop-up runs or start their own AAPI running clubs. I’ve seen evidence of the latter sprouting up on the West Coast as well as in Sydney, Australia, so I think it’s working. It doesn’t matter if folks want to use the name Chinatown Runners or anything else, as long as the spirit remains the same and the goal is always to connect people to the AAPIHM culture and build those threads of empathy to connect us.
RIDC: Your group runs through different neighborhoods and communities. What has been the response from the community members? Have some joined runs, and are they excited to see the group come through?
VL: We are incredibly lucky that community members have responded positively and we have never had conflicts with any residents. This is due in part to the wonderful athletes that show up to my events, understanding the importance of operating as guests in these spaces and acknowledging that we don’t own the streets. There has been some momentum with new runners showing up once they’ve seen us running in public in these spaces, which is also incredibly rewarding.
RIDC: Please share a joyful story or moment that highlights the work you are doing.
VL: It’s pretty hard to choose just one! I think one of the most fun events we’ve organized was our inaugural Ice Cream Run in July 2021. We had teamed up with a few different running clubs and I took folks to Manhattan Chinatown to visit the famous Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, where the shop specializes in East Asian flavors like taro/ube, black sesame, and pandan. Runners from all different backgrounds shared miles and ice cream with us, and it was a beautiful summer Sunday!
RIDC: What are some upcoming events/happenings you have? How can we help promote the awesome work you are doing?
VL: I’m currently trying to organize a 50K/30-mile ultra run in May to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month. The goal is to run to various Asian neighborhoods from Brooklyn, north into Manhattan, and east to Queens. Each neighborhood will be a point where runners can jump in or out, so folks can choose how much they’d like to run while also getting a grand tour of various Asian neighborhoods throughout some of the boroughs of NYC. Other than that, we’re always trying to think of fun activities throughout the year, and events are posted regularly on our Instagram and website!
Know someone who is an RIDC Champion? Reach out to amy@runningdiversity.com and share them with us!