RIDC Champion Spotlight: Indigenous Movement Crew

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 Indigenous Movement Crew, a community built out of the pandemic and a need to find a safe space to join together in the outdoors. Their goals have always been to create the space they did not necessarily find elsewhere in the running communities that already existed in Austin and to ensure BIPOC runners felt at ease in joining. We were lucky enough to chat with Rocio Villalobos [co-founder] of Native Roots ATX [indigenousmovementcrew] and learn all they are doing in the Austin area!

Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC): Please tell us how and when Indigenous Movement Crew came to be.

Rocio Villalobos (RV): Qui’chi [Patlan, cofounder of the group] and I met several years ago at The University of Texas at Austin. When the pandemic happened and people were in lockdown, we started talking about what it would look like to bring people together to find joy through movement. We had both experienced the feeling of being othered in running spaces here in Austin, whether it was on the trails or in running groups. We also understood that BIPOC communities don't always feel safe in the outdoors—something that was further emphasized after Ahmaud Arbery’s and George Floyd’s murders in 2020. Our goal was to create a space that acknowledged and understood that running and movement can be political, and that it can also be healing for our communities. We believe that movement is medicine and that our individual wellness isn't separate from the wellness/well-being of our communities.

RIDC: What do you find most inspiring about your group?

RV: I love that our group brings people together who find joy through movement in different ways. Some people are walking and moving for their mental health, while others are training for races. Bringing it back to the notion that movement is medicine—it doesn’t just have to be about competition or racing—is something that resonates with the people who show up for our gatherings. And that’s a beautiful thing!

RIDC: Where do you see successes and/or areas in need of improvement in the running industry when it comes to the inclusion of the Indigenous community?

RV: This is an area where Verna Volker and Native Women Running have done so much to create visibility and provide support for Indigenous runners. Watching teams of Indigenous runners take up space and have the support they need to cross the finish line has been a beautiful thing. I’ve started to see a handful of races begin to offer land acknowledgments before their events, but there needs to be ongoing support and relationship-building with Indigenous peoples and communities. Indigenous people continue to fight to have their land returned to them, fight to have the remains of their ancestors repatriated, fight against racist mascots, fight to bring awareness to missing and murdered Indigenous relatives, and so many other issues. A deeper level of support that exists beyond representation is what we still need to see more of.

RIDC: It is clear that your group is about more than body movement. Was the plan always to be intersectional, or did that occur naturally without a specific push to be so? 

RV: Our group was created with the understanding that the personal is political and that our experiences running and moving our bodies are therefore political as well. Running is a form of prayer and movement is the vehicle through which we are building community.

RIDC: Of all your group’s non-running events, where have you seen the biggest community engagement? Does that translate into people then joining you for movement? 

RV: We typically see a greater turnout when we organize meetups around specific issues or significant dates, from events focused on highlighting MMIR [Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives] to a recent meetup we held in solidarity with our Palestinian relatives. Most running/wellness groups don’t see themselves as political spaces, and what we’ve found is that people are actively searching for spaces like the one we’re working to create through Native Roots.

RIDC: Please share a joyful story/moment that highlights the work you are doing.

RV: Getting to be a part of last year’s The Running Event with the RIDC was a pretty big highlight for us! It was a beautiful way to connect with the broader running community, specifically BIPOC groups and stores in other parts of the country. Our crew was so hyped about joining the RIDC Community Run, powered by Saucony and getting to cheer others on. I think it was a beautiful way to remember that running doesn’t have to be focused on individual pursuits—it can be a way to give back and support and cheer for others.

RIDC: What are some upcoming events/happenings you have? How can we help promote the awesome work you are doing?

RV: This year we’re getting ready to begin hosting hikes in addition to our regular run/walk meetups. Following our Instagram is the best way to stay up-to-date about the events we have coming up. We are also excited to support the Peace and Dignity Journeys (PDJ) International Prayer Run, which seeks to unite Indigenous peoples across the Abya Yala(Western Hemisphere). We are still in the early planning stages for the PDJ runs that will occur in Texas, but we’re excited about what’s ahead!

Know someone who is an RIDC Champion? Reach out to amy@runningdiversity.com and share them with us!