WATCH: Race, Running And The Politics Of Taking Up Space

Since two white men killed Ahmaud Arbery while he was out for a jog, there has been a lot more conversation about “running while black.” What’s strange is that — for a few years, in fact — there has actually been increasing discussion within the running community about runners’ safety. The catch? It’s focused primarily on (white) women. So why, until recently, has it been easier to talk about runners’ safety for white women than for runners of color? The answer involves World War II, the founder of Nike, yuppies and the Central Park Five case.

In this video episode of Code Switch, we interview runner and activist Alison Désir and historian and author Natalia Mehlman Petrzela.