Stronger Together: She.is.beautiful partners with Black Girls RUN!

November 10, 2020

Amplifying inclusivity, compassion, and inspiration in the running and fitness industry and in life.

She.is.beautiful 5k and 10k presented by Dignity Health Dominican Hospital, a women founded, women produced, race series and lifestyle brand in California partners with nationwide Black Girls RUN! to amplify inclusivity, compassion, and inspiration in the running and fitness industry and in life.

It is not enough for the running industry to say we want to be welcoming to all levels, all backgrounds, and all abilities. Race organizations, run clubs, sponsors, and every human participant wins when we create more inclusive spaces where all bodies can feel the magic, empowerment, and celebration of the race environment.

Melissa McConville, Founder and Director of She.is.beautiful explains, “Brands and events like She.is.beautiful, who are founded on the idea of meeting participants exactly where they are, have the opportunity to make a huge difference in so many lives. Celebrating an individual’s courage and resilience is built into the fabric of SIB. Runners are not just white people who are less than 150 lbs that love to get up early to run. They can be a mother who is learning how to move in her postpartum body and wants time to herself through running or walking. They can be a person in college who is learning to use fitness as a way to stay grounded through transitions. They are career women who use training for a 10k as their stress release and space to create community outside of work. Or the 65 year old person who wants to walk or run their first 5k. They are people of many different races, ages and ability levels who have never seen examples of women that look like themselves in this space but want to belong here. We want to celebrate every story that comes to our start line…in running and in life.”

She continues, “In partnerships, we ask, ‘Who are we not reaching?’ ‘What’s the barrier?’ ‘What can we offer?’ ‘How can we shine more light on another company doing great work that also aligns with our mission?’  ‘ How can we work together to both achieve our goals?’ Representation of all abilities, backgrounds, and particularly Black bodies in this running space matter. Inclusivity is built in our mission.  Black Girls RUN!’s owner and CEO, Jay Ell, is redefining what it means to be a runner through creating run clubs across the nation.  Seeing the amazing work she has and is doing, it was obvious how powerful it could be to work together to bring our missions to life for our collective participants and the greater good of our industry.”

Through She.is.beautiful’s race registration with virtual and touchless race experience options available in March 2021,  participants can purchase a co-branded tote bag with 100% of the proceeds benefiting BGR! We encourage people to join the free Black Girls RUN! Team through registration, where all team members will receive a co-branded SIB and BGR! hat.

“Organizations like Black Girls RUN! are so important because we need to make the pavement inviting and safe to everyone. No matter what color, pace, background or body shape, we need to show that the sport of running and being healthy is open and welcoming for everyone,” Jay Ell Alexander, Owner and CEO of Black Girls RUN!

“Community means everything and the power we have as women to come together and support each other is unmatched. Empowered women empower women,” Jay Ell continues.

“I think running can be intimidating because there is a lack of representation on television, in our community, at race events or even at the gym. Black Girls RUN! creates spaces for Black women to meet other women and see other women that is encouraging and inviting to join the movement.”

Join us for the 11th Annual She.is.beautiful 5k, 10k, and half marathon happening on March 20th 2021. The event that typically sells out to 6,000 people and benefits local charity partner Walnut Avenue Family and Women’s Center.

Historically, She.is.beautiful is one of the largest female focused races in the country. The event takes place in both Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara,CA hosting over 10,000 participants annually. For the last 11 years, She.is.beautiful has embodied the idea that beauty is a feeling of love, strength, vulnerability, and courage. It has earned a reputation for it’s inspiring and fun course signs, epic swag, coastal views, and welcoming different abilities (from professionals racing for prize money to people walking their first 5k) to our start line. She.is.beautiful is an inspiring, uplifting, and welcoming space for all womxn to come together to sweat their story in all the seasons of life. We are dedicated to staying fluid and evolving to serve our local and global community. We are built from a foundation of love, joy, resiliency, and compassion and will stand united on our journey towards our best selves. Learn more about she.is.beautiful at runsheisbeautiful.com or socially at @runsheisbeautiful.

For more information contact us at info@runsheisbeautiful.com

About Black Girls RUN!

Black Girls RUN! is a national running group launched in 2009 as an online blog that has grown to include more than 75 running groups across the nation with more than 250,000 members.  The group was created to combat the obesity epidemic among women in the African- American community and dispel the myth that black women do not run. The groups include beginner and experienced runners and provide a support system to help members reach their fitness goals. Black Girls RUN! provides a community and inspires all women to run. For more information about Black Girls RUN!, visit www.BlackGirlsRUN.com.