A few weeks ago, our longtime photographer Emily Maye captured images of Kamilah Journét, a member of our Hare A.C. community, in Santa Barbara, California, during a socially-distanced early morning workout. We’d planned to kick off this week sharing imagery from the shoot to support a new product, but as the events of the last weeks unfolded, it became clear that it was no longer time for business as usual. Our country and culture is at a crossroads, and we cannot ignore or be silent about the systemic racism that underpins not only the continued killing of Black Americans, but our everyday life. 

Kamilah posted a powerful statement on her Instagram about her experience as a Black woman and runner. In an ongoing effort to highlight stories from our community, we asked if she’d be interested in sharing a longer version of that post on the Journal and if she’d like to use some of the new photos that Emily had captured to illustrate it. As a runner we’ve worked with for years, we’ve long admired her as an individual and an athlete. We’re galvanized by her words and committed to doing the work, as a company and individuals.

"As runners know, change doesn’t come easy. I hope your discomfort leads you to growth. To those who aren’t Black, have the hard conversations even when there hasn’t been an incident on the news. Black people are being murdered. Do more than run for a hashtag. Do more than repost something for 24 hours. Do your own research on the systems in place that lead to injustice. Then do the actions necessary to leave a lasting positive impact on your community. Make a difference. Your Black teammate is begging you."

Black lives matter.

We hope you’ll join us in reading, reflecting and engaging with her story. If you have questions or thoughts to share with our team, please let us know.