Rising Hearts May Blog Updates
WELCOME TO MAY! We have some exciting news and NEW things for you to check out. COMMUNITY is what matters right now more than ever and COMMUNITY is what keeps us SAFE! Make sure to take a look through this newsletter as there is A LOT of new. We are so proud of how our community is coming together to do this heart work together that’s so important. If there is anything you would like to promote please reach out to lex@rising-hearts.org
WE LOVE SHARING WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS CREATING!
NEXT AWARENESS + ACTION EVENTS:
+ Running For Justice | 5/3/25 - 5/10/25
+Trans 5k Celebrations | 7/13/25
AREAS OF FOCUS:
Running With Purpose Athlete Advocate Collective:
We are prioritizing our Running With Purpose Athlete Advocate Collective through our own fundraising and partnerships, to support our athletes in their running and advocacy. This has led to hosting panels, virtual panels and workshops, a handful of athletes sharing their voice and and experiences on podcasts and other media platforms, a special book project with one of our athletes and this collective, supporting their initiatives, providing gear, shoes, and stipends. All possible through our fundraisers and partnerships within the running/outdoor industry. To learn more about our athletes and to be part of it, visit www.risinghearts.org/runningwithpurpose.
We have had several Athlete Advocates this year in 2025, attend some big races like the Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon and London Marathon! We have a handful of new Athlete Advocates part of the team and we can’t wait to share a special blog and newsletter, spotlighting them! And several of them have helped support our virtual movement events like the 5th Annual Running On Native Lands, 3rd Annual Earth Day 5k + Plogging Challenge, and 7th Annual Running For Justice with in person group run and walks in their community!
Running On Native Lands Initiative:
Our Running On Native Lands Initiative is in constant growth. We are updating the toolkit and will be creating a more formalized process in becoming a partner. We had 16 consultations in 2024, with 5 that became partners and collaborators. We hope to have more consultations coming for 2025, as we raise more funds and submit for more grant funding, we will be able to expand and grow our partnerships more feasibly. Through more funds, we will have more opportunities to present and teach about going beyond a land acknowledgement, allowing us to meet more of community, help educate, and learn from community while being able to utilize our skills and connections to support land back efforts as well. So, we are looking forward to our annual virtual/in person Running On Native Lands community gatherings! Learn more at www.risinghearts.org/nativelands.
Right now, we have Scott Flatlip (Apsaalooké (Crow), representing Rising Hearts and GU Energy Labs and the communities he comes from preparing for the 2025 Western States Endurance Run 100 in June 2025! We are so excited to cheer him on and support him. Our 2024 runner, Alex Staten, has her story in post production that we are working hard on! And hoping to get it premiered very soon - details TBD!
We are up to so much! And we hope to apply for more funding and we will keep raising funds as we go to keep us running in all ways. Wopila tanka, many thanks, to all of you for your support, and we look forward to our hearts moving forward together.
- Rising Hearts
BOOK LAUNCH
"Beyond the Game, Athletes Change the World: Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone”
Book launch release 6/3 at 6:30pm in Nashville TN
RSVPto Andrew Maraniss - Beyond the Game - with Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone
Parnassus Books is thrilled to welcome author Andrew Maraniss, author of Beyond the Game: Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone, in conversation with Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone.
This is a free event which will take place IN STORE on Tuesday, June 3rd at 6:30PM (CT). Because space will be limited, registration is required to attend this event. Please register for free by clicking on RSVP above! (Note: If for any reason you need to cancel your registration, please call the store at 615-953-2243 at least 24 hours before the event so your space can be provided to another guest.)
About Beyond the Game: Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone:
The Beyond the Game series features athletes who have stepped up beyond sports to make a difference in the world, from acclaimed author Andrew Maraniss and illustrator DeAndra Hodge.
This is the story of Indigenous professional runner Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone and her social justice work organizing and advocating for Indigenous people.
Before she became a professional runner and a respected community advocate, before she began speaking out for Indigenous causes and peoples, Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone was just a kid.
In this chapter book biography by acclaimed author Andrew Maraniss, readers learn more about the life and work of Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone--from growing up Lakota in South Dakota, to her journey to becoming a Division 1 runner in college and later a professional runner, to her work in Washington DC advocating for Indigenous people and communities. Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone has changed the world beyond sports.
Registration Link https://parnassusbooks.net/event/2025-06-03/andrew-maraniss-beyond-game-jordan-marie-brings-three-white-horses-whetstone
UPCOMING RUNS
ALL Virtual & In-Person Participants can upload times & photos May 2 - May 9
In Person Group Run/Walk:
May 3, 2025 | Salt Lake City, UT | 9-12PM
Justice 5K Run/Walk - In support of MMIR awareness
Join virtual SLC team
Location: Sugarhouse Park : Mt. Olympus Pavilion
Group Leads: Cristina Regalado (Women of the Wasatch) and Ivana Holiday (RH Charity Runner)
May 4, 2025 | Seattle, WA | 9AM
Location: Washington Park Arboretum visitor center on the side of the Parking Lot, 2300 Arboretum Dr E, Seattle, WA 98112
Run Lead: Beca (RH Athlete Advocate)
May 5, 2025 | Arcadia, CA | 6AM
Location: Arcadia County Park (405 S Santa Anita Ave, Arcadia, CA 91006), meet at the peacock statue
Route: a loop around the park (about 3 miles)
Run Lead: Jinghuan Liu Tervalon (RH Athlete Advocate)
REGISTRATION / INCENTIVE PERKS:
+ When you register and join team Rising Hearts, up to 10 of you could win a free Rising Hearts shirt!
+ When you register with an extra donation, up to 15 of you could win a free pair of running shoes!
+ Running For Justice shirts are still available via Rising Hearts - get your red and wear throughout the year! http://www.risinghearts.org/shop-heartwork
Rising Hearts is honored and grateful to bring the community together to honor, uplift, and send prayers for missing and murdered Indigenous relatives, their families, and for the advocates within these spaces - their dedication and their heart work to support the families, communities, the advocacy and finding solutions to end this epidemic.
In 2021, we were able to raise $75,000+! This is all thanks to the many participants that supported this event and campaign for awareness, and our Indigenous communities. We were able to donate over $30k to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, $16k to Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains, as well as nearly a dozen $1500 - $600 donations to multiple MMIR families, advocates, survivors and organizations, doing the heart work to fight for justice and end this violence. In 2022, we were able to donate just over $21k to NIWRC, Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, Sovereign Bodies Institute and more. Let’s do that again this year and reach our big fundraising goal to give back! And in 2023, we raised $18,000 that we were able to give back to the heart work to.
We have many voices doing this heart work to advocate and fight for a better future for our next generations. We continue to educate, advocate, create content, uplift, and build community to work towards that future together. This epidemic of violence has impacted our communities, across colonial borders, and is impacting so many families, whose stolen relatives have been erased, who are invisible (outside of Indigenous communities), families and relatives who experience racism on so many levels, and continue to not get the platform and space to be seen, heard, and fought for. We can change that. Be in community with us! Join us for this run/walk/event and be sure to join us in all the virtual events that are being organized for the week of action that you can participate in and learn from.
We have a big goal – to give back in a big way!
Join us in this virtual run and events to help us raise $20,000 to give back to the communities in this work so that we can end the violence and systemic barriers that are happening and to run for justice and healing.
Run in solidarity! Wear red and uplift this movement and the heart work.
- Join a team or create a team
- Purchase stickers
- Sponsor a relative/donate an entry
- Options to just donate
Let's continue to build community. Let's show up in whatever way we can to amplify and be part of a mobilized movement and call for change. Let's support those in this work and the families. Let's find solutions to ending this epidemic.
“I've been beading for several years now and I usually gift my jewelry to family and friends. However, the recent stories of missing and murdered Indigenous people (and all the stories before) inspired me to find a way to contribute more to the cause. I asked Rising Hearts if I could make something to raffle off to raise more money and awareness during their Running for Justice event and they were fully supportive. I wanted to make something that was specific to the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples cause and I found a beautiful pattern by @beadingmetis. It is my hope not only to raise money for this cause but by someone wearing this beadwork, there will be more awareness and conversations started about this crisis.” - Alexandria Staten (Dine + Mexican)
Earrings + Loomed bracelet
$25 (1 Entry)
$45 (2 Entries)
$65 (3 Entries)
Raffle Details:
Funds support the donations for all Beneficiaries of this event. Winner will be selected on May 14th, and Alex will connect via email to ship this beautiful set to you! ENTER AT REGISTRATION LINK.
We’re back!
Don’t miss this year’s 2nd Annual Trans Pride 5K in Los Angeles - or join virtually from anywhere!
Worried about the relentless assault on the LGBTQ community in America? Our joy is revolutionary, so let’s come together for a day of movement, resource sharing, fundraising, and more! ALL are welcome and wanted!
ALL are welcome and wanted!
☀️ Open to all ages and skill levels
☀️ LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies
☀️ Family-friendly
Not into the fun run part? That’s okay! There will also be a Trans Resource Exchange, Picnic, and Raffle to raise funds for our Finish Line Grant (learn more below)
WHEN: Sunday, July 13th, 2025 ☀️
WHERE: In person - Crystal Springs Picnic Area - Pettigrew Field Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Dr. 🌈
Don’t live in LA? Grab a few friends and register for the virtual run! Head outside and enjoy moving your body for a cause. Take pictures and post and be sure to tag @transpride5K to spread the word.
Finish Line Grant: We are seeking talented artists and athletes who inspire, create, and uplift our community. One individual will receive the Finish Line Grant to assist them in their endeavors directed towards making a lasting impact on our Trans community and beyond. 🌷
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to receive the support and financial aid you've been waiting for to keep on keeping on. 🤩 Applications opening soon so spread the word!
SEE YOU THERE!
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Are you looking for an event in your area that celebrates wellness with your community? Look no further, Wombat invites you to attend this year’s Sacred Gathering - A space for transformation, visibility, and collective celebration-organized by Wombat Mental Health Services and in collaboration with The Queer Mercado. Here we will celebrate the culmination of three capacity-building projects led by Wombat Mental Health Services and supported by the LA County Department of Mental Health’s Al/AN and LGBTQIA2S+ subcommittees.
When? May 17, 2025, 10 AM - 7 PM
Where? East LA Civic Center
Register HERE!
Over the past several months, our Indigenous, Two-Spirit, and LGBTQIA2S+ cohorts have come together to explore mental health, identitv. tradition. and resilience throuah art, storytelling, and collective care.
At Wombat Mental Health Services, we are committed to uplifting underserved
communities. Our mission is to foster healing and awareness through culturally grounded gatherings and holistic wellness practices that honor our identities, our histories, and each other.
Let’s build a future where seeking support is celebrated, where our wellness practices are reflections of who we are, and where every story matters.
be seen. be heard. be here.
RUN REFLECTIONS
Xavier Hendrix | Running With Purpose Athlete Advocate
I'm at a loss for words. It’s an indescribable feeling to accomplish a dream you once thought impossible. Going from struggling mentally, physically, and emotionally in 2020 to running my first world major in London, this moment is an even bigger confirmation that dreams are always possible.
It’s a reminder of where I started and how far I have come. During the last 358 yards of the race, I stopped and tears began falling. I began to reflect and think about all who loved and supported me on this wild journey. Love you guys so much. Thank you so much Action Medical Research term for allowing me to represent you.
I'm thankful to be able to make every stride meaningful and truly count. I am proud knowing I crossed that finish line honoring my dad and honoring the memory of my late sister Allie. I am proud to know my dreams of making a change and the world sweeter with every step is possible.
Cal Calamia | Running With Purpose Athlete Advocate
“HISTORY MADE!
London, you are everything. Your crowds, your sprinklers, your narrow streets, Tower Bridge and Big Ben. I am absolutely ecstatic to be this year’s non-binary champion. 🏆
This is history. I just became the first person to complete a six star journey in the non-binary division, taking first or second in all six races across the globe. This division is my dream. This sport is my heart. More than anything, it is such a tremendous honor to pave the way for not only more non-binary athletes in the division, but for a more loving world. This moment is marked also by my collaborative work with @official_rebrand, upcycling my used shirts to create a kit that is sustainable and inspired by the trans flag. Trans collaboration is revolutionary.
Through the sport’s commitment to inclusion and enthusiastic celebration of trans excellence, we can all learn to liberate ourselves from the confines of the systems that limit us. We can accomplish what we previously believed to be impossible.
I love y’all. Forward together is the only way. ⏩ Xoxo, Cal”
📷: @carterkhowe
FUNDRAISE FOR RISING HEARTS
We had 11 runners in 2024, turning their passion into purpose! We came close to $15,000 for 2024! Here’s a chance to support our heart work through a different means - running! We hope to find 10 runners for 2025!
2025 RACES ARE OPEN!
WANT TO RACE FOR RISING HEARTS OUTSIDE OF THESE WE HAVE SELECTED?
Not seeing a race you want to run in this list? Check out all of the Wander Project events and choose the “Your Choice” option. They will reach out to learn more about your charity of choice and once you let them know that you’ll be running for Rising Hearts, they will make sure your funds come to support our mission!”
Athletes who want to support Rising Hearts for a race that is not listed, can sign up for any of the events on The Wander Project calendar: https://www.wanderproject.org/event-partners/ and pick 'Your Choice' for charity and then fill out the form to indicate they want to support Rising Hearts: (FAQ page here: https://www.wanderproject.org/athletes/frequently-asked-questions/)
Reach out to us via email, info@rising-hearts.org. Share with us your plans, then we’ll set you up with the link!
Want to run for Rising Hearts?
This is more new for us! We have a givelively link specifically for runners/individuals, who want to raise funds for the heart work we do! If it’s not through our partnership with The Wander Project, or our other partners at CIM or Boston, you can run for Rising Hearts at any race you choose and bring more fun and purpose to your why and the run.
We hope to get 30 Rising Hearts runners!
Suggested fundraising limits:
RH Athletes / Community = $500
Open to Community = minimum $800
Perks: RH Singlet, merch, stickers, fuel, and if shoes are needed, we can help you!
PODCASTS
RUNGRL, Dream Bigger. Featuring: Ashlee Lawson Green and Jasmine Nesi
OFF THE STRENGTH, Tony, Troy, Kyle and Corey catch up with Co Founders of RUNGRL Ashlee Lawson Green and Jasmine Nesi and discuss Run Crew Culture, how they put their mark on representation in wellness, the strength of the DC run community, exploring different neighborhoods and cultures through running, the unspoken stigmas they face while running, how men can be better allies, changing generational health by showing that it’s possible, and finally get clearance on the difference between Run Clubs and Run Crews! For more with RUNGRL catch them at: Web https://rungrl.co/ IG https://instagram.com/rungrlco?igshid=12yzo9oc7f9i0 Face book https://m.facebook.com/rungrl.co/ For more with OFF THE STRENGTH, be sure to leave us a review, like, listen and subscribe! Show - @offthestrength_ Tony - @atrainercalledtony Corey -@yourtrainercorey Kyle - @krjones_j Troy - @troy_brooks See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.