Making Strides Stefanie Flippin and Carolyn Su

How do you pull a seat up at the Table, when the Table has historically been an unsafe and unwelcome place for you?



Join us in another episode of the #MakingStridesPod, where we dive into the convo on why it’s so critical for companies and organizations to not simply talk about the value of DEIB, but to have Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging “baked in” the entire organizational culture.



We also chat Lunar New Year celebrations, both from our childhood and also how our perspectives have changed as adults.



As always, we would LOVE to hear from YOU: how did you celebrate Lunar New Year, what your experience has been with brands/orgs re: DEIB, and also ways you have been taking steps to challenge the status quo!



If you enjoy our convo, please leave a rating and review, as that helps more people find us!



Special thanks to our Audio Engineer, ⁠Mark Kalagayan⁠, from the non-profit, ⁠SPARC Worldwide⁠.



Thanks for being here. May we work to be the change we want to see!



Show Notes:

1:00 - Stef and Carolyn share about celebrating the Lunar New Year

4:14 - red envelope shenanigans

10:45 - how celebrating the Lunar New Year looks different, as adults

21:00 - Carolyn's experience participating in the 2024 Running USA Conference

33:50 - reminder of how we are not alone in doing the work of DEIB

34:40 - the importance of DEIB being "baked into" an organization's culture and structure

43:30 - Stef and Carolyn's roles in the upcoming, lululemon FURTHER project

“Not everything that counts can be counted.” Carolyn and Stef are back! The first episode of the year includes a lot of reflections on 2023, both personally and professionally, as well as the plan and mindset for moving into 2024.

As always, thanks for being here!

If you enjoy our convos, please like, subscribe, and leave a positive review!



Show Notes:

0:18 - intro and reconnecting after the holidays

3:18 - reflections on the first year of the Making Strides Podcast!

6:05 - Stef’s reflections on social media presence and usage, and how it has been connected with her growth in self-acceptance and advocacy

11:11 - how Stef’s shift towards self-acceptance happened

18:09 - reflections on the pace of Making Strides in 2023, as well as the plan for 2024

21:32- what Stef is looking forward to in 2024, particularly in coaching

25:05 - highlighting endurance athlete, Vriko Kwok

30:08 - what Carolyn is looking forward to in 2024, and shifting her mindset from being an ‘injured runner’ to a ‘healthy athlete’



Special thanks to our new Audio Engineer, Mark Kalagayan, from the non-profit, SPARC Worldwide!



Noted in our convo:

Emily Saul, Sports Psychologist

Rising Hearts, grassroots org working to support and elevate Native communities

Alexandria Staten, Diné-Mexican runner, training for Western States 100 supported by GU Energy Labs, Rising Heart, and Stefanie Flippin

Vriko Kwok, entrepreneur and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu-turned ultrarunner, currently a Global Ambassador for lululemon and training for the lululemon Further project

Carolyn and Stef talk about bearing the impact and invisible load of microaggressions and discrimination, both in running and in life. Is it fair? How to we protect our peace while continuing to show up in the sport? We also discuss the importance of naming the problems we want to change.



Show notes:

6:25 - how raising a teen daughter who is Asian American brings to light the invisible burdens that women of color need to navigate

9:00 - Stef discusses impact of being reprimanded on runs, on multiple occasions

16:30 - Carolyn's encounter with a woman claiming 'all sides matter'

24:00 - how the burden to process situations in real-time and to 'keep it together' falls on POCs

29:20 - discussion on the crowds at UTMB, vs the cheer zone at Mile 21 at the Boston Marathon

33:40 - why should the burden on bridging the divide fall on BIPOC community?

39:00 - impact of not naming the actual issues of racism and the trickle-down problems it reinforces

42:00 - people mixing up Stef and Carolyn

49:00 - the problem of colorblindness and the privilege of uniqueness that whiteness provides

54:20 - wrap up! Carolyn and Stef share things they're grateful for and what they're looking forward to in the coming weeks

“Even the decision to train for a race is a privilege itself.”

Episode 5 of the #MakingStridesPod, ‘Barriers to Entry,’ drops today!

In this episode, Stef and I get into how participating in a trail or ultra race event isn’t as simple as ‘just stepping outside’ (as some claim).



There’s a reason why women only comprise 23% of the trail and ultra scene (and that number drops to 16% at distances over 50 miles), or why fewer than 25% of participants in the outdoors are People of Color (and yes, that number dropped starting in 2020, as racially-charged hate crimes increased, according to the US Dept. of Justice).



In light of heated online discussions of Western States 100, along with the significance of the announcement of lululemon’s Further project, we dedicated this episode to addressing the various barriers that many populations face, when considering whether or not to participate in a trail or ultra event.



While setting aside entries for marginalized groups is a good start, it doesn’t do a person any good to throw them onto a Start Line without factoring in the social and environmental safety of the race event itself, and without giving them the tools, knowledge, and support to succeed.



We hope this convo is insightful and spurs the sport towards change!

You can find us on most podcast platforms now (yay!!), and, if you enjoy our episodes, please leave a rating and review, as it helps keep our show relevant for more listeners!



Thanks for being here. May we work to be the change we want to see.

Carolyn & Stef



Show Notes:

00:01 - chatting summer activities thus far

04:30 - Stef talks about being a part of the lululemon Further project. "The whole goal is to see what's possible when a brand fully goes in on holistically supporting female-identifying athletes," vs the "shrink it and pink it" ideology.

11:20 - discussion on how intensive and comprehensive it is to train for ANY race

13:40 - Carolyn talks about her experience as a Woman of Color (Asian American), being invited to participate in her first, multi-stage race, the TransRockies Run, and how her primary reason for participating was to build representation and to help change norms

23:50 - the privilege behind the belief that "the outdoors is for everyone!"

24:50 - Stef shares insights and reflections on Western States, especially in light of online discussions of who has access to the sport and who does not

34:15 - how preparation for a race event entails more than a comped race entry; what does it mean to prepare athletes with both the knowledge and the skills to perform well and to want to return

39:15 - Carolyn discusses the advantages and privilege she had access to, in order to get support to simply participate at the TransRockies Run



Trail & Ultra Race Orgs actively working to be safe, accessible, and inclusive:

The Active Joe

Yeti Trail Runners

Aravaipa Running

Go Beyond Racing

Rock Steady Running

Mendocino Movement Project (designed by and for adaptive athletes)

Bolton Valley

Trail Sisters

Dirtbags Run

“Until the aftermath of 2020, I felt a sense of embarrassment, sharing some of the [racist] experiences that I’ve had, and I think it stems from the fact that I didn’t want my close friends — who are white — to feel uncomfortable, or like I was pointing fingers.” - @stefanieannflippin



In our fourth episode, ‘De-Centering White Comfort,’ Stef and I (Carolyn) reflect on the events surrounding the Boston Marathon weekend, including the over-policing of the only Black-and-Brown cheer zone at the marathon and its aftermath. We also talk about the ways we are both un-learning the default habit of staying quiet or of modifying our behavior in order to keep from making our white peers feel uncomfortable, as well as the feelings of shame that come when we fail at ‘preserving peace.’



AND!! If you haven’t already heard, #MakingStridesPod is now available on Apple, Spotify, and Overcast! Hope that makes our conversations more accessible to everyone!



If you listen to this episode and can relate, or if you learned something new, or if you have any thoughts you’d like to share (any at all!), we would love to hear from you! Of course, subscribing and leaving a rating and review would also be greatly appreciated, as it helps others find our pod too!



Thanks for being here, and thanks for being YOU.



#togetherforward,

Carolyn & Stef



Show Notes:

01:55 - recap of events surrounding the Boston Marathon and our Live Show

03:15 - unpacking the recent convo with the AAPI Undoing Racism Collective, regarding how Asian Americans cater to white comfort

7:40 - Stef sharing her perspective as a biracial woman

10:05 - the significance of the live show as a personal point of healing and of letting go of shame

12:30 - recognizing white comfort

14:10 - Carolyn sharing the freedom that comes from proudly embracing the ways her culture and ethnic background have shaped her experiences

16:20 - how this student-founded course at UC Berkeley is an example for us in allyship and in making change

20:25 - the problem of racially-targeted policing at the Boston Marathon

35:50 - the significance of being a spectator who is also a Person of Color, at the Boston Marathon

“When we don’t behave how we are expected to, based on stereotypes, it’s jarring for people!” - @irunfortheglory

“I definitely did not see many athletes that looked like me, so that’s been on the forefront of my mind now in my own professional running career.” - @stefanieannflippin



This was an incredibly meaningful and candid conversation between Mirna Valerio, Stefanie Flippin, and Carolyn Su. We covered topics ranging from our own, personal journeys in the sport; to how we push back against the negative stereotypes and status quo of who belongs in the outdoors; to what motivates us to keep showing up!  Thank you to everyone who chose to come to our first, live recording in the midst of a very packed marathon weekend! Your presence meant the WORLD, and the Q&As could’ve easily made for a whole other episode — y’all kept us on our toes!



And of course, a BIG, BIG THANK YOU to the entire lululemon team, particularly the Boston team, for not only making this show happen, but for how you make each of us feel fully seen, valued, and empowered to strive after our goals and to not be deterred by those who don’t yet understand. We hope this episode does the same for everyone who listens!



Please leave a rating and review, and let us know your thoughts! We’d love to hear from you. May we continue to listen, learn, and work together in making strides towards a more equitable and inclusive sport!



“The more we continue to show up in these outdoor spaces, the more we are disrupting the narratives and common perceptions that people have about who we are, who we are ‘supposed’ to be, and what we can or cannot do.” - @themirnavator



Show Breakdown:

06:15 - Stef's time running in 26.True Marathon

07:30 - Mirna's time at Culture Shifters for People of Color in snowsports. "It's often my experience that when POCs are doing things outdoors, it's met with the response, 'I didn't know Black people did that!'

10:50 - Mirna's background and the role of movement in the outdoors in shaping her life

14:50 - Stef's background and the role of sports in her life

16:35 - Carolyn's background and the impact of representation in her running journey

19:40 - Carolyn's first marathon experience

26:00 - Mirna, on the familial and cultural expectations of women, surrounding a family Thanksgiving

30:15 - Carolyn's experience at the Boston Marathon expo

37:00 - Mirna's experiences at races and expos

39:00 - when Mirna had the police called on her during a run

45:00 - when Stef was policed while on a run in her own neighborhood

50:00 - Q: how does Mirna cultivate the ability to respond to policing in ways that are productive for herself while not taking on the burden of educating others?

55:20 - Stef discusses learning how to practice assertiveness and pushing back against racial stereotypes

1:00:15 - Mirna discusses the origins of 'Karens'

1:06:00 - start of Q&A