KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) – Running clubs are taking Kansas City’s social scene by storm, but one in particular is doing a great job of motivating an entire community to come together in wellness and trust.
Najai Southall, known to most as “Jai,” is the founder of Run it BlaKC, a running club that welcomes “all running speeds and all faces.”
Jai started the club in May. She is an avid runner and in August 2023 she set herself a challenge to run at least a mile every day for a year. About nine months into the challenge, she decided she wanted more people to run and knew she wanted to market her club specifically to the black community for several reasons.
First, she has a degree in exercise science and kinesiology and understands the health issues that disproportionately affect people of color, particularly African Americans.
“The main motivation is honestly not ideal, but people of color tend to have more problems with obesity and high blood pressure,” she said. “Not only do I want to bring something that’s health and fitness related and fits my background, but I also want people to come and do it. I can walk, but a lot of people don’t walk, so we encourage walkers.”
She said what sets Run it BlaKC apart from other clubs she’s seen is that they really have “all sizes, you know, and we have literally all speeds – so literally all speeds.”
At the end of each race, the finishers form a tunnel so that the runners crossing the finish line behind them, whether walkers, joggers or runners, have someone to cheer them on.
“We don’t care how long it takes you to get here, you will have (people who ended up staying) who will make you feel welcome and feel supported in your personal journey,” Jai said.
Her sister Victoria Southall is a member of the team and helps Jai with “anything she needs.” She said the club helps her come out of her shell because it’s easier to meet new people in such an uplifting environment.
“I’ve always been shy and I have a lot of siblings, five sisters, a lot of brothers, and I just feel like I’ve always hidden behind people,” Victoria said. “So now it’s time to meet people, to socialize, so it’s more about building a community and getting to know people. Because yes, we go running and sometimes we go out for brunch together, so I’m building bonds with people and basically opening up.”
The second reason Jai started the club was a matter of security.
Even in the early planning stages, she questioned whether she really wanted to take on the stress and responsibility of keeping her community members safe. She decided to take the initiative because she knew someone had to step in and help provide what the black community was missing.
“I just wanted to market my products to people who look like me because we don’t have that many places to meet and, you know, there’s no crime or violence,” Jai said.
“People come here and say, ‘This is my Tuesday night, I don’t want anything to happen to me, I want to be safe. I want to get my workout done, I want to go home to my kids, my family, XYZ, you know. Same thing on Saturday – we start at eight o’clock, but after that we also go to the Combine and have what’s called a ‘cooldown.’ We eat and mingle, and that goes until about 11 o’clock. So from 8 to 11 they say, ‘I trust you, Jai. I want it to be safe, I want it to be fun, but I still want to start my day with some kind of movement in my body.'”
Jabari Washington owns the Tuf Club fitness and wellness center where Run it BlaKC meets on Tuesdays. He and Jai both made the same joke:
“When you think of a whole group of black people running in the wrong direction, it’s kind of a joke to people, like, ‘Who are they running from?'”
– and said that “Run it BlaKC” is an important step in changing that narrative.
“For whatever reasons, in the African-American community, because of the crime that’s happening here in Kansas City, because of the stereotypes that are going around in Kansas City, there’s a belief that we can’t come together and do something so solid and fundamental that’s built on something positive, but that’s not true,” Jabari said.
He believes Run it BlaKC is just the beginning of a bigger change in Kansas City.
“It’s not just a running club, it’s a movement,” he said. “And everyone, everyone wants to be part of a movement. Everyone wants to have something that they feel like they belong to, that they take ownership of, that they are proud of. That’s Run it BlaKC.”
“It’s a lifestyle change for a whole community of people who are getting a chance to believe in themselves again because someone believed in them when no one gave them a chance. In their minds and hearts, they have a chance to take their health and well-being seriously.”
Mikaela Gibbs is another team member who leads stretching exercises and helps keep energy levels high. She joined the club to break out of the daily routine where you forget to socialize.
“For one thing, I’ve realized that running clubs are the new dating apps,” she laughed. “But there’s also a lot of community here and it’s cool to see black people in the community doing positive things and running together. It lifts the mood on a Tuesday.”
Join the club
Run it BlaKC meets Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Tuf Club Fitness and Wellness Center and Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
“Everyone is welcome,” Jai said. “We really don’t care what you look like. I’ve told a few people, ‘Don’t let the name ‘Running Black’ stop you – anyone can come to this running club.'”
For those who don’t like running or walking but still want to contribute, Run it BlaKC provides free water at each run and hopes to create more community engagement by taking over a classroom. Donations to purchase water, school supplies and more can be sent to the club’s $RunItBlaKC account via Cashapp or Zelle.
The most important thing, Jabari said, is to make sure people know about Run it BlaKC and its mission.
“I think it’s just about getting the word out, promoting and talking about it in the community, getting the word out throughout the community and staying creative as owners and creatives. (Giving) them something to look forward to every Tuesday, every Saturday,” he said.
He described the collaboration with Run it BlaKC as an honor and hopes that other organizations will choose to partner with him.
“I would love for Kansas City to support that and support Run it Black’s activities and offer its Run it Black locations, services and facilities as potential options for this community and this movement.”
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