At Girls on the Run, one of our six core values is “Embrace our differences and find strength in our connectedness” and we are excited to celebrate that during Black History Month. February has officially been designated as Black History Month by every U.S. president since 1976 to celebrate the achievements of African Americans.
This month, and every month, we are striving to create an environment where every girl, regardless of her background, feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach her limitless potential. GOTR NOVA Coaches Jen and Nicole shared their thoughts and experiences around being African American coaches.
Why do you feel that it is important for coaches to reflect the participants they mentor?
Jen: Not only is it super important for participants to be able to see themselves in roles of leadership and service, but it is good for others to see this because it normalizes relationships amongst humans. Conversations around race are not perfect, but it takes talking about it to normalize it. When we celebrate Black History, we are celebrating a specific type of American History, which many people can comfortably discuss. The more conversations we have with open hearts and good intentions, the more we will normalize it.
Nicole: It’s important for girls to see themselves represented as it helps girls know that they belong. When girls connect with mentors who share their identities, it helps them develop confidence and believe in themselves.
Does our core value "Embrace our differences and find strength in our connectedness" resonate with you?
Nicole: Yes! As individuals, we can always find things we have in common and things that are different in our life stories. Embracing our differences and finding strength in our connectedness helps create an environment where everyone can be their true selves and grow as individuals, but also grow together. This is such an important piece of Girls on the Run and a key lesson that girls take with them beyond the program.
Jen: Definitely! Understanding a human is a process. What we see about someone and what we assume about them is just the tip of the iceberg. Their personality, values, and uniqueness is the large part of the iceberg under the water that we don’t see at first glance. When you invest in recognizing what is under the surface, you will find commonalities. It can include discovering that you like the same movie or that someone has visited a place you would like to visit. These types of pleasant surprises and moments of connectivity happen at Girls on the Run practices between coaches, participants, and practice partners!
Do you have any coaching stories or experiences where participants asked questions about race/ethnicity and/or shared their appreciation for having a coach/mentor who looks similar to them?
Jen: Parents have shared that they are glad their daughters are working with someone whose race is a commonality, but I have had even more parents share that they are happy that their daughter is part of a group that includes her. Race is an initial space of comfort, so when parents see an adult of the same race as their child, they know someone there will see and understand their child. There is also a comfort in knowing that you don’t have to explain the little things
Nicole: A parent of a girl on one of my teams shared how their daughter said that it was special to her to have a Black coach as she hadn’t had one before. Hearing that meant a lot, as I did not have any Black female coaches as a child playing sports. It’s a motivating reminder of the impact of showing up to support the next generation of young people. It just takes 3 hours a week to make a difference in a child’s life as a GOTR coach.
Coach Jen’s team at the spring 2023 5K.
As Black Hisotry Month draws to a close, we will continue our journey beyond this month by holding onto the values of embracing differences and recognizing the richness that each individual brings to our collective tapestry. Let's foster environments where every girl feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach her fullest potential. Together, we can create a world where inclusivity isn't just celebrated in February but is woven into the fabric of every day.
Special thanks to our superstar coaches, Jen and Nicole, for sharing their stories!