Running Strong
Working for a more inclusive tomorrow is nothing new to Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel. But the past year has given her even greater purpose.
Why purpose is a personal matter for Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel.
SINCE ORGANIZING HER FIRST ADVOCACY EVENT IN 2016 — A 2,000-MILE RUN TO OPPOSE THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE — JORDAN MARIE BRINGS THREE WHITE HORSES DANIEL HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO DRAWING ATTENTION TO UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, BOTH THROUGH SPORT AND HER RISING HEARTS GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION. THAT MISSION GAINED HER NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION IN 2019, WHEN SHE COMPETED IN THE BOSTON MARATHON WITH A RED HANDPRINT PAINTED OVER HER MOUTH AND SAID PRAYERS AT EACH MILE FOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN.
Although the coronavirus shut down races in 2020 and early this year, it has not slowed Daniel’s activism efforts.
Last year, when the injustices among Black men and women rose to the forefront, Daniel offered her support, running 2.23 miles in February in memory of Ahmaud Arbery, as part of #FinishTheRun. And last year she added the names of Nina Pop, Tony McDade and Breonna Taylor to her prayer list during runs.
“With the deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, it’s been a very big reminder to me that I have so much more to learn and I need to do my part — not just for my own community, but I need to be there for others,” said the athlete-activist. “For us to fight for transformational change, we need to understand each other, we need to hear each other’s experiences to truly understand what is happening, to understand these systems that have caused harm for our communities and how we can collectively come together to fight back.” Bringing Athletes Together
Through her Rising Hearts grassroots organization, Daniel put into motion multiple initiatives in late 2020 and early this year to further her goal. Most recently, the professional runner — who also works full-time as the outreach and project manager at UCLA — launched Running with Purpose, a collective that will use running as a platform for social action.
“I know I’m not the only runner who has intersected their love of running and advocacy. Especially since my prayer run, I have met and have come across many strong advocates within their sport, not even just in running,” Daniel said.
Running with Purpose will start with 25 people, who will be selected through an application process, now open through the end of March. (An announcement of the selected runners is expected in mid-April.) After the group has been finalized, it will organize virtual runs that support each athlete’s cause, with aid from corporate backers including EliteFeats, Rabbit and more.
Daniel said she has received more than 65 applications so far and that they have been nothing short of inspiring.
“All of them have resonated with me so much,” said the 33-year-old. “Even those who are coming from a space of never doing this before and want to take action, want to contribute, want to be an ally. A lot of them sound consistent in the message of: This is for the next generation, this is for my children, this is an issue near and dear to me. Some want to raise funds for cancer research because of a loved one. Those are the things I want to learn more about. I want us to learn about each other and to support each other.”
To accomplish her advocacy mission, Daniel has garnered support from her brand sponsors, which include Rabbit and Ultimate Direction, as well as Altra, which she signed with in September 2020. “I see these sponsorships as not just for me. It’s a privilege that I have, but it’s a resource that I want to share with everybody, and my community, specifically,” she said.
Though her relationship with Altra is still new,