{"id":5062879,"date":"2025-11-20T07:43:21","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T15:43:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walatinonews.com\/?p=5062879"},"modified":"2025-11-20T07:43:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T15:43:21","slug":"how-all-strides-latines-is-building-community-for-latine-runners-in-seattle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/2025\/11\/20\/how-all-strides-latines-is-building-community-for-latine-runners-in-seattle\/","title":{"rendered":"How All Strides Latines is building community for Latine runners in Seattle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Caring for one’s body may start with movement, but All Strides Latines is showing how important social connection is in the process, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bringing cultural understanding into a fitness space is not only good for individual feelings of belonging. According to the run clubs\u2019 members, it also expands community with inclusive, engaging ways to participate in group exercise, fostering Latine culture in Seattle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All Strides Latines was founded by Alexis Rodriguez in January. New to both running and Seattle, Rodriguez created a space for herself and others after posting a TikTok captioned \u201cWhere are all the other latinas that like to run?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The post blew up and suddenly the All Strides Latines running club was born, but it would become so much more than a run group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was feeling a little bit out of place. Being from LA, I never felt out of place\u201d said Rodriguez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reminiscing on how she felt in Los Angeles, Rodriguez said, “There’s something about going to the store and speaking Spanish with the cashier, or just knowing that they understand your identity. Nothing needs to be said, nothing needs to be pointed out, they just know.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been upset that I don\u2019t have friends and community here and now here is the internet being so open, I feel like I had to do something with it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rodriguez wanted a place to socialize with and encourage the Latine running community. All Strides Latines is an intentional space, one meant for all women, queer and femme presenting folks in the Latine community to feel comfortable growing together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said she had been to two other run clubs, and that\u2019s what motivated her to create a new one. \u201cI remember attending those run clubs and feeling out of place,\u201d said Rodriguez. \u201cAll of these people are seasoned runners, they’re all white, I don’t belong here. So I never went back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Runners at an ASL event on Oct. 30–Espooky Run–seemed to agree with her sentiment. As they assembled gift bags before the event they chatted about what the club has given them and what it can do for other latines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are very few wellness spaces for Latinos,\u201d said Jackie Estrada, originally from the Yakima Valley. Another participant, Deborah Solis, noted that although there are pockets of Latine community in Seattle it\u2019s challenging to find spaces for fitness rather than those centered around drinking or going out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlthough that can be a fun time,\u201d Sofia Larrondo agreed,\u201dit’s nice to have an intentional group like All Strides Latines since so many running groups are intimidating and primarily white.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the group, including Kathy Matinez, Abi Serna, Maria Cid, and Sofia Larrondo, prepped, their connection was apparent within a space filled with joy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was never a runner,\u201d Kathy Martinez, \u201cbut now it\u2019s fun.\u201d Martinez is originally from Los Angeles, and similar to Rodriguez, she said sharing the club’s story and individual stories is important for motivation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The whole group emphasized how beneficial it is to have people behind you cheering you on, especially as runners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
All Strides Latines has taken something that seems pretty scary to some–running for fun and with a bunch of new people–and morphed it into a celebration. Previous events have included networking and collaboration opportunities, such as a boxing event with Corporate Pero Latinos, and social outings like Comadres y Calabazas, held at Stocker Farms pumpkin patch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
People come to strengthen themselves and the Latine community in Seattle. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAll hands were on deck, getting ready for the event the group was excited to share their stories. Talking and laughing with one another the care and time they have put into the club shows.\u00a0(Photo by Ada Capecchi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Costume-Picture-1024x1001.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Capecchi_photo-683x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"