The Movement
275 MILES
10 RUNNERS
5 STATES.
In December of 2025, 10 everyday runners took on a 275-mile ultra relay from NYC to D.C. to mobilize the public and fight for civil liberties while opposing the current authoritarian administration.
The Anti-Authoritarian
Ultra-Marathon
This multi-state, cross country, mobile demonstration is an example of the power of community and the strength we have when we move together.
The Journey
USS Main Monument, Columbus Circle, Manhattan, NYC
December 18th, 5:45 AM
The Movement launched from Central Park at 6:00 AM. Each team member present for the inaugural footsteps of the moving protest represented causes bigger than themselves. All 10 runners started the journey with a 10 mile run through Manhattan to Brooklyn followed by a police escort of unknown agenda. They then touched ground at their first checkpoint of the 275 mile trip to DC in Prospect Park.
Checkpoint 1: Prospect Park Send-Off (Mile 10)
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NYC
December 18th, 7:45 AM
The first checkpoint on the route to DC was held in Prospect Park in partnership with NYC DSA. The team heard from speakers on the NYC DSA Ecosocialist working group, Conrad Blackburn and the leads of DSA Running Club. The Ecosocialist working group voiced important concerns about energy security, the fossil fuel industry and monopolistic corporations but offered hope by explaining their work in fighting for public renewables and decarbonizing our energy systems. Conrad Blackburn talked about the politics of the people, such as his campaign in the run for Harlem Assembly and the need for action against authoritarianism. The team then ran through Prospect Park before venturing out of NYC on the road to DC.
Partners: NYC DSA, NYC DSA Ecosocialists, DSA Running Club, Conrad Blackburn
Nassau Presbyterian Church, Princeton
December 18th, 7:00 PM
After a full day of running, the team arrived at checkpoint 2 in Princeton, where the incredible Climate Revolution Action Network joined for a 1 mile arrival jog from St. Paul Roman Catholic Church to the Nassau Presbyterian Church. At Nassau Presbyterian Church, the team participated in a public forum hosted by Climate Revolution around their 'Make Polluters Pay' campaign and the fight to pass NJ’s own Climate Superfund Act. We highlighted the work of NYC climate activists, such as MIchael Magazine, who journeyed to Princeton with us to speak about the importance of a Climate Superfund Act and important steps to take after it is passed to ensure its success. We then ventured out into the uncertainty of the night to our next checkpoint in Pennsylvania.
Partners: Climate Revolution Action Network, Nassau Presbyterian Church
Liberty Bell, Philadelphia
December 19th, 7:15 AM
Our third checkpoint was the City of Brotherly Love. In partnership with Joe Blanchet, we attempted to host a group run from the Liberty Bell to the Rocky Steps with a mutual aid drive for clothing and non-perishable foods at the meet up. Unfortunately, we were rained out and had to cancel the group run. A few people still showed up with mutual aid to be delivered to underserved communities in Wilmington, Delaware, and the moment sparked meaningful dialogue about collective action and how to fight against authoritarianism.
Partners: Joe Blanchet
Friendship House, Wilmington
December 19th, 3:00 PM
The team then transported the mutual aid collected in Philly to our fourth checkpoint in Wilmington, Friendship House. Friendship House is a social services organization that offers supporting services, training, clothing and food to the Wilmington Community. We had the chance to drop off some clothing and food and learn more about the incredible work Friendship House does during a tour of the facilities. The team then gathered and set out for the second night of running on the route to DC.
Partners: Friendship House Wilmington
Checkpoint 5: Baltimore Rally (Mile 210)
Baltimore City Hall, Baltimore
December 20th, 12:00 PM
Our 5th and final checkpoint before DC was Baltimore. We partnered with Sunrise Movement Baltimore to put on a rally against the energy monopoly, Baltimore Gas and Electric. From Sunrise Movement Baltimore: “We demand the reliable, affordable, clean power we deserve!” Our goal was to make sure BGE knows that the people of Baltimore and beyond will fight against the exploitation of Baltimore's working class families. The event perfectly encapsulated the harms of placing corporate interest ahead of the needs of the people, as we see all too often with the current presidential administration. After the rally, the team took on the final leg of the journey to DC.
Partners: Sunrise Movement Baltimore
The Capitol Building, Washington DC
December 21th, 10:00 AM
The team ran directly into the belly of the beast for the finish line of the 275 mile journey. Accompanied by runners from DC and organizations like 50501 and Flare, we held a 5k around the Capitol building. Culminating in a group gathering, final thoughts on the project were shared before the long journey officially wrapped.
Partners: 50501, Flare DC
The Issues We Champion
CLIMATE JUSTICE
RACIAL JUSTICE
HUMAN + CIVIL RIGHTS
LGBTQ+ RIGHTS
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
PRISON REFORM
Meet The Movement Runners
Natalia Chieko AraiImmigration Rights & Mental Health
I’m Natalia Chieko Arai, born and raised in the South Bronx. This Thanksgiving weekend—a time when we celebrate family while ignoring that the first Thanksgiving marked the beginning of Indigenous genocide—I joined a community run in Brooklyn supporting food pantries that have kept neighbors fed through harsh SNAP cuts. After the run, I learned ICE was planning another raid in Chinatown. I couldn’t just go home and warm up leftovers. That day, 18 of us were arrested for protesting the terrorizing of our community.Chinatown is all of us—Asian American, Black, Latino, and everyone in between. And on that day, we protected our people. Zero raids took place. Strangers moved together with one heart to stop injustice and shout for the voiceless. We were beaten, body-slammed, bloodied.In an ice-cold cell, all I could think about were families rippedfrom their homes, taken at work or school, thrown into cages with no hope of due process. I thought of my father—one of 120,000 Japanese Americans labeled “enemy aliens,” American citizens dragged from their homes into horse stalls and then to desert detention centers. He endured blistering heat, freezing nights, and a lifetime of damage after having his tonsils ripped out, his healing delayed by relentless sandstorms. I thought of my mother, who as a young girl fled El Salvador’s government-led state violence and death squads that stole people from their beds at night—many never returned.I grew up with a hunger for justice and a clear understanding of the intersectionality of systemic oppression. I learned about the mutual aid groups that fed and protected our communities when the government looked away. I learned the power of cross-cultural solidarity. Movements are born from resistance. And for me, as a martial artist and a runner, movement is a vehicle for empowerment—rejecting the idea that these spaces are not meant for us.
After the murder of George Floyd, during the height of BLM and anti-Asian violence, I saw running and biking protests turn ordinary people into a unified force. Shoulder to shoulder, we moved as an act of resistance—refusing to be silenced or erased. We biked through every borough to show that even when our government’s moral compass fails, we still have a duty to stand up. Ahmaud Arbery’s murder—killed while running, killed for being Black—was another reminder that simply moving through this world can be an act of defiance.Running has transformed me. I’m slower than average and don’t fit the stereotypical runner mold, but as an ASICS Sound Mind, Sound Body ambassador, I’ve shown up across NYC to inspire new runners and uplift community. Representation matters. Community matters.The parallels between Japanese American camps and ICE detention centers are impossible to ignore. This is history repeating itself.
JackPrison Reform & Carceral Justice
My name’s Jack and I’m an educator based in the northeast. The area I live in is prisonlandia, remote—both physically and psychologically—from urban centers and free society. Much of my teaching is done at a maximum-security facility; the type of place that was designed to break the people who live there. They are warehoused in some of the grimmest conditions the carceral system has to offer. Many of them have been sentenced to “life”—or as we sometimes call it “death by incarceration.” And so, their lives are themselves acts of resistance. Part of this resistance is their commitment to education. But it’s much more than that. In a place that defines them by the worst act they’ve ever committed (or didn’t), they show each other humanity and care. This comes in the forms of offering home-cooked meals, spiritual mentorship, hospice care, sharing books. Prisons are also ecological disaster zones, and therefore the residents’ health is continually under threat from a cornucopia of malevolent factors. As part of a larger habit of resistance, some of the prison’s residents have formed a run club, clocking up to 70 miles a week around the track during yard time—a track that’s just a tiny 105-meter oval. Although I’m old and decrepit, I’ll be running what miles I can to honor them, in the hope that one day we can run together in freedom.
Jillian Calero
Reproductive Rights & Health Education
Hey there! My name is Jillian Calero, I’m an OBGYN physician assistant in NYC and I love to run. It actually wasn’t until 1972 that women were allowed to run a marathon, because race coordinators believed it was unsafe for people who had a uterus- so now I’m exercising my ability to run long distances to run to DC.I’m running for women’s rights and our reproductive rights. Since the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, states have been making it increasingly more difficult for women to get access to reproductive care. Yes, getting access to a surgical and medical abortion in states like Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, West Virginia is illegal- but now medical schools in those areas aren’t even allowed to teach about the medications involved in these procedures. This gap in medical education is leaving female patients vulnerable to more than just inability to obtain an abortion- these medications also prevent and treat postpartum hemorrhage, and even assist with induction of labor.Funding for Planned Parenthood has taken a hit, which not only provides prenatal care, but also preventive screening for cervical cancer and other life threatening diseases that are unique to women. This administration, or any administration, should have no say in women’s reproductive freedom, which is why I’m joining the project.
Kenny MollClimate Justice & Environmental Health
I’m Kenny Moll and I’m a marathon runner, student and environmental activist. At five months old I was diagnosed with Wilms tumor; a form of cancer that led to the removal of my left kidney. This type of cancer is linked to prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants, such as the harmful chemicals released in the burning of coal, gas and oil or those often found in pesticides and insecticides. Not only was I lucky enough to survive cancer, but my family was able to financially endure the overwhelming cost of treatment. Many families do not have that privilege as a result of our broken healthcare system and the design of where these environmental pollutants are concentrated. With the acceleration of climate change, due to our addiction to fossil fuels, and the increase of environmental pollutants caused by big oil corporations, cancer is on the rise. The effects of the current climate catastrophe have materialized in me since birth. Growing up with one kidney kept me conscious about my body, and learning about the environmental impacts of cancer on children all over the globe gave me even more reason to fight for climate justice. Running became an outlet for me as my parents introduced it to my siblings and I as a way to connect with others, appreciate the outdoors and practice gratitude for the world around us. The ability to get outdoors and run however, is a privilege which makes this sport inherently political. We require clean air, clean water and rely deeply on food systems propped up by unconscionable labor and environmental practices to run.The innate connection between activity and environment inspired me to combine my love of running and my advocacy for climate justice. For the past 3 years I’ve organized the climate justice endurance event, A Week for the World (https://aweekfortheworld.com/), where I, along with other climate and social advocates, attempt to run 7 marathons in 7 days and encourage our community to get involved with direct action. By far the most pivotal and exciting part of the project is highlighting local activists and seeing their impact on the community we continue to build together. One thing that becomes obvious the more you learn about environmental injustice is the connection climate change has to every oppression worldwide. The institutions that uphold systematized racism are the same ones promoting and financing fossil fuel projects; the corporations that pollute waterways are the same ones spearheading campaigns of bigotry and hate. This system runs on inequality, exploitation and injustice, and we are seeing it manifest in real time with the current administration. Whether it be protesting pipeline projects, ICE kidnappings or the genocide in Gaza, this administration has targeted and criminalized legal, political dissent. That’s why I’ve worked with my teammates to organize this demonstration. We’re running to DC, the center of it all, fighting for our civil liberties and standing up for our community members. It’s up to us to stand up for others the best way we know how; by creating and caring for our community through the beautiful sport of running.
Joe BlanchetSocial & Racial Justice / Equity in Fitness
I’m Joe Blanchet, a content creator and hybrid athlete using running as a form of resistance. My work challenges mainstream ideas of fitness and masculinity while exposing how politics, power, and privilege shape who gets access to health and movement. I also work full time in the fitness wearables tech industry.As a biracial son of an immigrant, I’ve come to understand that America was not built for people like me, despite being built by people like me. Through my work and this project, I’m running to promote social and racial justice and to make health and fitness accessible and equitable for everyone.I believe in people over profit and communities over corporations. No system or administration should have the ability to deny anyone their basic human rights, regardless of who they are, where they from, or what they believe.Joining The Movement was not a choice—it was a responsibility.I have a platform and I have the ability to run, and I intend to put both to use. I’m running to confront the systems that divide and oppress us, to amplify the voices too often ignored, and to prove that running is not just physical—it’s political.
Michael-Luca NattClimate Action & Civil Liberties
My name is Michael-Luca and I am a mixed race New Yorker from upper Manhattan. My story is quite literally the epitomization of the diversity that makes America great. My mom came to NYC at 19 years old from a professional dancer and my father’s family is Jewish and fled from Poland due to the rise of antisemitism and looming fascism. I went to the public Binghamton University, where I got degrees in Environmental Studies and Sustainable Communities, tying together my desire to address Climate Change and how to effectively plan communities. I discovered running initially as a way to build up my endurance for long distance hiking to further, faster. Since then, I’ve done the Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim, ran a marathon PR of 2:50, and ultramarathons. I also began organizing in the NYC Chapter of the Sunrise Movement. I started running marathons and eventually my passion for effecting change and advocacy blended with running as my form of expression against injustice. Running puts me within my environment and to leverage my privilege to do so is an act of resistance against a system of injustice. I run for climate action, civil liberties, human rights, and the realization of my own potential.
Matt BourlandHumanism & Collective Environmental Action
Hi all, I’m Matt Bourland, a runner, writer, and humanist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Growing up in the Midwest, the cycles of outside investment, the greenwashing of industries, and the environmental consequences of industrial manufacturing shaped the world around me. I see climate change, the destruction of land, the forced removal of Native peoples, genocide, surveillance capitalism, and authoritarianism as issues that touch everyone.A great privilege and joy of my life has been traveling and meeting people whose lived experiences are different from mine. I have connected with refugees, worked in agriculture, and observed a kind of universal humanity that gives me faith in others. Regardless of the conditions one is born into, everyone deserves access to nutritious food, clean water, education, healthcare, affordable housing, and green space.In this moment, collective action and grassroots organizing are essential to ensure the rights and safety of our neighbors. A better world is possible: one of abundance, access, and the preservation of beautiful landscapes and traditions. I grew up in Neenah, Wisconsin, a town built on Ho-Chunk land. The name “Neenah” itself means running water. I’m running with The Movement to demonstrate that authoritarianism and its ripple effects are visible everywhere and that everyone has a role in protecting other people and the land that gives us life.
Mary Grace Nimmer
Healthcare as a Human Right / Policy Reform
Hi! I’m Mary Grace Nimmer, a student in health policy and a firm believer that healthcare is a human right. My work focuses on how policy shapes people’s ability to live healthy, dignified, and free lives.Right now, we’re facing serious threats to health justice. Deep cuts to Medicaid, new restrictions on Medicare, and skyrocketing marketplace premiums are stripping millions of people of coverage. At the same time, funding for nutrition programs like SNAP has been slashed, pulling away the supports that keep people healthy and fed. These aren’t just policy shifts, they’re choices that take doctors, medications, and financial stability away from real people.These choices reflect a broader authoritarian pattern: consolidating power, restricting information, and dismantling the social programs that keep people free and healthy. When leaders make healthcare unaffordable and gut safety nets, they’re not balancing budgets. They’re taking away people’s freedom to move, live, and thrive.Running, to me, is freedom. It is freedom of body, mind, time, and movement, and that freedom is shaped by policy. Access to affordable healthcare, safe outdoor spaces, and economic stability are all political conditions. When those in power push people into poverty, take away their healthcare, or criminalize their identities, they’re also taking away their freedom to move through the world.Health is political, but it shouldn’t be partisan. And standing up for one another isn’t radical. It’s the minimum. That’s why I’m running with The Movement: because healthcare is a human right, and I’m running to fight for it.
Charlie MollImmigration & Freedom of Movement
My name is Charlie Moll and I’m a recent graduate of Loyola Marymount University with a degree in sociology, where I focused on power inequality and the consequences of policy in daily life. Living in Los Angeles has made those lessons impossible to ignore. I’ve witnessed firsthand how immigration enforcement and racial profiling shape who gets to feel safe in public spaces. Under the Trump administration, immigration policies have become increasingly severe, expanding the reach of ICE and blurring the line between civil immigration law and criminal law which is known as “crimmigration.” This paints immigrants as inherently criminal, even when they are law abiding residents or even U.S. citizens, and it allows tactics like inducing fear, racial profiling, and mass detention. These policies don’t just punish undocumented people, they ripple outward targeting entire communities of color and making everyday activities dangerous.Running, and other forms of movement, have always been extremely important for my mental and physical health. I have always viewed it as a human right, but today the current administration has made it a privilege. For many immigrants and people of color, running outside comes with the risk of being stopped, questioned, or even targeted because of how they look. When the state criminalizes identity, even something like running becomes political.I’m running to expose how systems of immigration enforcement restrict freedom of movement and to challenge the idea that health and safety are equally accessible to everyone. Running is an act of resistance and solidarity. It is a way to make visible the fear imposed on marginalized communities and to push back against the systems that rely on that fear to maintain control.I’m running with The Movement because freedom of movement is a human right, and no one should have to fear exercising their body, their voice, or their existence.
NatalieImmigration Rights & Mental Health
My name is Natalie. I am a Psychotherapist servicing individuals of all backgrounds. I’ve provided services to minors in the correctional justice system and worked with their families after their release. I also work with monolingual Spanish speakers seeking mental health care. Currently, I work with adults with an array of mental health difficulties. However, I place a special focus on individuals that struggle with acculturative stress due to being first or second generation immigrants as well as the generational trauma is inherited through living and existing in a country that historically rejects immigrants. I am also an immigrant. I immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 5. My parents worked hard and diligently to obtain the same education for their kids they could only dream of. In my early life, I became well accustomed to learning how to keep our personal details to ourselves and learning the meaning of protecting your family by means of not disclosing your legal status, thereby living in the shadows in order to survive. This has taught my community how to exist with resilience and therefore work diligently behind the curtains of society. What we have been witnessing most recently with the current administration sanctioning and inciting violence and kidnappings targeting non-criminals, working people is atrocious and something we should be ashamed of. I don’t have a lot of power in this fight, therefore I will use my physical abilities to make noise. I’m running against this administration and ICE, who impose inhumane and unfair treatment. This run is extremely personal. I am running for our hard working immigrants working behind the scenes while they have no choice but to put their head down and continue working to support their families. I’ve realized being able to run is a privilege and what better way to use my privilege than to fight for my people and my family and hopefully shine a light on the impact this has on the micro level.
We want GECo to provide everyday people the ability to take action.
We believe we can positively impact the world by building a collective of movers united in protecting the planet and acting in solidarity with people affected by injustice.
We want everyone to have the ability to move freely outdoors.
We believe nobody should fear for their life when moving outside because of war, pollution, hate, or inaccessibility. We believe everyone can have a dignified life and access to the outdoors with the resources currently available.
We want clean water, food, air, and cities for all people.
We believe clean water, food, and air are human rights that can be delivered to people around the globe with the resources available today.
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