Advocating For All Mothers: Olympic Medalist Alysia Montaño

Alison and Alysia get deep, and they also share some laughs, covering a range of topics. Alysia brings her vast experience as a world-class athlete and a ground-breaking advocate for mothers and women, especially women of color. She has experienced racism and misogyny, and cheating in competition. Throughout, Alysia has followed her heart and held firm to remaining vocal and taking brave steps toward advocating for herself, which has changed the game for everyone—both inside sport and far beyond. Famously, Alysia ran the 800-meter event at the 2014 national championships when she was 8 months pregnant. Then in 2019, in the New York Times OpEd piece "Nike Told Me to Dream Crazy, Until I Wanted a Baby," Alysia exposed the default punitive practices against women who wanted to have children during their professional athletic careers. This resonated beyond track and field, and beyond sport. It changed the way contracts for child-bearing people are now written. Alysia and Alison also discuss how Alysia has persisted in pursuing doping cases that impact her professional athletic legacy. Alysia has retroactively been awarded an Olympic bronze medal from the 2012 London Games, and two bronze world championship medals, from 2010 and 2013. She discusses receiving her world championship medals in a lackluster setting and how that won't be the case when she finally receives her Olympic medal—that will happen at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Alison brings her vast experience as an equity advocate and public speaker, and as an athlete and friend to this inspirational, insightful conversation. There's so much wisdom and empowerment dropped here. EARTHMOVERS on Instagram: @earthmoverspodcastOur Season 1 Presenting Sponsor Thank you to our presenting sponsor ALTRA. Find them at https://www.altrarunning.com/ From this EpisodeAlysia Montaño on Instagram: @alysiamontanoFor All Mothers (FAM+) on Instagram: @forallmothersorgWomen of Color Take the Lead Retreat on Instagram: @woctakethelead"Nike Told Me to Dream Crazy, Until I Wanted a Baby": nytimes.com/2019/05/12/opinion/nike-maternity-leaveICARUS documentary, on Netflix: netflix.com/title/80168079EARTHMOVERS HostsVerna NezBegay Volker: Runner, mother, community builder, public speaker, and racial equity activist from the Navajo Nation, Volker is the founder of Native Women Run, an organization that began as a virtual community and is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. @hozhorunner4Alison Mariella Désir: Runner, mountain climber, mother, community builder, and racial equity activist, Désir is the author of the groundbreaking book Running While Black and the host of the award winning PBS TV show Out and Back with Alison Mariella Désir. @alisonmdesirStefanie Flippin: Professional ultra trail runner, running coach, podcaster, writer, racial equity activist, and a foot and ankle surgeon, Flippin is the 2021 USATF 100-mile road champion and course record holder, and she’s the 6th fastest all-time American woman at the 100-mile distance. @stefanieannflippin