Jay Ell Alexander is a runner and the CEO of one of the largest running groups in the United States: Black Girls Run, aka BGR, with 258,000 members. Alexander has been leading BGR for six years now, after working as marketing and PR lead for the previous six years. And she has a very clear understanding of the women she is inspiring and motivating because she is her own target audience. The goal of BGR is to "encourage and motivate Black women to practice a healthy lifestyle." Statistically, African-American women have the highest rates of being overweight, and along side that disproportionately experience health issues associated with a poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle. Alexander herself came to running as a response to her own health issues, which she began to experience in her 20s. She's knows first hand the transformative power of running and how it can help people participate in their own wellness. Along the way, she also discovered what a terrifically unique group of people runners are. This is Jay Ell Alexander's running story, from why she first started lacing up, through to becoming a leader in the running community and navigating motherhood, twice, as a CEO and runner, to what goals she's got for herself today, as she continues to lead a movement that is shifting the wellness stats for African-American runners throughout the country. Keep Up with Jay Ell Alexander Instagram: @jayellalexander Mentioned in this episode Black Girls Run website: blackgirlsrun.com Black Girls Run Instagram: @officialblackgirlsrun WRS episode featuring Tiffany Chenault: https://womensrunningstories.com/podcast/women-running-stories Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Twitter: @WomenRunStories Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/