Episode 5 - Verna Volker (Diné), Founder of Native Women Running

Grounded with Dinée Dorame

"I want Native women to be seen in a positive way... to show that we're visible in the running community, but also to provide a space for Native runners because I felt like that space wasn't there. I wanted to build that for these women.”

Verna Volker (Diné) is a Hoka One One Global Ambassador and the founder of Native Women Running. With over 17k followers on Instagram, Native Women Running provides “visibility, inspiration, and community to Native women runners on and off the reservation.” Verna focuses her efforts on giving Native runners a platform in a predominantly white industry and media space. In this conversation, we discuss the ways Verna has found community while living away from her homelands, how she has continued to navigate motherhood, and what inspired her to start Native Women Running.

This week, I would love for listeners to join me in supporting two Indigenous-led organizations, Pueblo Action Alliance (@puebloactionalliance) and Seeding Sovereignty (@seedingsovereignty) in their mutual aid efforts. They are currently running the Indigenous Impact Community Care Initiative, which focuses on protecting and caring for our unsheltered Indigenous relatives here in New Mexico. This initiative is on-going, and they are asking for donations by mail or you can donate funds directly to the organizations below.

Donate to:

Pueblo Action Alliance

Seeding Sovereignty

Mail donations to:

P.O. Box 40212, Albuquerque, NM 87196

In this Episode:

• Native Women Running
• Yazzie the Chef
• New Native Theater – St. Paul, MN
• Wings of America
• Deadly Runners - Australia
• High Lonesome 100 Race - Colorado

Follow Verna Volker:

• Instagram: @hozhorunner4
• Twitter: @Mom74Run

Follow Native Women Running:

• Instagram: @native_women_running
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nativewomenrunning/
• Website: https://www.nativewomenrunning.com/

Follow Grounded Pod:

• Instagram: @groundedpod
• Twitter: @groundedpod
• Facebook: facebook.com/groundedpodwithdinee

Subscribe, Listen, & Review on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Soundcloud | Stitcher

Music by Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM).

This podcast was made possible through the Tracksmith Fellowship Program.