Closed-Door Calls Are Not Accountability
If you’re new here, let me catch you up. Recently, I published a piece about the false promises of inclusivity in trail running—specifically calling out brands like Tracksmith and big-name races like UTMB, Western States, and PRTA. These organizations love to market themselves as welcoming, but when you dig deeper, the reality is a lot more elitist, exclusive, and overwhelmingly white. You can read that full post here.
That post sparked conversation—shares, comments, DMs, and even a few uncomfortable reactions. Some people were grateful I said out loud what many had been feeling. Others, especially those tied to these organizations, got defensive. And now, here we are: a private invitation to “talk it out” with PTRA behind closed doors.
And that’s the problem.
Why I’m Not Accepting the Invite
First, they didn’t even come to me directly. Instead, they messaged someone else who shared my post—and only after she asked, “why aren’t you talking to Becky?” did they reach out. That’s not accountability. That’s avoidance.
Second, this isn’t new. Leaders like Verna Volker (Native Women Run) and Alison Mariella Désir have been raising these same concerns for years. They have been met with silence. Why? Because this “invitation” isn’t about shifting power—it’s about protecting optics.
This Approach Is Harmful Because...
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It’s reactive, not proactive.
If you only respond after public critique, that’s not progress—it’s damage control. -
It’s extractive.
Asking a few individuals to show up for unpaid emotional labor doesn’t fix inequity. It just drains the very people you’ve excluded. -
It’s tokenizing.
Singling out two or three people after the fact doesn’t represent systemic change. -
It avoids transparency.
Closed-door calls protect the organization’s reputation but don’t create public commitments or accountability.
Real Accountability Looks Like This
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Open forums with BIPOC leaders, athletes, and communities—not handpicked guests behind closed doors
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Public commitments, with budgets, timelines, and decision-makers named
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Compensation for the labor and emotional weight asked of BIPOC leaders
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Ongoing progress updates—even when they’re messy or imperfect
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Redistribution of power, not just gestures of listening
Let’s Be Clear
I’m not against dialogue. I want dialogue. But it has to be designed for accountability, not optics. It has to move beyond protecting organizations and toward empowering communities.
Trail running doesn’t need another performative meeting. It needs public commitment, shared power, and transparency. Because a closed-door call isn’t accountability—it’s damage control.
And this sport deserves better.