Running means so much to me for so many reasons. I feel my strongest and most confident when I am running, because I know I have the physical and mental toughness to push through the lows, celebrate the highs, and put in the work necessary to achieve my goals. It is also how I meet and connect with people, my stress relief, my joy, and so much more. The fact that women around the world aren't allowed to make these same self-discoveries or experience the same joy, simply because of their gender, is heartbreaking to me. Free to Run works to change that by empowering women in conflict areas to participate in sports. This is beneficial not only to the women participating, whether in the sport itself or the running of the organization, but to society as a whole. Women need to be visible to be considered, and participating in sports and engaging in the management of an international organization is a great start. 

The Free to Run team has been through many races, but none like this. The organization is working around the clock on evacuating its Afghan staff and their families to safe locations. They need our support so that they can continue to respond to the rapidly changing circumstances and act quickly - both for the Afghan team and for its broader work supporting female leaders in areas of conflict.