November Project Austin has always shown the value of women in leadership by having a female Co-leader, and Katie (she/her) is the current Co-lead who gives that representation to her city. Today for our celebration of International Women’s Day/Women’s History Month (US), we travel to see if everything, including celebrating women, really IS bigger in Texas.
- Who are some of the women in the world of running/sport that you look up to?
I am not excellent at following running. As far as women in sports, I do love the USWNT and follow San Diego Wave FC. In other words, I’m an Alex Morgan fan!
- When did you first #JustShowUp to NP? How did you come across NP? What is it that you were looking for in a fitness group? How did NP provide that? What was an “extra” that NP has that you found value in?
I first joined NP DC in the fall of 2014 when my BFF and former Co-lead Scott invited me. About a year after college I realized I missed playing team sports, and NP gave me the social boost and accountability that I needed.
- What apprehensions did you have as you considered coming for the first time? What was your first impression? Why did you keep showing up?
When I first joined I loved the group’s energy but didn’t feel like I necessarily fit in or connected with the other members. I wasn’t 100% sold when I first started, so I never bought the yellow buff and I’ve regretted that decision ever since! I’ve had different reasons for showing up over the years – sometimes for my own movement and social needs, sometimes for group accountability, and sometimes to maintain some sense of “normal” when everything else in life feels out of place.
- What does it mean to you to be a woman Co-leader? What does it mean to your community? What does it mean to our global community?
I am really proud that Austin has always had at least one woman Co-leader. To me, NP is just another space where women can and should see themselves as real leaders in all aspects of our community – including but not limited to developing fun, challenging, and scalable workouts and social events that make everyone feel safe, welcome, and celebrated.
- How does being a woman influence your leadership? What was it like to be a woman in your community before you stepped into leadership?
To be perfectly honest there have been times in the more distant past when I didn’t feel welcome or supported at NP because folks can be quick to make jokes to (about) women they’d likely never make to a man and unfortunately not all women support women. I want the women in my community to know how much they’re celebrated at NP and how much agency they have in making their NP experience exactly what they want it to be.
- Did you have any apprehensions to lead this group? Did you experience imposter syndrome when you were asked to lead?
THE BOUNCE. Even when I guest Co-led before becoming a Co-leader, I would make some kind of off-brand bounce that didn’t look anything like what the Co-leaders did. Now I’ve embraced that I set the new normal and I’ve retired anything that doesn’t match my loud 6AM energy.
- How do you celebrate International Women’s Day? How can others celebrate you or celebrate with you this day? How can we celebrate you all year long?
This year we’re doing a trivia workout highlighting accomplishments of women but also critical gender disparities in wealth, health, and education. I think it’s important to strike a balance between learning what disparities exist (and what to do about them) and celebrating the amazing things women do every day. There are so many ways we can celebrate girls and women all year round, and a really easy thing to do is just tell girls and women they are good at math. Because we are.
- What else do you want people reading this to know? About being a woman in leadership or anything else you’d like to share.
People still talk over you when you’re a woman in leadership! If everyone waited 2 seconds before starting to talk we’d all interrupt each other less and everyone would be happier for it!
