CRYSTAL: HYPERBOLE, I'’M CRYSTAL HAYNES.

TONIGHT ON GREATER BOSTON, BIG STAFF CHANGES ON THE MBTA AS WRITERS GROW INCENSED OVER SLOW ZONE, SHUTTLE BUSES AND MORE.

WILL THEY BE ABLE TO SAVE 50 -- DOTTIE TWO WOMEN WHO LEAVE BLACK RUNNERS GROUPS IN THIS CITY JOIN ME THE CULTURE OF RUNNING AND ON WHY SO FEW BLACK AMERICANS TAKE PART.

NEARLY ALL OF THE BLUE LINE IS SHUTTING DOWN EARLY THIS WEEK FOR REPAIRS NEEDED TO END THE ONGOING SLOW ZONES ON THE RIDGE.

ONE OF THE SEVERAL MAJOR ISSUES THAT HAVE WRITERS AT THEIR WITS AND.

AND THE GOVERNOR IS MAKING MAJOR CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM.

THE BLUE LINE WILL SHUT DOWN AT A P.M.

THROUGH THURSDAY, AND FOR THE FIRST FOUR DAYS OF MAY.

THOSE SO -- SLOW ZONES ACROSS ALL OF THE TRANSIT SYSTEM SUBWAY LINES WERE AMONG THE MOST COMMON CAUSES FOR COMPLAINT.

MEMBERS HEARD VOICEMAIL MESSAGES FROM PRETTY INCENSED WRITERS.

>> -- WRITERS.

>> I'’M ENRAGED AND DISGUSTED AT THE CONDITION OF THE MBTA AND WHAT YOU HAVE LET GO ON FOR SO LONG.

>> I'’M A TECH AT MGP AND I AM GETTING THREATENED TO LOSE MY JOB.

I CAN'’T GET TO WORK ON TIME BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'’T DO YOUR JOB.

I DON'’T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE NOT BEING FINED EVERY DAY.

IF I LOSE MY JOB I AM SUING YOU.

>> TWO DAYS LATER, THE GOVERNOR RESPONDED WITH BIG CHANGES FOR THE MBTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS, REPLACING THE CHAIR AND TWO OTHER MEMBERS AND THE GOVERNOR APPOINTED THE FIRST EVER TRANSPORTATION SAFETY CHIEF.

HE WORKED ON A 20 INDEPENDENT REPORT HIGHLIGHTING WIDESPREAD PROBLEMS AT THE MBTA.

JOINING ME TO DISCUSS THESE MOVES AND THE MANY ONGOING ISSUES PLAGUING THE T'’S BRIAN KANE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF THE MBTA ADVISORY BOARD AND MELA BUSH-MILES WHO LEADS THE WRITERS UNION -- WRITERS -- RIDER'’S UNION.

PATRICK, RATHER, RIGHT, PATRICK IS THE NEW SUPERVISOR THERE.

WHAT WAS YOUR RESPONSE AND REACTION WHEN YOU HAD HEARD HOW FRUSTRATED WRITERS HAVE BEEN?

YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GOING TO A LOT OF THESE MEETINGS.

>> I HAVE BEEN GOING TO MEETINGS AT LEAST SINCE 2008 AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD WRITER -- THEN IN -- AS INCENSED AS THIS.

>> I IMAGINED THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE WRITER -- PEOPLE WITH THE UNION HERE ALL THE TIME AND THEY ORGANIZE AROUND IT.

>> WE GET PHONE CALLS ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM BUS STOPS DISAPPEARING TO WHY CAN'’T I GET TO WORK ON TIME, LINES ARE SHUT DOWN, AND WE RODE FROM ONE AND TO THE OTHER AND BACK AND WE GOT AT 6:00 AT NIGHT AND WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH BECAUSE IT WAS TAKING SO LONG.

AND WE FOUND MANY PEOPLE THERE, ONE PERSON TOOK TWO AND A HALF HOURS TO GET FROM SOUTH STATION TO HAYMARKET.

INCREDIBLE.

CRYSTAL: I MEAN, THE FRUSTRATION SEEMS TO BE A SMALL -- SMALL WORD FOR WHAT PEOPLE ARE ITS PAINTING.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT.

-- EXPERIENCING.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT.

>> LIMIT IS A GOOD WORD.

AND WITH THE LANGUAGE AT THE BOARD MEETING, WE HEARD THE PERSON SAYING THEY WILL SUE THEM IF THEY LOSE THEIR JOB.

IT IS IMPACTING CHILDREN'’S THIS ABILITY -- THE ABILITY OF CHILDREN TO GET TO SCHOOL.

THEY ARE BEING HELD BACK AND CANNOT GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME.

THEY GET TO, THEY MAY HAVE TO REPEAT A YEAR, THE THINGS -- THE SEVERE IMPACTS ON THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IS WHAT IS CONCERNING TO US.

AND, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU FIX IT?

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

AND HOW IN THE WORLD CAN THE MBTA MAKE THIS RIGHT FOR THE WRITERS -- FOR THEIR WRITERS-- RIDERS?

IN ANY OTHER BUSINESS, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN RATED DOWN INTO OBLIVION IF YOU GAVE THAT BAD SERVICE.

THIS IS OUR DOLLARS PAYING FOR IT.

>> BRIAN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SHAKEUPS, WITH THIS CHANGE PEOPLE PROGRESS?

>> WE HAD THREE STRONG APPOINTMENTS LAST WEEK AND A VERY STRONG APPOINTMENT TODAY WITH PATRICK BEING PUT IN.

AS WELL AS A NEW GENERAL MANAGER.

I AM OPTIMISTIC AND I HOPE THIS IS A TURNING POINT.

WE HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND WE HAVE ALL SEEN NEW APPOINTMENTS IN THE PAST, NEW BOARDS IN THE PAST, WE HAD A FISCAL MANAGEMENT CONTROL BOARD, WE HAD NEW DIRECTORS IN 2009.

WE HAVE HAD MANY TYPES OF GOVERNANCE FOR MANY TYPES OF PEOPLE, NOT TO MENTION OVER A DOZEN GENERAL MANAGERS IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.

I THINK IT HAS LESS TO DO WITH THE PEOPLE AND MORE WITH THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE.

I AM OPTIMISTIC THE GOVERNOR AND THIS LEGISLATURE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT TURNING THE TEA AROUND AND FIXING IT ONCE AND FOR ALL.

AND I HAVE TO HOPE THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THAT.

>> WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THESE INCIDENTS, I AM THOUGHTFUL OF THAT IMAGE OF RUNNERS OF THE BOSTON MARATHON GETTING STUCK ON THE TRAIN AFTER RUNNING 26.2 MILES AND I AM THOUGHTFUL OF THE SAFETY ISSUES, THE TILE FALLING DOWN IN THE TUNNEL IN FRONT OF THE YOUNG LADY WHO WAS CARRYING HER SHOPPING.

THE DEATHS THAT WE HAVE SEEN.

IT IS BOTH INCREDIBLE AND A TRAGEDY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE TAKE TO MOTIVATE THEM TO REALLY GET THE CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN?

>> I THINK THAT THE MBTA REALLY NEEDS TO START REALLY GOING INTO A DEEP DIVE OF WORKING WITH RIDERS DIRECTLY.

GETTING REAL FEEDBACK AND REAL INPUT, EVEN IN PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE AND HOW THEY WILL DO THAT.

WE ASK WHY DIDN'’T YOU FIX THE STAIRS AT ONE OF THE STATIONS, DURING THE SHUTDOWN.

THEY SAID WE NEED THOSE STAIRS.

I SAID NO YOU DIDN'’T, THEY ARE NOT NAVIGABLE.

HOW COULD YOU USE THEM?

WE HAVE REALLY STRONG FOLK IN OUR UNION, WHO ARE WORKING -- WE HAVE WORKED WITH THEM FOR YEARS ON MANY THINGS AROUND THE MBTA AND IMPROVEMENTS AND THINGS.

IF THEY REALLY START LISTENING TO US, MAYBE IF WE COULD HAVE MORE FEEDBACK TO GIVE DURING A BOARD MEETING BECAUSE ONCE WE SAY WHAT WE SAY TWO DAYS BEFORE WE LEARN WHAT WAS GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA, THEY DON'’T GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO EVEN KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA, ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE A BIGGER CONVERSATION, AND I CAN REALLY TAKE -- WE CAN TAKE A REALLY DEEP DIVE INTO WHAT OUR EXPENSES ARE.

MY RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT THEY ALL NEED TO WRITE THE KEY.

-- WRITE THE T. NOBODY SHOULD PLAN A ROUTE WITHOUT WRITING -- RIDING IT EVERY.

YOU CAN'’T DESIGN A BUS ROUTE WITHOUT KNOWING HOW IT WILL IMPACT PEOPLE.

THAT'’S HOW WE CAN GET TO A BETTER FUTURE, TO WORK WITH US, AND REALLY START WITH A LIST, YOU KNOW.

THE STAIRS NEED -- THEY HAVE TO FIX THE ESCALATORS.

YOU GO TO SOUTH STATION, THE ESCALATOR WAS DOWN FOR MONTH -- MONTHS.

PEOPLE WITH LUGGAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO START AT THE BEGINNING, AT THE BIGGEST THING, WHICH IS SAFETY.

THAT'’S A FEW WAYS THAT WE COULD RECOMMEND TO MAKE IT BETTER.

AND GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

I DON'’T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE BUT IT DID NOT TAKE A DATE TO GET HERE AND IT WON'’T TAKE A DAY TO GET OUT OF IT.

CRYSTAL: THAT'’S TRUE.

AND YOU MENTIONED THESE NEW MEMBERS NEED TO RIDE THE TRAIN, THE GLOBE JUST PUBLISHED A REVIEW THAT MANY OF THE SENIOR MANAGERS HAVE A PRIMARY RESIDENCE MORE THAN 100 MILES FROM THE NEAREST STATION.

RYAN, HOW CAN YOU EFFECTIVELY CREATE CHANGE IF YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO WRITE THE TRAIN -- RIDE THE TRAIN?

>> WEALTH FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE SEEN THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER IN THE BUILDINGS VENTING DESPERATELY MANY MANY TIMES AND I KNOW HE IS A VERY DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE -- SERVANT AND IS OFTEN IN THE OFFICE.

THERE ARE FOLKS THAT DID NOT WORK THERE WHEN I WORKED THERE, BUT HEARING PEOPLE LIVE IN CALIFORNIA AND FLORIDA AND WISCONSIN, IT'’S OUTRAGEOUS.

I DON'’T SEE WHY THIS WAS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN.

THAT WAS CLEARLY A MANAGEMENT FAILURE BY THE BIGGER ADMINISTRATION AND THEIR FOLKS THAT THEY PICKED TO RUN THE T. AND FRANKLY IT IS UNACCEPTABLE.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE OR REQUIRED TO BE IN THE OFFICE OF CIVIL IS IF CERTAINLY IF YOU ARE OVERSEEING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, MY GOD.

AS IF THE CARS THAT WE HAVE BOUGHT OUR -- TO SEE IF THE CARS WE BOUGHT WITH BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IS BEING -- MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IS BEING USED CARPET.

HE SHOULD BE HERE AT SPRINGFIELD EVERYDAY TO MAKE SURE THESE THINGS ARE WORKING.

CRYSTAL: AND YOU THINK ABOUT THIS BIG STAFFING SHORTAGE.

THEY ARE OFFERING WHAT WAS IT, 75 HUNDRED DOLLARS SIGNING BONUSES JUST TO GET PEOPLE TO WORK.

WHAT ROLE DOES THAT HAVE TO PLAY IN TERMS OF THE DYSFUNCTION?

>> -- PEOPLE WANTING TO TAKE THE MONEY.

-- WON'’T EVEN TAKE THE MONEY.

>> THEY HAVE TO MAKE THE WORKING CONDITIONS BETTER.

THEY HAVE TAKE THE QUALITY OF LIFE DISCUSSION FOR FIVE TIMES ON THE AGENDA.

OH LET'’S TALK ABOUT THAT NEXT MONTH.

IF YOU MAKE THE WORKING CONDITIONS BETTER YOU CAN ATTRACT PEOPLE TO WORK THERE.

WE WATCHED A WHOLE STAFF TURNOVER IN A PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR THE ENTIRE BUS NETWORK.

AND I WATCHED, I'’M LIKE I WORKED THERE TOO, AND EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS A PERSON LEFT.

BY THE TIME YOU GOT TO THE END, THE PEOPLE WHO STARTED THEIR LEFT.

YOU HAVE TO REALLY ASSESS WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE DOING WRONG THAT PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK AT THE MBTA.

AND THEN WHEN THEY FIGURE THAT OUT, MAKE IT BETTER.

I HAVE PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT WORK THERE SIX MONTHS IN, THEY TERMINATED THEIR EMPLOYMENT, FIVE MONTHS, 23 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES.

THERE'’S THE PROBLEM.

SO, I THINK THAT IS WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO, THE SIGN-ON BONUSES, WE ALSO WATCH THEM WASTE $500,000 ONE YEAR, THEY REPORTED TO THE BOARD THAT THEY SPENT $500,000 TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE BUILDING AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO COME.

THEY HIRED 10 PEOPLE FOR HALF $1 MILLION.

JUST AGHAST AT HOW BAD IT IS.

THE OPERATORS, THE OPERATORS NEED TO FIX THE ISSUES WITH THE STARTING PAY, MAKING IT A CAREER, WE ARE WORKING ON FIGURING OUT WITH SOME OTHER FOLKS HOW TO MAKE THESE CAREERS ATTRACTIVE AND HOW TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THESE CAREERS.

BY WORKING WITH SOME TRANSIT FOLKS TO WORK ON THAT WITH THE MBTA AND SOME NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

CRYSTAL: BECAUSE IT'’S A JOB WITH THE PENSION.

NOWADAYS THAT CAN BE A RARE THING.

>> IT'’S A CAREER.

>> IT CERTAINLY IS TO.

PEOPLE WOULD JOIN AT 18 AND BE THERE FOR 25 YEARS.

AT THE TIME, THEY HAD VERY GENEROUS EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS, THEY WOULD PAY FOR YOU TO GO TO COLLEGE IF YOU CAME BACK AND WORKED AS AN ENGINEER FOR THEM.

LET'’S NOT FORGET WHAT THEY USED TO BE ABLE TO DO.

THEY PUT THE ORANGE LINE UNDERGROUND WHILE EXTENDING THE REDLINED -- RED LINE, AND TRAINING PEOPLE TO BE BUS DRIVERS ARE TRAINED DRIVERS OR TRACK PROGRESS.

WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.

WE CAN FIX THIS, IT'’S JUST A MATTER OF POLITICAL WILL.

I HOPE WE HAVE TURNED THE CORNER, I WANT TO BELIEVE WE HAVE TURNED THE CORNER.

BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO GET STARTED NOW.

CRYSTAL: ALRIGHT, WELL, WE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE THE CONVERSATION THERE.

I KNOW WE COULD BE TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR WEEKS.

BRIAN KANE, AND MELA BUSH-MILES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION HAS PROMISED TO DO BETTER AFTER POLICE OFFICERS ALONG THE MARATHON COURSE BLOCKED OFF A PREDOMINANTLY BLACK CROWD OF SPECTATORS AND CELEBRATOR'’S ALONG THE RACE ROUTE.

YOU CAN SEE THIS IN THIS VIDEO AFTER -- POSTED AFTER THE RACE.

[INDISCERNIBLE] CRYSTAL: COMPLAINTS OF RACIAL PROFILING LED TO A MEETING BETWEEN TWO OF THE RUNNING GROUPS WHO LET UP -- SET UP A CHAIR ZONE AND THE BAA WHICH PUTS ON THE MARATHON.

THE GROUPS ARE PIONEERS'’S AND TRAIL BLAZERS RUN CO..

THEY HAVE ALSO CALLED FOR AN INVESTIGATION AND A -- AN APOLOGY.

JOINING ME ARE TWO CAPTAINS FROM THE RUNNING CREW, FRANCES RAMIREZ IS THE COFOUNDER OF TRAIL BLAZEHERS.

TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT VIDEO THAT WAS POSTED, AND WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY.

>> TO BE HONEST EVERY TIME WE WATCH THE VIDEO, IT'’S TRIGGERING.

IT'’S DISAPPOINTING.

SOMETHING THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR TOGETHER AS -- IS GRABBING HER -- IS GATHERING A GROUP OF FOLKS FROM THE LOCAL AREA AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, FRIENDS FROM FOLKS IN ATLANTA -- TO CHICAGO AND ELSEWHERE, COMING INTO JOIN US.

THE SCENE JUST REMINDS ME HOW OVERWHELMING IT WAS TO FEEL LIKE WE DID NOT BELONG THERE.

AND AND KNOWING THAT THIS TRADITION OF CHEERING AN HOUR AWAY AND BEING ABLE TO CELEBRATE AND GOING ALL OUT FOR OTHER FELLOW RUNNERS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US AND IT'’S IMPORTANT TO OUR RUNNING CULTURE, AND TO HAVE THE POLICE PRESENCE THERE WAS FIRST OF ALL UNNECESSARY, BUT, TO ME, THIS SEEMS LIKE SUCH A CLEAR INTIMIDATION FACTOR THAT IT JUST FELT VERY UNFAIR AND WAS NOT GIVEN OR SHARED WITH ANYONE ELSE ON THE COURSE EXCEPT OUR GROUP WHICH IS MADE UP OF PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN RUNNERS AND SPECTATORS.

CRYSTAL: YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF THE INITIAL STATEMENT THAT HAD COME OUT FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FROM THE MAYOR OF NEWTON AND OTHERS WAS THAT THERE WAS A DISRUPTION TO THE RUNNERS ON THE COURSE AND THAT IS WHY THAT PRESENCE WAS THERE.

BUT THEN I THINK OF THE HISTORY OF THE MARATHON, THE KISSING TUNNEL, THE PROPOSALS, THE LARGEST GESTURES THAT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, IN COMPARISON TO WHAT I SAW WAS A DANCE PARTY ON OTHER POSTS AS WELL, TO SEE THE POLICE PRESENCE SHOW UP, I MEAN, WHAT CAME TO YOUR MIND?

>> CIVIL AS THIS, WHEN BLACK PEOPLE DO IT IT IS A PROBLEM.

THAT'’S WHAT I SAW.

YOU SAW THE KISSING TUNNELS, I SAW INFLATABLE BALLOONS ON THE COURSE, IT'’S WHEN BLACK PEOPLE, BROWN PEOPLE DO IT IT IS AN ISSUE.

WE WERE PLACED BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY DON'’T WANT US TO SEE -- SHINE BRIGHT OR SALIVATE OUR FRIENDS AND SHOW KARATE, WHICH IS WHAT RUNNING IS ALL ABOUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

WE WERE THERE FROM THE BEGINNING UNTIL THE END AND WE STAND BY OUR MISSION OF SHOWING AND CELEBRATING THAT DAY AND SHOWING CAMARADERIE THROUGH EVERYBODY, NOT JUST BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE, ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.

LIKE I SAID, ONE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE DO IT IT IS A PROBLEM.

WHEN THEY DO IT IS NOT A PROBLEM.

CRYSTAL: USA RUNNING PUT OUT A SURVEY IN 2020 THAT SHOWED THAT ABOUT 3% OF ALL RUNNERS ARE ACTUALLY BACK, BLACK AMERICANS, AND I THINK THAT HAVING THAT SUPPORT, WHAT THE RUNNING CREWS SURVIVE -- PROVIDE IS SO IMPORTANT IN INCREASING THE NUMBER.

IT'’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE WINNERS OF THE MARATHON ARE OFTEN AFRICAN AND WE KNOW OF THE TRACK AND FIELD INDUSTRY IS MOSTLY BLACK.

3% OF OVERALL RUNNERS IN CASUAL RUNNING ARE BLACK.

WHAT DOES IT DO WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, WHAT DOES IT DUE TO THE EFFORTS TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN RUNNING AND IN THE SPORT?

>> SURE, I MEAN I FEEL HOPEFUL ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF INCREASING DIVERSITY IN THE SPORT OF RUNNING.

RUNNING HAS BEEN SEEN AS A SPORT THAT IS FOR WHITE PEOPLE.

JUST LIKE YOU KNOW, HOCKEY, AND SKIN, IT'’S EASY AS A BLACK PERSON TO SAY I LOVE THAT FOR YOU, THAT'’S YOUR THING.

I DON'’T SEE MYSELF THERE, I DON'’T FEEL ACCEPTED THERE, SO I'’M NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE.

WE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM THAT AS AN INDUSTRY IN A WAY THAT MAKES ME FEEL REALLY HOPEFUL.

THERE ARE SO MANY DIVERSITY INITIATIVES TO THINK ABOUT AND TOGETHER, PEOPLE TOGETHER TO HAVE DIALOGUES ABOUT HOW DO WE CHANGE THESE DEMOGRAPHICS AND MAKE RUNNING FEEL MORE SAFE, MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE INCLUSIVE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT THE TRADITIONAL STEREOTYPICAL RUNNER, AND I SERVE ON A COMMITTEE FOR THE BOSTON RUNNING COLLABORATIVE, WHICH IS THE DIVERSITY INITIATIVE, AND I FEEL SO HOPEFUL IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE THE BAA WHO SPEAK TO THEIR INTENTION AND MISSION OF MAKING RUNNING MORE EQUITABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR, BUT WHEN MOMENTS LIKE THIS HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY AT A RACE THAT IS PERCEIVING GLOBAL ATTENTION, IT IS AN ENORMOUS SETBACK.

TO ME IT FEELS LIKE IT IS ERASING A LOT OF PROGRESS AND WORDS THAT HAVE BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT INTENTIONS WHICH FEELS VERY HURTFUL AND PERFORMATIVE OF PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THEY WANT TO PUT ON AND CELEBRATE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE AND MAKE US FEEL WELCOME AND FEEL LIKE WE BELONG, BUT THEN MOMENTS LIKE THAT SEEM LIKE THAT, EVEN WATCHING THAT VIDEO FEELS REALLY DEVASTATING BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE DISCREPANCIES AND DISPARITIES.

WHY WOULD SOMEBODY WANT TO COME RIGHT, WHY WOULD SIBLEY WANT TO COME AND CHEER IF THEY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY AND BEING OVERLY POLICED?

THAT WILL BE A SETBACK AND THAT FEELS REALLY DISAPPOINTING, BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO STOP WHAT WE'’RE DOING, A LOT OF US COME TO RUNNING BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT IT A LOT AND WE RECOGNIZE THE BEAD FOR BENEFITS, THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS, THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS OF THIS SPORT.

WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT AND BRING OUR OWN CULTURE TO AND WE HOPE THAT CAN BE CELEBRATED BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT CHANGE IS HARD AND WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE SO USED TO DOING THINGS THE WAY THAT HAVE ALWAYS DONE.

CRYSTAL: FRANCIS, WEIGH IN HERE.

>> THIS JUST VALIDATES OUR WORK.

WE CREATED SPACE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND SPACE FOR WOMEN OF COLOR.

THIS TO SACRIFICE OUR WORK EVEN HARDER, YOU WANT TO SEE -- YOU NEED A SAFE SPACE COME TO US, COME TO US, COME TO PIONEERS RUN COMPANY.

THE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE.

THIS IS JUST SMALL STEPS.

THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH THE BOSTON RUNNING COLLECTIVE HAS SET US WAY BACK EVEN BEFORE THE RUNNING COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED, AND THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND WE CAN GET IT DONE WITH THE BAA IF THEY CHOOSE TO PUT THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD WITH US.

CRYSTAL: LET'’S TALK ABOUT THE BOSTON MARATHON ITSELF.

ALLISON, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE POSTED CALLED RUNNING WHILE BLACK, AND SHE SAYS RUNNERS TALK ABOUT THE BOSTON TRADITION BUT A TRADITION OF WHITE?

IF -- WHAT?

WHAT DO WE VALUE, EXCUSES AMID THE IS ANTITHETICAL TO INCLUSIVELY.

A SPORT OPEN TO ALL CANNOT ELEVATE FASTER RUNNERS AS MORE DESERVING OF A RACE OF BEING MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF RUNNERS.

CAN WE SEE ALL RUNNERS AS DESERVING OF SPACE AND PLACE?

IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO ASKING, WHAT IS IT THAT WE TRULY VALUE: INCLUSION OR EXCLUSION?

>> -- 11 ELISE, I KNOW THERE WAS A REALLY POWERFUL DISCUSSION BETWEEN WRITERS -- RIDERS IN THE RUNNING COMMUNITY AND TALKING ABOUT DIVERSITY.

IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED ON MONDAY IS ELUCIDATING WHAT SHE WROTE HERE.

>> IT'’S INTERESTING IF YOU READ THAT CLIP, I HAVE READ THAT BOOK TWICE AND ALLISON IS A GOOD FRIEND OF OURS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE ARE CRANING.

THERE IS AN ENTIRE CHAPTER IN HER BOOK CALLED INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION.

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS THE PROBLEMATIC PIECES OF THE BOSTON MARATHON IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE WE KNOW HISTORICALLY THAT EVENT WAS DESIGNED FOR AND BY ELITISM, IT FOCUSES ON ELITISM AND EXCLUSIVE PRIORITIES, KNOWING THAT PEOPLE LOVE THE BOSTON MARATHON FOR THOSE REASONS.

IT'’S INCREDIBLY COMPETITIVE TO RUN IN THE FIRST PLACE AND JOINED THE FIELD.

IT'’S A HUGE BARRIER OF ENTRY TO A LOT OF FOLKS, ESPECIALLY LOWER INCOME FOLKS AND FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.

WE NOTE THAT THE RACECOURSE DOES NOT RUN IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, THERE IS ONLY TWO MILES OF THE MARATHON THAT IS ACTUALLY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, THE REST ARE IN THE SUBURBS.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT RACE IN PARTICULAR, IT IS SO CLEAR THAT IT IS DESIGNED FOR AND BY UPPER-MIDDLE-CLASS WHITE ELITES PEOPLE, RUNNERS, THAT'’S NOT US.

AND TO ME I APPRECIATE HOW ALLISON HAS REALLY TIED UP THE HISTORY OF THE SPORT, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE MARATHON AND HOW IT IS BUILT ON EXCLUSIVITY, AND IN A WAY THAT CHERISH AND PRAISE AND VALUE.

BUT OUR MISSION IN OUR COMPANIES IS TO REDEFINE WHAT THAT IS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IS NOT FAIR, THAT IS NOT SAFE, WE DON'’T SEE OURSELVES THERE.

SO, LIKE FRANCIS MENTIONED, WE ARE ON A MISSION TO SORT OF CREATE OUR OWN FABLE AND OUR OWN NARRATIVE AND OUR OWN CULTURE OUTSIDE OF THE DEEPLY HISTORIC, REALLY PRIZED AND REALLY TREASURED PART OF THE BOSTON MARATHON THAT WE REALIZED HAD A LOTS -- A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND INTERDICTED WITH THIS IDEA OF BEING INCLUSIVE.

CRYSTAL: WE HAVE HEARD IN THE RUNNING WORLD THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR DON'’T ALWAYS FEEL SAFE RUNNING OUTSIDE OR ESPECIALLY BY THEMSELVES.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SEEN CASES IN THE NEWS WHERE THIS HAS BEEN PROVEN TRUE, TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR WORK AND TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE SPORT AND MAKING THIS A SAFE PLACE TO RUNNERS.

>> SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

WE RUN IN GROUPS AND WE NEVER LEAVE A RUNNER BEHIND.

AND THAT IS REALLY WHAT OUR MISSION IS.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS, AND ALWAYS KEEPING TABS ON EACH OTHER.

CHECKING IN.

CHECKING IN MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY, SOMETIMES ON A RUN YOU MIGHT BE KILLING IT, YOU MIGHT BE REALLY KILLING IT -- INSIDE.

THERE IS REALLY THAT PART.

>> ONE THING I WILL ADD TO THAT IS THAT SO MUCH OF THE PLANNING AND DESIGNING THE PROGRAM IN OUR COMPANIES IS THINKING ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF EQUITY.

AND PART OF EQUITY INVOLVES PLANNING FOR PEOPLE ON THE MARGINS.

BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PRIVILEGE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE PRIVILEGE, BUT PART OF THE DESIGN OF OUR WORK IS ALWAYS THINKING INSTEAD THE NO RUNNER LEFT BEHIND, THAT ALL PIECES ARE WELCOME, ALL LEVELS OF EXPANSE ARE WELCOME, AND THAT WE ARE HEALED -- HERE TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY ARE SEEN AND THAT THEY BELONG HERE IN A WAY THAT THE CULTURE OF THE BOSTON MARATHON DOES NOT PRIORITIZE, AND LIKE I SAID, SOME PEOPLE REALLY LOVE THAT, AND APPRECIATE THAT, AND VALUE THAT FOR ITS OWN PIECES, BUT SO MUCH OF OUR DESIGN IS ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE CREATE OUR EVENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE BACK OF THE PACK, NOT JUST THE FIRST PLACE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STRONG RUNNERS BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW AND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ALSO BELONG HERE.

>> SORRY TO INTERRUPT.

AND WE ALSO OFFER A ONE MILE WALK/RUN.

WE MEET YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE IN YOUR JOURNEY OF FITNESS, AND ESSAY FITNESS BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE IS A RUNNER.

WE MEET YOU HALFWAY, WHERE YOU NEED TO AND WE HAVE PEOPLE BLOSSOM FROM WALKING TO RUNNING A MARATHON.

SEVERAL HAVE.

WE ARE THAT SUPPORTIVE.

>> I WILL AND OUR CONVERSATION HERE, WE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME WITH SOMETHING THAT GEOFF DAVIS FROM BLACK MEN RUN SAID TO ME AND HAS SAID BEFORE, HISTORICALLY, IF YOU LIKE IN A PLACE LIKE ROXBURY YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY IS AROUND 58, IF YOU LIVE IN THE BACK BAY IT IS 91, AND GROUPS LIKE YOURS AND BLACK MEN RUN ARE HOPING TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENT.

CHANGE THOSE OUTCOMES.

BECAUSE THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES ARE ONLY THREE MILES APART.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR TIME, I APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

CRYSTAL: THAT'’S IT FOR TONIGHT, WE WILL BE BACK TOMORROW.

I AM CRYSTAL HANDS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

-- HAYNES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.