In a city famous for running, the Pioneers Run Crew (PRC) is making strides in Dorchester. Founded in 2017 by Dot native Sidney Baptista, Pioneers meets on Wednesdays and Saturdays in Fields Corner and Franklin Park, respectively, with occasional excursions to other neighborhoods. In four short years, Pioneers has grown from less than a dozen active members to more than one hundred and fifty.
Baptista started PRC after having been active in the Boston distance scene for several years, including a stint as a pacer with the Nike Run Club. When he couldn’t find the community that he wanted among existing running networks, he started Pioneers.
“I couldn’t get any of my friends to go down and meet me at the Charles on the water, where it was normal to run,” Baptista said. “And I was tired of being on runs where there I was, the only Black person, or [one of] a few Black people. So, I was like, I’ve got to create this for Dorchester, for my neighborhood, for people who I think need it for their mental health, not just physical health. So, in 2017, I created Pioneers Run Crew in Dorchester.”
Since that first year, Pioneers has grown consistently, a trend that Baptista and others attribute to its commitment to inclusion.
Said Baptista: “We’re very cognizant of greeting people and making sure everyone feels welcome. It’s not a place where you’re going to go and nobody’s going to talk to you.”
Aliese Lash, a PRC captain and member since 2017, recalled her first experiences with the group as very positive.
Above: Participants in the Pioneers Running Crew at a recent gathering in Franklin Park. Frances Ramirez photo
“I first heard about Pioneers the year that they started. I used to be a sprinter when I was younger, but I sort of lost touch with my passion and love for running. When I first came, I was blown away. Back then, PRC was 90 percent Sid’s family, so lots of people were Cape Verdean, and it was just a really fun energy. People were really friendly, and it was refreshing to see lots of people who were Black and brown running around the streets of Dorchester.
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this is different. Everyone’s super welcoming, and Sid’s so friendly and open. Let me keep checking this out.’ I started coming every single week and getting to know the city by running through it.”
Four years in, PRC’s welcoming environment has created one of the most vibrant sports communities in Boston.
In Baptista’s words, “The only place that’s maybe more diverse is Target in South Bay. Boston’s so segregated in race and class, so we’ve created this inclusive group of people that want to be together, and want to support each other, and want to support people who come to the team.”
He added that the name Pioneers comes from the New York Pioneer Club, an integrated sports club founded in New York City in 1936 that took active stances against racism and anti-Semitism.
As a captain, Lash has watched the leadership team of PRC develop in tandem with Pioneers itself.
“We’re able to have fun developing and envisioning cool ideas and thinking about how to stay true to our mission, which is really about making running equitable and accessible to people of color and trying to redefine the narrative of what it means to be a runner in Boston,” she said.
“I think our team has, over the years, figured out how we can use our platform to elevate what non-traditional runners look like.”
In addition to its weekly runs, the PRC team contributes to causes tied to the spirit of its mission. The club raised $63,000 for Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research, Violence In Boston, and the Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy through two running protests last year. More recently, PRC has contributed to Boston GLASS, a provider of a continuum of services to LGBTQ+ youth of color and their allies in the Greater Boston and Greater Framingham areas, and the Boston Asian Community Emergency Relief Fund.
At the same time, the PRC community has continued to grow in ways reflective of the wider Dorchester and Boston communities.
According to Daisy Hidalgo: “We’re not a running group that’s only focused on speed.” She noted that PRC offers runners several options for distances to run.
“If somebody’s brand new and wants to get a feel for what it’s like, they can come and do one mile,” she added. “I think people are really encouraging, and it’s not just from the captains and capitos, but from everyone. Pioneers’ main thing is to explore ways to inspire folks. For me, I’m able to see what I’m capable of doing and push myself. I did one marathon, and I never thought I’d do another one. And here I am, starting to train for Chicago.”
Added Josh Mentzer, a Dorchester resident and newcomer to PRC: “Running, especially for people who haven’t done it in a long time, can be a stretch, and I think that a community around you that encourages you to push as hard as you can, try your best, and do as much as you can do, is really helpful. As I’ve gotten back into running, it has been good to meet new people and do it in a community.”
As Pioneers looks for ways to grow and expand, its leadership team hopes to keep much the same.
“There aren’t many communities that are created with people of color in mind, especially when it comes to distance running,” said Baptista. “That’s what we are here for, and everyone else is welcome.”
