When this lonely Texan moved all the way out to New York, there were certainly large periods of adjustment. As I got settled in this city, during a global pandemic no less, I was fortunate enough to have been welcomed into the family that is South Bronx United (SBU).

A quick rundown, SBU is a nonprofit youth development organization with a mission of using soccer as a tool for social change. More than 1,300 young people, beginning at age four and all the way through college, will have participated in programs this year on the soccer field, in the classroom, and in the community. Founded in 2009 to address a lack in youth athletic programs in the South Bronx, the organization's programs have grown to combine soccer with academic enrichment, college prep, mentoring, leadership development, health and wellness programs, immigration legal services, and other family and youth supports. Impressively so, the SBU Academy has a 100% high school graduation rate and 94% college matriculation rate. College-readiness rates of graduates are three-times the rate of their peers.

Starting as a coach and a tutor, I felt that I found a second family within the South Bronx. I was accepted into a group of passionate parents and student-athletes, as they work to improve themselves on the pitch and in the classroom. As a lifelong soccer fan, and aware of the endemic problem of educational equity, their mission, and goal resonated with me instantly.

The opportunity to not only represent, but also run for a group of this level, is one that I don't take lightly. As life, injury, and all the struggles that come with training for a marathon have plagued me, the only antidote to this frustration has been knowing I am not running for myself, but SBU. As the coming days close, I would appreciate any support in any amount. A quarter, a buck, twenty-five dollars, whatever it is you are able to give goes directly to a family that looks to uplift those in it!