Knox Robinson on The Divided States of America

About this episode

Against the backdrop of a global pandemic has emerged the most powerful civil rights movement of our lifetime -- an irrefutably historic moment that will indelibly shape the economic, political, and social fabric of our country for decades to come. To help us untangle the rhetoric behind our country's supercharged division, today Knox Robinson joins the podcast. Returning for his second appearance on the show (RRP #394 rests among my all time favorite episodes), Knox is a writer, athlete, national caliber runner, eponymous curator of running culture, and an astute student of black history, art, literature, music and poetry. Formally commencing under the tutelage Poet Laureate Maya Angelou at Wake Forest University, Knox's education has continued throughout the many chapters of his life. As a spoken word artist and music manager. As editor-in-chief of Fader magazine. And more recently as co-founder and captain of Black Roses NYC -- a diverse collective of running enthusiasts who routinely gather to hammer out intervals across Brooklyn & downtown Manhattan. Put plainly, urban culture is Knox's lifeblood. One of the most interesting and multi-faceted humans I have ever met, today Knox shares an important perspective on America's crossroads.  This is an investigation into the culture shifts caused by the pandemic and protests alike.  It's a conversation about the intersection of sport, politics and civil rights. Black American representation in athletics. And where we go from here. It's also about virtue signaling. Performative allyship. And why reading White Fragility simply isn’t enough.  But more than anything, this is a conversation about the power and poetics of running. Running as metaphor. Running as an act of rebellion — and the disturbing symbolism behind Ahmaud Arbery’s murder.  I left this exchange better for having had it.  The visually inclined can watch our conversation on YouTube. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This is a special conversation. I'm better for having had it. I hope you will be similarly impacted. Peace + Plants, Rich