Originally published: Pittsburgh Business Times. July 8, 2020

P3R announced a set of new policies it will be implementing to address diversity and inclusion in the programs it hosts throughout the city, with the most notable being the annual Pittsburgh marathon.

As part of these efforts, the group will form a partnership with the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), which is a national nonprofit that aims to educate and empower the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination.

“Running is a great equalizer and unifying force,” Troy Schooley, P3R CEO, said in a press release. “It doesn’t matter your age, your sexual orientation, your ethnicity, how much money you make, what school you went to, what religion you practice, or who you voted for in the last election. When you’re on a P3R race course, everyone is a runner, and every step taken is a commitment to getting better. We will do everything in our power to make sure everyone feels welcome and safe participating in our sport in Pittsburgh, whether that’s at one of our events or running just for the joy of moving.”

P3R’s commitment to addressing diversity and racism was also shown with its $20,000 donation in June to four local organizations: the Pittsburgh Branch of the NAACP, Black Girls Run Pittsburgh, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, and the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.

The organization also announced it would renew its focus for its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEI), and offer training for all team members via partnerships with local organizations.

“We want all voices, experiences and opinions to be heard on the committee,” DEI Committee Chair Derrick Shoffner said in the release. “We know that everyone we’ve invited to join us will bring a unique perspective to help ensure that everyone who runs with us has a voice in our events and in our sport.”