We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Raja Keys a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Raja thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Denver Black Girls Run Club began as a response to something I felt was missing in the Denver fitness community. Running has always been grounding for me, yet I rarely saw women who looked like me on the trails or at organized runs. I wanted a space where Black women could show up fully, feel supported, and build community through wellness. When I started talking to other women, I realized many of us were craving the same thing.

The club felt like a worthwhile endeavor because it filled a real gap. There are many run clubs, but few that intentionally center Black women and the unique barriers we face. I knew this could become more than weekly meetups. From the beginning, I pictured partnerships, citywide events, expansion into Colorado Springs, and eventually creating a youth run club to inspire the next generation.

What excited me most was building a space rooted in purpose and representation. Although our group runs are still small, I can already see the growth and feel the impact building.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am the founder of Denver Black Girls Run Club, a community centered wellness space created for Black women in the Denver metro area. I stepped into this work because running has always been a source of grounding and healing for me, yet for a long time I rarely saw women who looked like me represented in local running spaces. I knew there were Black women in Colorado who wanted a supportive and culturally affirming community where we could run, grow, and feel seen, so I created the space I wished existed.

What started as small group runs has grown into a community that offers connection, accountability, and consistent opportunities for wellness. We host themed runs, workshops, collaborations with local businesses, and community centered events. I am expanding my vision into Colorado Springs and preparing to launch the Denver Youth Run Club, a youth distance running program that will guide young runners toward major race events. For me, this work is as much about representation as it is about running. I want Black women, young Black girls and boys to see running as a space where they belong.

Our club is different because it is intentionally built around culture, safety, and genuine sisterhood. Every run is designed to meet women where they are. Some join us for fitness, some for community, some for mental health, and many for all three. We create a space that prioritizes joy, encourages beginners, and keeps wellness accessible.

I am most proud of the community we have built. Even though our group runs are still small, the energy, commitment, and impact are real. You can feel the growth. You can feel that this is becoming something bigger.

What I want people to know is that Denver Black Girls Run Club is more than a run club. It is a movement rooted in empowerment. It is a place for Black women to show up fully as themselves. It is a space that will continue expanding through youth programs, city partnerships, and new chapters like the one developing in Colorado Springs. Our mission is simple. We run. We uplift. We grow together.

Have you ever had to pivot?

A major pivot I am making right now is transitioning the run club into a full run events and training program model. When I first started, the goal was simply to build community and create a safe space for Black women to run together. Over time, I realized that many women wanted more structure and more support in working toward real running goals. That insight shifted everything.

I am now focused on building structured training programs that help runners move from walking to a 5K, from a 5K to a 10K, and eventually into half and full marathon training. These programs will have guided training dates, coaching support, and clear milestones. This transition also allows the club to host more official run events, expand into places like Colorado Springs, and create a more intentional pipeline for the youth run club I am building for 2026.

The pivot has required me to rethink the original model, rework how I plan our programming, and be open to changing direction as the needs of the community become clearer. It is a reminder that growth usually happens when you are willing to step back, evaluate, and rebuild in a way that aligns with your long term vision.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In a city filled with established run clubs, I am constantly navigating what it means to grow something that looks different from what already exists. There are days when only a few women show up. There are moments when I wonder if people understand the vision or if it will take longer than I hoped for it to bloom. But every week I choose to keep showing up.

One morning captures this feeling perfectly. It is early, the kind of quiet that only Denver mornings have, and I am standing at the trailhead waiting to see who will come. Only one woman arrives that day. For a second I feel that familiar sting of disappointment. But then I remind myself why I am here. I remind myself that building community takes patience, consistency, and faith in the bigger picture.

So we run. And during that run she tells me she almost did not come. She tells me she has been struggling to stay consistent with fitness and needed a space where she would not feel judged. In that moment I see clearly why I keep going. What may look small from the outside is actually impact happening in real time.

My resilience shows up in those moments. I am building something that does not have a blueprint in Denver, especially for Black women. I am showing up even when the numbers are small because I know the community is growing. I am choosing to stay committed even when the pace is slow. Every run, every conversation, every connection is proof that the vision is working. And I trust that what I am planting now will grow into something powerful for women and for the youth run club I am preparing to launch.

My resilience lives in those moments. I continue forward even when the turnout is small because I know the foundation is being laid. I show up even when the path is uncertain because I believe in the women who come and in the youth program I am working to grow. Every single run reminds me that the vision is worth it. It may be slow, but it is happening.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://denverblackgirlsrun.mailchimpsites.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denverblackgirlsrunclub?igsh=eDZmMjYzdG45ejgz&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AZ8E5mUzR/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Other: https://heylo.group/denverblackgirlsrun