Community Builder
This article is part of Finding the Words, a newsletter that delivers practical insights on the day’s issues.
In 2013, Hector “Hec” Espinal decided to go for a run.
He had recently experienced heartbreak and needed a fresh start, but he knew, having never run before, that he wouldn’t get very far if he set out alone. So, Hec brought a few friends along and started documenting his journey of self-improvement by running New York City’s George Washington Bridge every Monday.
Wearing cotton hoodies, nine-inch gym shorts, and basketball shoes, he would upload pictures online using the hashtag #WeRunUptown, and invite others from his Washington Heights neighborhood—most of whom did not identify as runners—to join him the following week.
That personal running journey has become one of the strongest running crews in the country, with thousands of members pounding New York City’s uptown streets every week.
We Run Uptown is about running—and it’s not about running. It’s about community, belonging, and friendship. And what you’ll find when you look closer are the perfect ingredients for building your own strong community, too:
A commitment to consistency. Since Hec’s first run in 2013, We Run Uptown has never missed a Monday night run. Rain, snow, sweltering heat — it doesn’t matter. If it’s Monday, they’re out there, together. When it comes to building community, showing up matters. Not just for the big moments, but for the everyday ones too.
Everyone is welcome, and no one is left behind. We Run Uptown welcomes all paces, all bodies, and all experiences. Whether you’re a practiced runner sprinting up Amsterdam Avenue or taking your first tentative steps into the sport, you belong. All runners, regardless of pace, stop at each mile marker to wait for their teammates before continuing on. In this community, no one is left behind.
Everyone participates. We Run Uptown is just as much about getting healthy as it is about reclaiming the streets of Washington Heights for the people who live there. The group exudes local pride as they collectively build safety and familiarity in a place that hasn’t always offered it. We Run Uptown finishes each run in a local restaurant, bar, or bodega to celebrate the shared experience with others in the community, which inspires even greater participation.
A shared purpose. Yes, this group runs. A lot. But they also clean up parks, host clothing swaps, and fundraise for local causes. The act of running becomes a platform for something more profound: connection, care, and collective growth.
Consistency, radical inclusivity, participation, and shared purpose. We Run Uptown is just as much about running as it is belonging— and it offers a roadmap for others who care about building community, too.
Bottom Line: If you are trying to instill a deeper sense of belonging on your team, or if you're searching for a sense of community, take a page from We Run Uptown. Lace up, metaphorically or literally, and get out there. Because when it comes to building community, you don’t need to move faster, you need to move closer—to each other.
This post is part of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.
