{"id":744,"date":"2020-01-07T00:24:06","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T00:24:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gospelrun.com\/?p=744"},"modified":"2020-01-07T00:36:59","modified_gmt":"2020-01-07T00:36:59","slug":"keisha-farmer-smith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gospelrun.com\/index.php\/2020\/01\/07\/keisha-farmer-smith\/","title":{"rendered":"Keisha Farmer-Smith"},"content":{"rendered":"<body>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Many Ways Racer Keisha\nFarmer-Smith Helps Keep Her Family Healthy <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keisha Farmer-Smith decided to do Gospel Run five years ago,\nafter her husband was diagnosed with some considerable health challenges. The\ncouple wanted to be healthier together. The rest of their blended family,\nincluding Keisha\u2019s 75 year-old mother-in-law, joined because the race looked\nfun. The family has participated in Gospel Run every year since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keisha, 46, is a Chicago South Sider who has always sought\ncreative ways to keep her children active. When she was a single parent of two young\nboys, now ages 17 and 21, Keisha found activities that were low cost, or free,\nto occupy them. Whether it was the Boys and Girls Club, tumbling or soccer, she\nmade sure her boys moved. Even while doing family chores, Keisha would play\nmusic, \u201cyou\u2019re cleaning while getting your heart rate up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting an entire family involved in healthy living was a\nmixed bag. \u201cFor some family members the choice was easy. For others, having to\npractice [and] prepare for the race has been difficult. We try our best to\nencourage each other.\u201d Some of the ways the family is encouraged and stays on\ntask is holding veggie and fruit, water drinking, pushup and sit-up challenges.\nThey try to eat dinner together a few times a week and will check in with each\nother, asking \u201chave you been walking?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a parent, Keisha does not feel our culture supports\nhealth and wellness of Black families and especially Black children. \u201cIt\u2019s\nhard. I\u2019ve always tried to cook at home [and] have healthy eating options in\nthe house. [But] fruits and vegetable cost more.\u201d Keisha, who holds a PhD\nadmits that her family has been able to eat healthier as she earned more\nincome. For families on a tight budget, she suggests going to local farmer\u2019s\nmarkets that take SNAP benefits. She also recommends avoiding processed foods\nand refined sugar if possible. Her family has benefited from their\nneighborhood\u2019s Salvation Army Kroc Center, which charges on a sliding scale\nbased on your income and health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gospel Run has been pivotal in inspiring Keisha\u2019s family to\nstay healthy. \u201cWe don\u2019t treat is as a singular event. We start revving up for\nGospel Run!\u201d The family starts their race season in November so that they feel\nprepared come June for Gospel Run. For Keisha, the event is more than a simple\nrace, \u201cIt\u2019s about family and community\u2026 and thanking God for the bodies we\nhave.\u201d When asked the importance of the community seeing Black families, in all\nforms, coming together to support each other, Keisha\u2019s answer was simple: \u201cIt\u2019s\nextremely important. It\u2019s such a positive event, and it\u2019s so much fun!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the 2020 race, Keisha wants to get her sorority sisters\nto form a team. \u201cGospel Run has been a wonderful blessing to our family. It is\na fun way to spend time together, encourage each other and make healthier life\nchoices.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Many Ways Racer Keisha Farmer-Smith Helps Keep Her Family Healthy Keisha Farmer-Smith decided to do Gospel Run five years ago, after her husband was diagnosed with some considerable health challenges. The couple wanted to be healthier together. The rest of their blended family, including Keisha\u2019s 75 year-old mother-in-law, joined because the race looked fun. 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