Tri Team PDX strives to create an inclusive community where all
athletes feel welcome. We strive to build a community that embraces diversity in all its beautiful forms. Our goal is that anyone who joins us for a workout will feel comfortable and represented. We also acknowledge that our sport has historically attracted a limited
demographic. We recognize that some athletes of color, athletes who are gender diverse, or athletes who are living in differently sized bodies could feel apprehensive or excluded.
The TTPDX Equity group was formed to explore ways that we might be more intentional about advancing equity practices within our
organization. We are exploring ways to remove barriers to
participation by underrepresented athletes. We will soon support the Black Swimming Initiative’s Juneteenth Learn to Swim event. Another project is to create a gear lending library to reduce the need to invest in expensive equipment in order to try out a group workout or race. We are advocating to create gender non-binary race categories with local race directors. We envision partnering with other local organizations to introduce our sport and perhaps share resources with other communities, especially once COVID restrictions start to lift.
We know that we have a long way to go, but remain dedicated to work toward building a triathlon community that supports all athletes to train, race, and inspire — together!
If you have questions, ideas, or comments, or would like to consider joining us, please feel free to reach out to equity@tripdx.com.
With recent events shining a very stark light on the inequality and systemic racism pervasive in our society, we want to do more to support and include the many BIPOC athletes in our region. The TriTeamPDX board is working to develop a series of initiatives that hopefully result in more Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) joining the multisport community – and developing a platform where BIPOC members feel welcome and supported.
TTPDX also honors all sexual orientations and gender identities. Come as you are!
We all benefit from a more diverse membership & leadership body, and each of you can help us shape what that looks like. Together we can make a lasting and significant difference, we are by nature, a very tenacious group of people after all.
For questions and ideas please reach out to info@tripdx.com
Jamie Rogers Rodas
Fun loving human who has fallen in love with the Triathlon sport and is proudly an Ironman class of 2019 (Arizona, 140.6).
Raised in love in a bilingual / bicultural family in Portland, OR & a very proud father of two young men.
I’ll be there for you to listen, help, cheer on and be a supportive & honored teammate of TriTeamPDX.
Emily Lighthipe
I am a Portland native who was raised in a progressive household based on two principals: 1)
well behaved women rarely make history and 2) act on behalf of those who can’t.
But simply “doing the right thing” isn’t good enough anymore. I am constantly challenging myself
and others around me to be aware if our actions and words are covertly racist or sexist.
Together we are holding each other accountable to lift up our BIPOC and LGBTQ+
communities. Being a part of the TTPDX Equity committee is one more way to be an activist and
an advocate for change. Along with the TTPDX Equity committee, I am also involved in the
budding, Portland-based project the Black Swimming Initiative whose vision is to eliminate the
effects of racism in local aquatics.
Liz Torres, RDN
I am a Portland native who was raised in a progressive household based on two principals: 1) well behaved women rarely make history and 2) act on behalf of those who can’t.
But simply “doing the right thing” isn’t good enough anymore. I am constantly challenging myself and others around me to be aware if our actions and words are covertly racist or sexist. Together we are holding each other accountable to lift up our BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. Being a part of the TTPDX Equity committee is one more way to be an activist and an advocate for change. Along with the TTPDX Equity committee, I am also involved in the budding, Portland-based project the Black Swimming Initiative whose vision is to eliminate the effects of racism in local aquatics.
dj Deaustria
Karen Smith Mularski
I joined TTPDX in 2019 and was delighted to be elected to the Board in 2020, half a year into a year of utter change, growth, and much pain and suffering. This group of kind, welcoming, and inclusive (and talented!) athletes is something special. I would be honored to give something back to a group who I feel have truly made this past year not only survivable, but full of laughter, joy, and growth.
I participated in many of the Black Lives Matter protests this summer and fall, and new relationships and experiences then prompted me to become more deeply committed to activism toward improving social and racial justice. I also have a child (now young adult) who identifies as gender non-binary, and their experiences of self-discovery have been informative and inspiring to witness. My vision for TTPDX is to continue to grow our membership to include athletes of every age, background, and ability; to continue to provide accessible, frequent, and varied group workouts and training opportunities; and to explore the possibilities of service to the community-at-large, as athletes. This has not been easy in a year of pandemic restrictions, but we must start somewhere.