In this episode, I talk to Dr. Daisy Purdy, president of the Inclusive Community Consulting. We talk about her journey into sports and fitness, how she used skating to raise funds for native lands and community health, as well as some of the unique experiences she’s had while at it.
We discuss:
Daisy’s sports history
Daisy’s commitment to using her privileges in helping others
The queer Afro indigeneity
The power of the sports community
...and more!
Powered by RedCircle
Here are some highlights:
Daisy’s early athletic life
“I didn't do much in the conventional team sports realm, Daisy said. “ I grew up in kind of a scrappy neighborhood. So my affinity was more towards martial arts. So I used to go to the boys club and study karate with my friend Shivani. And we would get in for a quarter and lift weights beforehand. And it was aptly named the boys club,” Daisy said. “There weren't very many women there. So her and I kind of did our thing. And at that point in time, I squat my body weight. And I don't know that I could do that now. So my teenage years to my 40s, there has been a significant transition and in many different capacities, but certainly an unusual path.”
Daisy’s values are routed in the queer Afro indigeneity
“I was raised with cultural teachings that teach us that low key, the earth is our mother and the sky's our father,” said Daisy. “And that water is the connector of all beings. Water is significant because of gender fluidity, right? The one thing that connects all people everywhere is something that doesn't adhere to this gender binary. And so, nature is queer, for lack of a better metaphor to give to it.”
The power of the athletic community
“They understand you in ways that no other human could, because they've seen you under the most extreme conditions possible,” Daisy said. “They've been there to either help you out on the other side, or they're the ones that put you there in the first place.”
The hardest part of Daisy’s 2000 mile skating track
“The physical hardest part was absolutely the feet. My blisters had blisters,” said Daisy. “I like to say a blister would pop and I would get it cut off and go to tape it up and find there was already another blister. At one point, in particular, I’d taken a pretty bad fall, and got up, you know, and continued skating and was pretty bloodied and battered, and I had either bruised or cracked my ribs, I'm not sure, a fall prior, and it was just having some difficulty breathing, and just stopped.”
The most rewarding part of this of this grand adventure
“It's just been really cool to create a platform for other skaters to skate in solidarity and to share their stories,” said Daisy. “ It's really hard not to smile when you see somebody in a tutu and rolling their skates.”
The benefits of age
“ Too often we see age as a deficit. We feel that maybe it takes us a little bit longer to heal from injuries, or our muscles are a little bit sore from doing the same thing that we used to do, said Daisy. “Or we might feel that we walk up a set of stairs, even though we just got done running 10 miles, we walk up a staircase and where we're catching our breath, and it's like, ‘Oh, you know, getting older is no good.’ But what I really felt when I was skating is I had really come into myself. And I say that in a lot of different ways. Not only feeling physically strong while I was roller skating, but having the emotional fortitude to push through things like heat waves, for example.”
“When I was younger, if I had done the same trick in my 20s, I would have been like, ‘Oh, let me just take a nap in the air conditioned car. And I'll get back out there.’ Versus doing it in my 40s where it's like, ‘Oh, my muscles are nice and loose and limber. This is great.’ They're not going to lock up. It's nice and warm out here,” said Daisy. “So I think age was a strength in just choosing my mode of transportation and my ability to stand up for myself against the police. I think I would have been much more intimidated when I was younger.”
The next big undertaking
“I think I think horse tracking is going to be the next big undertaking. I would love to see parts of the world on horseback. And again, it's a great way to connect with places, to connect with culture, to connect with people and to connect with another being - an animal”
If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and connect with us on Instagram too!
Donate to Mesas to Mountains here
Instagram: @mesas2mountains
ageUP! is a revolutionary membership community for women over 40 who want to age like athletes. This is your fast track to becoming fearless, feeling ageless and living LIMITLESS! Discover the life-changing benefits that come with exploring your athletic potential at any age or fitness background - join ageUP at https://robinlegat.com/ageup