At NETC, Every Day Is About Women
“Good things are coming this spring.” It was the reassurance that got us through frigid outdoor workouts, a sentiment that echoed through the pack of huddled runners all winter. But as we gathered for a warm evening run on the National Mall last week, we learned PRs aren’t the only thing we have to look forward to this year.
After weeks of good luck texts, crossed fingers, and an imprudent amount of Instagram stories from the doctor’s office, our co-founders Vonks and Matt Kesting finally announced to NETC they were having a baby girl. Somehow, it didn’t seem the least bit weird that they were sharing this private moment with almost 200 of us.
Families of tourists strolling the Mall gawked at our cheers and confetti cannons (although this could have been our reaction to literally anything). As the pink confetti fluttered to the ground, I realized how many women were there to support and celebrate with Vonks. She’d given so much to us, and now it was our turn to make sure she was taken care of. I’d never encountered a stronger, more nurturing group of women who were equally invested in each other’s goals, on and off the track.
I couldn’t think of a better place to raise a little girl.
NETC has become a safe community for women because it was created by women. In 2020, Vonks and Mona endeavored to start a running group that would give people a sense of community during one of the loneliest events we’ll (hopefully) ever experience. They sacrificed time, energy, sanity, money, relationships, career opportunities, and more. Two years later, this group is not only huge – it’s about so much more than running.
Last month, in celebration of Women’s History Month, NETC started and finished an 8-mile run at D-Lite Cafe in Adams Morgan, owned by Ukrainian sisters Vira and Anastasiia Derun. In addition to supporting their business that day (100 hungry runners consume a lot of flaky croissants!), we made individual contributions that amounted to a $500 donation to Ukrainian refugee relief. The sisters tearfully accepted the check on that sunny morning, knowing their business was also about so much more than pastries. But also…omg the pastries.
Like Vonks and Mona, they sought to create a safe space for others. Like Vonks and Mona, they faced serious adversity along the way. And like Vonks and Mona, they overcame it, ending up with something bigger than they imagined. The sidewalk was clogged with cafe patrons and runners alike that morning, creating a line that snaked out from D-Lite’s front doors. It all goes to show what happens when women build together.
People are drawn to NETC because of its inclusivity, resources and support. We show up as our authentic selves and tell our stories – miles and miles of stories. We serve each other, leverage our collective power to serve the DC community, and most of all, we listen to women’s needs. NETC will continue to be successful because it was created by women for women. For us, International Women’s Day is every day.
Vonks and Matt, congratulations on becoming parents! This little girl will be more than a blessing. She’s going to be part of a legacy.
