Gotham Girls Roller Derby is Sweating for Support

COVID-19 is a global crisis upending all our lives. Some communities, such as our immigrant and undocumented neighbors, are among the most impacted. This is why Gotham Girls Roller Derby is partnering with Make the Road New York for a COVID-19 fundraiser. Donating to the below will contribute to Make the Road’s COVID-19 Response Fund and offset Gotham's loss of income due to the cancellation of games, practices, and paid programming.

ORGANIZATIONS:

Make the Road New York: Make the Road New York builds the power of immigrant and working-class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education and survival services. In this moment they are working nonstop to respond to new needs of immigrant and low-income communities of color in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through their Emergency Response Fund they will provide at least $1 million in direct cash assistance to the most vulnerable workers and low-income immigrant households in New York so far left out of government relief. They are organizing for policies at the city, state and federal level that include these communities in future government relief and recovery efforts and continue to provide vital health, housing and worker support to their communities through this crisis.

Gotham Girls Roller Derby (GGRD): Founded in 2003, Gotham is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and New York City’s only roller derby league for cisgender, transgender and intersex women and gender non-conforming participants. Gotham is a leader in the sport of roller derby, fueled by our mission of fostering personal, mental and physical strength through collaboration, inclusiveness and community-building while representing New York City in athletic excellence.

We’ve been hit hard by this crisis and had to shut down our operations while continuing to pay our bills, and the revenue from our games and paid programming has been indefinitely suspended. Your necessary support will allow for our youth and adult league members to keep rolling once we’re on the other side of this pandemic. 

This fundraiser (taking place between May 1 - May 8, 2020) has participants completing as many rounds as they can of the workout listed below. Donors can participate themselves, sponsor a participant(s), or both! All proceeds will be evenly split between Make the Road New York and Gotham Girls Roller Derby.

WAYS TO DONATE:

• PARTICIPATE: Do the workout and donate!

  • Pledge to donate an amount ($5 suggested) for each round of an intense workout (posted below) completed within 20 mins 

  • Complete the workout once anytime between May 1 - May 8 and donate the amount based on the number of rounds you complete (e.g. if you pledge to donate $5/round, and you complete 15 rounds in 20 mins, you donate $75)

  • Alternatively, you can choose to donate a lump sum for the entirety of the workout (e.g. $100) regardless of rounds completed

  • Donations can be made by clicking the red DONATE button on this page

• SPONSOR A PARTICIPANT: Want to support Gotham Girls Roller Derby and Make the Road New York without breaking a sweat? Consider sponsoring a participant!
  • Pledge to donate an amount ($5 suggested) for each round of an intense workout (see below) completed within 20 mins
  • Participants will complete the workout listed below one time between May 1 - May 8
  • Once finished they will let you know how many rounds they completed, and your donation amount will reflect that (e.g. if you pledge $5/round and they complete 15 rounds, you donate $75)
  • Alternatively, you can choose to donate a lump sum for the entirety of the workout (e.g. $100) regardless of how many rounds they complete
  • Donations can be made by clicking the red DONATE button on this page
  • Looking for a participant to sponsor? Email communityoutreach@ggrd.nyc
    
    

THE WORKOUT - as many rounds as possible in 20 min: 

Click the name of the exercise for a visual. Suggested modifications are listed here, but modify additionally if needed.

• x5 air squats (modification: x5 sit-to-stand squats)
• x5 burpees (modification: x5 step-back burpees)
• x5 tuck-ups (modification: x5 knee tuck crunches)
• x5 superpersons (modification: x5 alternating superpersons)

Repeat these sets of exercises (which constitutes as one round) as many times as possible in 20 minutes. We thank you for your continued support in this unprecedented time; we hope you are all staying safe, healthy, and six feet apart!

Participation in this workout is at your own risk! As with all exercise programs, this workout may result in injury. Check in with your doctor before participating, exercise in a clear space, pay attention to your body and stop if you feel dizzy or discomfort. Nothing stated or posted by Gotham Girls Roller Derby LLC is intended to be and must not be taken to be medical or professional advice. Gotham Girls Roller Derby LLC will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain as a result of this workout event. 

(Photo Credit: David Dyte)