WEST READING, Pa. – Black History Month is about more than the past: It’s about who’s shaping the future, and that story is unfolding on the streets of West Reading.
People of different ages and different backgrounds come together as one community. This is Nemesis Fitness, and at the center of it all is founder Paul Redford Jr.
“Nemesis Fitness is a run club that I founded in 2018,” Redford said. “We wanted to get active and get our community involved.”
For Redford, the journey is personal. A health condition ended his sports career in 2007. Instead of giving up, he built something new.
“I ended up with a heart condition, so I couldn’t be active. I was in a slump, mentally and physically,” Redford said. “And I decided I’ve got to get outside and do something.”
What started with a few friends turned into free weekly runs, open to everyone.
“I feel like a lot of things in our city aren’t accessible for everyone,” Redford said. “And the ones that are, most people aren’t able to even get to. So I just wanted to provide something for everybody to be able to do.”
Today, Nemesis Fitness stretches beyond Reading, with events across Pennsylvania and beyond. It serves as a reminder that representation, access and community can change lives.
“Persistence is definitely it,” Redford said. “At first, it was just a couple of us, and now it’s grown to something that’s been huge … As long as you continue to push your dream, it’ll eventually happen.”
