Ryan Thompson came to West Palm Beach from his native Atlanta five years ago. For Thompson, choosing to go home-based in 2018 meant being able to live almost anywhere, and it was apparent from his early life that Thomson valued authenticity, involvement, and diversity as keys to life.
He chose West Palm Beach and knew he would need to find community in order to remain involved, social, and active in his new remote life. He happened upon a social media ad from Night Runners and was taken with the group, “I decided to give it a go, and I showed up one night … People were super welcoming, and I met quite a few people on my first night there. I got a good vibe. I've run with other groups and other locations before … and I just didn't get that sense. We would run, but it wasn't a camaraderie like a tribe. So we’d do our things, and then just kind of separate afterwards.”
Those engaging early encounters have become several terms on the Night Runners board and becoming board president in 2023. Since his tenure, Night Runners has added to the WPB community through the creation of its Pride Health Expo and outreach.
For now, Thompson sees a continuation of his efforts and contributions, “as long as I know that I was a part of something. Even if I didn't carry the torch all the way. But at least I left it there for somebody else to continue to light it and ignite it.”
Homepage: OUT & PROUD 2024
