Two-time CrossFit Games athlete Elijah Muhammad will battle Sam Briggs – representing The OUT Foundation – during the CrossFit Open workout 21.3 live announcement.
Founded in September 2020, Project Onyx is on a mission to eliminate barriers in health and fitness for underserved and underrepresented people of colour.
The non-profit does this by providing accessible health and fitness services, mentorship programs for youths and future professionals, and empowering communities to become culturally proficient, healthy and active.
Elijah Muhammad is the co-founder of Project Onyx alongside Patrick Ford who, following the events of 2020 involving the murders of innocent Black Americans, “envisioned a program who’s sole focus was eliminating racial health disparities in the United States through educating our communities and promoting diversity and representation in the health and fitness professions.”
“I know health and fitness,” Ford told CrossFit. “That’s what I know. So I literally just started looking up research papers about racial health disparities to see what they were, how they existed, and why they existed.”
Following his reflexion and research, Ford approached Muhammad and Project Onyx was created.
“The only job I’ve ever had is CrossFit,” Muhammad told CrossFit. “I got out of college and I became a CrossFit coach. Then I became one of the fittest in the world. And now I own a gym. So everything that I’ve done has revolved around CrossFit.
“In the CrossFit space — training, teaching seminars, going to competitions — you don’t see many Black people, so you stand out so much.”
Muhammad believes more Black people need to discover the CrossFit community in order to push for diversity, equity and inclusion within the sport, and for this to happen accessibility and representation are required.
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That’s why organisations such as Project Onyx are so important.
“The long-term goal for Project Onyx is to continue to diversify the health and fitness space and eliminate barriers to entry specifically within CrossFit for people of color,” CrossFit reported. Ford and Muhammad envision the program growing countrywide, with Affiliates associating themselves with the project.
You can find out more here or donate directly to Project Onyx here.
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CrossFit Open Workout 21.3 Live Announcement
The CrossFit Open 21.3 live workout announcement will see the three Panchik brothers, Spencer, Saxon and Scott, go head to head. Their workout will be followed by a showdown for charity between Elijah Muhammad and Sam Briggs.
Muhammad, 2015 and 2017 CrossFit Games athlete, will represent Project Onyx, while Briggs, 2013 Fittest Woman on Earth, and 2013 and 2014 CrossFit Open Champion, will represent The OUT Foundation.
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The live announcement will be broadcast on CrossFit’s official site and social media channels at 12pm PT on Thursday, March 25.
How to Watch CrossFit Open Workout 21.3 Live Announcement
Image Sources
- crossfit-open-live-announcement-for-charity: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.