From November 24th
to December 2nd, 2025
15% OFF in all our experiences
Discount Code: BLACKWEEK15
*Promotion limited to 5 discount codes per experience and
cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.
"…and running, what better way to say thanks for life, right? As an activity, what better testament to your capacity as a human being than to run. Navajos are told, right, that’s how you show appreciation for the day. That’s how you show that you’re there, that you offer your prayers, and it also, being awake at that time in the morning, I think it endows you with a sense of gratitude for life and for your environment that… is really unique."
Before it was a sport, running was simply part of life. For Dustin Martin, a proud member of the Navajo (Diné) Nation, that truth runs deep and it set him on a path that wound through Division I competition and the halls of Columbia University before bringing him back to where it all began. Because coming back is the part that matters most. Back to the Southwest, back to the young people who need what he once needed, and back to Wings of America, the organization that helped shape who he is.
Now serving as Chief Visionary Officer, Dustin sits down with Mau Díaz to talk about the long road that led him here, and the road still ahead. It’s a conversation about what running carries when it’s tied to land, to identity and to survival. About building programs that don’t just develop athletes, but grow leaders.
Wings of America exists to put running in the hands of Native youth, not as a path to scholarships or podiums, but as a practice rooted in health, identity, and pride. Dustin has spent fifteen years making sure that mission stays alive and grows. In this conversation he talks about where he comes from, what running means in Indigenous communities, and what it looks like to build something that truly belongs to the people it serves.
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Dustin serves as Chief Visionary Officer for Wings of America, a not-for-profit that promotes running amongst American Indian youth.
As a former Wings program participant that grew into a Division 1 cross country and track competitor, distance running has helped guide much of his educational and professional experience. Since 2018, he has also had the honor of being called upon to help organize inter-Tribal prayer relays in response to threats to natural and cultural resources stewarded by Indigenous populations across “the [American] west”.
He resides in Albuquerque, NM on Tiwa Lands, and is father to two rambunctious young boys.
You can connect with Dustin on Instagram at @quinnthenavajo
For nearly four decades, Wings of America has supported Native youth through running by creating opportunities for movement, mentorship, and leadership development. What began as a focus on competitive running has grown into a broader youth development model that serves Tribal communities across the American Southwest and beyond.
Over time, Wings has expanded its programming to meet the evolving needs of Native youth, integrating wellness education, cultural connection, and mentorship alongside physical activity. Today, their youth programs, including Summer Running & Fitness Camps, Flight Club, the Leadership Academy, and the Wings National Team, work together to provide consistent, culturally grounded opportunities for youth to grow, build confidence, and access new opportunities through running. Wings’ programs encourage Native youth to share their passion for running with the next generation while using their footsteps to learn about and protect ancestral pathways.
Grounded in their Four Pillars of Wellness, physical, mental, spiritual, and relational, this model reflects decades of experience, community partnership, and a long-standing commitment to supporting Native youth.
OUR HOST: MAU DÍAZ
CEO & Co-Founder of Aire Libre.
Mau Díaz, born in Mexico City in 1988, embarked on a journey of academic and adventurous pursuits. He studied Marketing at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, delving into International Marketing at the Hochschule Pforzheim in Germany, and exploring Chinese Foreign Policy at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His professional trajectory took off with a focus on Growth Hacking, where he honed his skills in team building and assisting startups in their growth strategies. Notable stints as a growth hacker at Propiedades.com and later at LECO shaped his early career.
In December 2015, Mau embarked on a non-stop 90km run across the Sonora Desert with two friends, laying the foundation for his venture, Aire Libre. He identifies as an adventurer who embraces running as a means to satiate his curiosity. His accomplishments include solo and unassisted traversing of the Sierra Sur de Oaxaca, covering 127km from December 28 to 30, 2017. In 2018, he clinched a top 5 spot in an 80km ultramarathon in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. May 2022 witnessed his relentless 140km run from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Cortez, spanning the Baja California peninsula. These exploits merely scratch the surface of his vast adventures.
Mau’s work at Aire Libre has not gone unnoticed, garnering recognition from esteemed international media outlets such as The Financial Times, Monocle, Men’s Journal, Forbes, Travesías, El Universal, Chilango, Sopitas.com, and various others.
You can find Mau on instagram as @maudac
From November 24th
to December 2nd, 2025
15% OFF in all our experiences
Discount Code: BLACKWEEK15
*Promotion limited to 5 discount codes per experience and
cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.
From November 25
to December 2nd, 2024
15% OFF in all our experiences
Discount Code: ALBLACKWEEK
*Promotion limited to 5 discount codes per experience and
cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.
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